In 2023, US birth rates hit a 40-year low

U.S. births dropped by about 76,000 in 2023, hitting the lowest one-year tally since 1979, following a long-term decline that had been temporarily interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Birth rates fell for all women younger than 40 last year, a surprising development, and rates declined across racial and ethnic groups. Experts speculate that the U.S. Supreme Court decision on abortion did not lead to a national increase in births, but there could be an impact on teen birth rates, which have flattened for girls ages 15 to 17. Concerns also rose about the rise in C-section rates and the overall decline in the fertility rate in the U.S.

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