US Birth Rates Decline Despite Increase in Total Births

Data shows that in 2024, the birth rate fell to a historic low of 1.6 children per woman. This was highlighted in a recent release from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

While the overall birth rate has dropped, the CDC reports that total births in the United States actually rose by 1% from 2023 to 2024, reaching 3,628,934. Interestingly, birth rates among women aged 15 to 34 decreased during the same period.

Additionally, the birth rates for those in the 35 to 39 age group remained unchanged, according to CDC findings. However, an increase was noted for women aged 40 to 44.

For decades, the US has seen notable reductions in birth rates. A report from the Conservative Heritage Foundation released in March 2025 connects this recent decline to trends of delayed marriage and childbearing among many women. The last time the fertility rate was above the replacement level of 2.1 was back in 2007, with a figure of 2.12, according to Congressional Budget Office data.

In February, President Trump announced an executive order aimed at expanding access to in vitro fertilization (IVF). This move was designed to support families with associated costs, as IVF is a procedure that involves implanting fertilized embryos into the uterus.

The White House emphasized that this executive order aims to facilitate family formation and acknowledges the need for public policies that assist parents in having children.