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Birth Rate Stabilizes After Steep Declines

By Counsel & Heal Writer | Update Date: Sep 06, 2013 09:19 AM EDT

The fertility rate of US has finally stabilized after years of steep declining, according to the data released by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The latest numbers published on Friday confirmed the trend that the American baby is at an end. This was also based on earlier CDC data.

The number of births took place in 2012 were levelled off after years of huge drops. 3.5 million babies were born last year, around 1000 fewer than 2011. The significant change compares to a declines of about 50,000 in 2011 and more than 100,000 in the year 2009 as well as 2010.

Another pattern related to fertility rate has also come into the light from the CDC survey. Number of births per 1,000 women of childbearing age, fell to 63 from 63.2. This one of the record lows in recent time. However this drop is very small compared to previous years. The rate was 69.3 in 2007 and dropped consistently throughout the recessions and early years of recovery.

“The trend in births appears to have flattened,” CDC said in the report.

The report also mentioned that the teen birth rate declined 6% last year. There were 29.4 births per 1,000 teenagers 15–19 years old in 2012 compared to 31.3 in 2011. This is one of the historic lows for the nation.

The Wall Street Jounal reported that birth rates for women who are in their 20s also declined last year, as more tend to have children once they older. The birth rates for women in their 30s and early 40s rose last year.

The fertility rate is alarming too. A 2.1 rate is considered the level needed to keep the U.S. population stable. In 2012 it fell slightly to 1.88 from 1.89 a year earlier.

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