CDC reports that U.S. birth rates fell for the 4th year in a row in 2018. There were roughly 3.8 million babies born in the United States in 2018, down 2% from the previous year, marking the lowest number of births in more than 3 decades. The total fertility rate declined to 1,729.5 births per 1,000 women. According to CDC, there would need to be 2,100 births per 1,000 women in order for the population to not decline. The drop is driven by women waiting longer to have children and a decline in the teen birth rate, which fell 7.4% for young women aged 15–19 years. The number of births increased slightly in 2018 for women aged 35–44 years, CDC said.
Birth rate falls for fourth consecutive year
