News: U.S. birth rates decline slightly in 2025 as part of long-term drop in fertility rates

The number of births in the United States continued a gradual decline in 2025, reflecting a longterm demographic trend and shifting reproductive patterns. According to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the 3,606,400 births recorded nationwide indicate a 1% decrease from the 3,628,934 births reported in 2024.

While the annual decline is modest, it aligns with a broader pattern—births fell by an average of 2% per year between 2015 and 2020 and have fluctuated at lower levels since.

The general fertility rate also edged downward, reaching 53.1 births per 1,000 women ages 15–44 in 2025, compared with 53.8 in 2024. This marks a continuation of a long-term decline that began in 2007, during which the rate fell by 23%. Analysts point to a range of contributing factors, including delayed childbearing, economic considerations, and changing social norms around family size.

Teen birth rates saw one of the most significant drops, continuing a decades-long trend. The teen fertility rate fell to a record low of 11.7 births per 1,000 females ages 15–19 In 2025. This indicated a 7% decrease from the previous year. Since 2007, the teen birth rate has declined by 72% and has dropped by 81% from its peak in 1991. The number of births among teenagers also decreased, totaling 125,933 in 2025; an 8% decline from 2024.

Both younger teens (ages 15–17) and older teens (18–19) experienced record-low fertility rates. The rate for younger teens dropped 11% to 4.7 births per 1,000, while the rate for older teens fell 7% to 21.9 per 1,000. These declines underscore continued progress toward reducing adolescent pregnancies nationwide.

Maternal and infant health indicators, however, showed mixed trends. The overall cesarean delivery rate rose slightly to 32.5% in 2025, up from 32.4 % in 2024, marking the highest level since 2013. The rate had been steadily declining from 2009 to 2019 but has increased almost every year from 2020 to 2025. The low-risk cesarean rate also slightly increased to 26.9% and is the highest rate since 2012, suggesting a continued upward trend in surgical deliveries even among typically low-risk pregnancies.

The rate of preterm births—births at less than 37 completed weeks of gestation—remained relatively stable in 2025, with 10.41% of infants being born preterm. This is unchanged from the previous year. Early preterm births—before 34 completed weeks of gestation—declined slightly to 2.69%, while late preterm births—34–36 completed weeks of gestation—held steady at around 7.70%.

Overall, the data highlights ongoing shifts in U.S. fertility patterns, with fewer births, later childbearing, and continued improvements in teen pregnancy rates.

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