US National Birth Reports

The National Center for Health Statistics released their Provisional Birth Data for 2019. Highlights include:

• The number of births in 2019 was 1% lower than in 2018. 
•  The cesarean section rate decrease 0.1% from 2018. 
• The preterm birth rate for 2019 was 0.2% from 2018.
• The birth rate for teenagers decrease 5% from 2018 to 2019.

To read the full data brief, click here. 

The National Center for Health Statistics released the first data on VBAC rates since 2004. Highlights include:

• The overall VBAC rate was 13.3% in 2018. 
•  In 2016, Hispanic women had the lowest VBAC rate (11.5 per 100 births), compared to women who identified as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander 20.8 per 100 births). 
• In 2018, the same generally pattern persisted; Hispanic women had a VBAC rate of 12.7 and NH/PI had a VBAC rate of 19.4.

To read the full data brief, click here. 

The CDC released the Final Maternal Mortality Data for 2018. Highlights include:

• The overall maternal mortality rate for 2018 was 17.4 per 100,000. 
•  The mortality rate was highest for non-Hispanic black women (37.1 deaths per 100,000 live births). The lowest rate was 11.8 deaths per 100,000 live births in Hispanic women. 
• Women under the age of 25 had the lowest mortality rate, at 10.06 deaths per 100,000 live births. Women over the age of 40 had a mortality rate almost 8 times this rate, at 81.9 per 100,000.  
• 77% of maternal deaths were attributed to direct obstetric causes (e.g. embolism, hemorrhage, eclampsia).  

To read the full data brief, click here. 

The CDC released the Final Infant Mortality Data for 2017. Highlights include:

• The infant mortality rate for 2017 did not decrease significantly from the infant mortality rate in 2016 (5.87 deaths to 5.79 deaths per 1,000 live births).
• The mortality rate was highest for non-Hispanic black women (10.97 deaths per 1,000 births). The lowest rate was 3.78 deaths per 1,000 live births in non-Hispanic Asian women. 
• Women under the age of 20 had the highest mortality rate, at 9.01 deaths per 1,000 live births, followed by women who were 40+ years. 
• Mississippi had the highest mortality rate at 8.73 deaths per 1,000 live births. Massachusetts has the lowest at 3.66 deaths per 1,000 live births. 

To read the full data brief, click here. The supplemental tables that correspond to this report can be found here. 

The CDC released the Provisional Birth Data for 2018. Highlights include:

• The total number of births decreased 2% since 2017.
• The general fertility rate was down 2% from 2017, at 59.0 births per 1,000 women.
• The birth rate for women between the ages of 20 and 34 decreased since 2017, but increased for those aged 35-44 years. 
• The cesarean delivery rate decreased slightly to 31.9%.
• Preterm birth rates increased almost 2% to 10.02% since 2017.

To find out more, click here for the full data brief.

The CDC released the Final Birth Data for 2017. Highlights include:

• The general fertility rate in the U.S. decreased by 3% from 2016. The general fertility rate was 60.3 births per 1,000 females aged 15-44.
• The birth rate decreased for mothers in their 20s and 30s and increased for mothers in their 40s.
• The cesarean delivery rate increased from 2016 to 32.0%. The cesarean delivery rate has not increased since 2009.
• The vaginal birth after cesarean section (VBAC) rate increased to 12.8% since 2016.

To find out more, click here for the full data brief.

The CDC released the State by State Fertility Rates for 2017. Highlights include:

• South Dakota had the highest total fertility rate (TRF) at 2,227.5 per 1,000 women. The District of Columbia had the lowest, at 1,421.0 per 1,000 women. 
• The TFR for non-Hispanic white women was highest in Utah at 2,099.5 per 1,000 women.
• The TFR for non-Hispanic black women was highest in Maine at 4,003.5 per 1,000 women.
• The TRF for Hispanic women was highest in Alabama, at 3,085.0 per 1,000 women.

To find out more, click here for the full data brief.

The CDC released the Final Birth Data for 2016. Highlights include:

• The general fertility rate in the U.S. decreased by 1% from 2015. The general fertility rate was 62.0 births per 1,000 women aged 15-44.
• The birth rate increased for mothers in their 30s and 40s and decreased for mothers aged <30.
• The cesarean delivery rate declined from 2015 to 31.9% of all births. This was the fourth year in a row that the cesarean delivery rate declined.
• The preterm birth rate increased slightly (2% increase) from 2015 to 9.85%. This is the second year in a row the preterm birth rate rose. The rate of low birthweight also increased by 1%.

To find out more, click here for the full data brief.

The CDC released this data brief on Birth in the United States, 2016. Highlights include:

• The general fertility rate in the U.S. decreased by 1% from 2015.
• The birth rate increased for mothers aged 30-44 and decreased for mothers aged <30.
• The cesarean delivery rate declined from 2015 to 31.9% of all births.
• The preterm birth rate increased slightly from 2015 to 9.85%. This is the second year in a row the preterm birth rate rose.

To find out more, click here for the full data brief.

This report releases preliminary birth data for 2016. Highlights include:

• The number of births in the United States slightly decreased by 1% from 2015.
• The teenage birth rate decreased 9% in 2016.
• The cesarean delivery rate declined to 31.9%. This is the fourth year in a row the cesarean birth rate decreased.
• The low-risk cesarean delivery rate decreased again to 25.7%.
• The preterm birth rate increased again to 9.84%. This is the second year in a row the preterm birth rate increased.
• The low birthweight rate increased again to 8.16%. This is the second year in a row the low birthweight rate increased.

To find out more and for the full report, click here.

This report releases final birth data for 2015. Highlights include:

• The total number of births in the United States decreased by less than 1% in 2015
• In 2015, the teenage birth rate (females aged 15-19) declined by 8%.
• The birth rate was a record low for women in their 20s. The birth rate increased for women in their 30s and remained unchanged for women in their 40s.
• In 2015, the cesarean delivery rate decreased to 32.0% of all United States births. There was a decrease in cesarean delivery for all age groups and for non-Hispanic white and Hispanic women.
• The preterm birth rate in the United States increased to 9.63% in 2015.
• The low birthweight rate increased to 8.07%.

To find out more, click here for the full report.

The CDC released this report on the final birth data from 2014. Highlights include:

• The total births and general fertility rate increased 1% from 2013.
• The teenage birth rate decreased 9% from 2013.
• The mean age of mother at first birth increased to 26.3.
• The cesarean delivery rate decreased to 32.2% of all births in the United States.
• The preterm birth rate declined 9.57%.
• The low birthweight rate remained unchanged in 2014.

To find out more, click here for the full report