US Birth Rate Reaches New Low While Older Women See Increase

The U.S. general fertility rate declined by 1% in 2025, setting a new record low and continuing a two-decade trend, according to CDC data. This trend is partly offset by a slight rise in birth rates among women aged 30 to 45. Experts attribute these shifts to factors like financial uncertainty and the high cost of raising children, indicating broader societal and economic influences on family planning decisions.