For the 12th year in a row, births and birth rates are down overall and among all age groups under 35. 2018 births to teens were down 7% from 2017, as they also were in 2016–bringing the teen rate down
Fertility in Free Fall?
Women Starting Fewer Families in 2017
Today’s CDC Final Birth Data for 2017 revises the Preliminary report (below): the birth rate is at a new low, but not quite as low as thought; it’s 60.3 births / 1000 (rather than 60.2), down 2%.* Here’s the revised
For Stronger Families, Focus on Childcare, Not Birthrates
I have a story up on theAtlantic.com site about birthrates and childcare: here. The story was published with a confusing title, which was soon changed to the current title (same as here), so got some confused comments in response initially.
Room for Debate on Delay
The NY Times‘ Room for Debate online forum asked “Should women delay motherhood?” That’s a problematic question, presuming that “experts” know what women “should” do better than they do themselves. Here’s my reply along with those of six others: http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/07/08/should-women-delay-motherhood/delayed-parenting-can-empower-women A Delay
All-Time Low Birth Rates in 2011 & 2012
CDC Births: Final Data, 2011 Last week the CDC issued its final report on birth data for 2011. That includes final adjustments and new charts, but no major changes from the preliminary report issued last October. The final confirms that the general
Later Motherhood: The Wage Effect
The biggest salary gains were for women who had invested some of the delay time in getting an advanced degree and then went on to establish at work before having kids.
Recession as Birth Control? Varies by Age.
Along with the recession, the drop may have something to do also with recognition, as the teen rate rose in 2006 and 2007, of problems with Ab-only ed — and moves in a number of states away from that.
Likewise, all the additional people who had babies in 2007 (that rise occurred in all age brackets except those 45+ and those 14 and under) were busy in 2008 — taking care of those kids. Demand in the baby realm is not infinite.
On the other hand, recession-based decisions against a baby today among folks who would have otherwise felt ready, will lead to further increases in births to older moms (and dads) down the line. Lots of ripple effects to all these social dynamics.