NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. births fell last year, resuming a long national slide.
A little under 3.6 million babies were born in 2023, according to provisional statistics released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s about 76,000 fewer than the year before and the lowest one-year tally since 1979.
U.S. births were slipping for more than a decade before COVID-19 hit, then dropped 4% from 2019 to 2020. They ticked up for two straight years after that, an increase experts attributed, in part, to pregnancies that couples had put off amid the pandemic’s early days.
But “the 2023 numbers seem to indicate that bump is over and we’re back to the trends we were in before,” said Nicholas Mark, a University of Wisconsin researcher who studies how social policy and other factors influence health and fertility.
Birth rates have long been falling for teenagers and younger women, but rising for women in their 30s and 40s — a reflection of women pursuing education and careers before trying to start families, experts say. But last year, birth rates fell for all women younger than 40, and were flat for women in their 40s.
Iran helicopter crash: President Raisi, the supreme leader's protege, dies at 63
Kalen DeBoer makes unofficial Alabama coaching debut before big crowd at spring game
Coronel has 3 saves, first shutout of season, Red Bulls and Fire tie 0
Syria condemns U.S. air raids, vows to continue war on terrorism
Jude Bellingham's new model girlfriend Laura Celia Valk looks sensational in a figure
Biden touts progress on economy, immigration despite wide disapproval
UN asks Houthis to reconsider order to expel U.S., British nationals
Day 3 of the Masters at a glance
David Ortiz is humbled by being honored in New York again; this time for post
Netanyahu, Biden talk over hostages, aid to Gaza