Delivery Dearth

Last year, 3.85 million babies were born, the lowest level since 1987! Moreover, the fertility rate for women age 15 to 44 was 60.2 births/1,000 women, the lowest since this rate was first recorded over a century ago. Only women aged 40 to 44 saw a rise in fertility in 2017; to 11.6 births/1,000 women, up 2%. Teen births declined another 7% and are down 70% since their 1991 peak.