Millennials, GenZs say 'maybe later, baby': US birth rates hit 40-year low

The general fertility rate in the US decreased by 3 per cent in 2023, dropping to 54.5 births per 1,000 females aged 15 to 44, according to US National Center for Health Statistics

The United States recorded 3,596,017 births in 2023, marking the lowest in over 40 years, said a Bloomberg report citing US National Center for Health Statistics.

 

The report, based on birth certificate data, released by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), a unit of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on Tuesday highlighted that the general fertility rate also decreased by 3 per cent in 2023, dropping to 54.5 births per 1,000 females aged 15–44. This confirms the preliminary figures published by it last year titled ‘Births in the United States, 2023’, highlighting demographic shifts driven by changing economic conditions, delayed parenthood, and evolving societal norms.

 

This marks a 2 per cent decline from the previous year, reinforcing a long-term trend of declining birth rates and smaller family sizes.

 

Birth rates decline, motherhood delayed

 

According to the report, the decline in births has been observed across various age groups, with a notable drop among younger women. However, birth rates among women in their late 30s and early 40s have remained relatively stable.

 

The report stated that the average age of first-time mothers in the US reached 27.5 years, the highest ever recorded. The total fertility rate stood at 1.6 births per woman, continuing a steady 2 per cent annual decline since 2008. At this rate, the US will need to depend on immigration to maintain its current population levels.

 

Experts suggest that factors like financial uncertainties, career priorities, and shifting attitudes toward family planning have contributed to the decreasing birth rate.

 

Is declining birth rate becoming a global trend? 

According to media reports, the broader global patterns in other developed nations, also show that the fertility rates are in decline.

 

Earlier this month, the European Union reported that births in 2023 fell to 3.6 million, marking a 5 per cent decline, which is the sharpest drop in over six decades. Meanwhile, China recorded 9.5 million births last year, the second-lowest number since the country’s founding in 1949. Japan is also experiencing a declining birth rate, with 2023 seeing the lowest number of births since record-keeping began in 1899, according to recent reports.

 

According to recent reports, this trend might be linked to factors like fewer marriages, career concerns for women, and the high cost of raising children, political instability, and economic uncertainty.