Births: Final Data for 2022.

Objectives- This report presents 2022 data on U.S. births by selected characteristics. Trends in fertility patterns and maternal and infant characteristics are described. Methods-Descriptive tabulations based on birth certificates of the 3.67 million births registered in 2022 are shown by maternal age, live-birth order, race and Hispanic origin, marital status, tobacco use, prenatal care, source of payment for the delivery, method of delivery, gestational age, birthweight, and plurality. Selected data by mother's state of residence and birth rates also are shown. Trends for 2010 to 2022 are presented for selected items, and by race and Hispanic origin for 2016-2022. Results-A total of 3,667,758 births occurred in the United States in 2022, essentially unchanged from 2021. The general fertility rate declined 1% from 2021 to 56.0 births per 1,000 females ages 15-44 in 2022. The birth rate for females ages 15-19 declined 2% from 2021 to 2022; birth rates fell 7% for women ages 20-24, rose 1% to 5% for women ages 25-29 and 35-44, and rose 12% for women ages 45-49 (the first increase since 2016). The total fertility rate declined less than 1% to 1,656.5 births per 1,000 women in 2022. Birth rates declined for unmarried women but increased for married women from 2021 to 2022. Prenatal care beginning in the first trimester declined to 77.0% in 2022; the percentage of women who smoked during pregnancy declined to 3.7%. The cesarean delivery rate was unchanged in 2022 (32.1%); Medicaid was the source of payment for 41.3% of births. The preterm birth rate declined 1% to 10.38%; the low birthweight rate rose 1% to 8.60%. The twin birth rate was unchanged in 2022 (31.2 per 1,000 births); the 2% decrease in the triplet and higher-order multiple birth rate.

Trends in Cesarean Delivery in Puerto Rico, 2018-2022.

Cesarean delivery is major surgery associated with higher costs and adverse outcomes, such as surgical complications, compared with vaginal delivery (1-3). The cesarean delivery rate in Puerto Rico rose from just over 30% in the early to mid-1990s to over 40% by the early 2000s (4,5). During this time, cesarean delivery rates in Puerto Rico were 40%-70% higher than rates in the U.S. mainland and up to 78% higher than rates for Hispanic women in the U.S. mainland (4,5). This report describes trends in Puerto Rico's cesarean delivery rate from 2010 to 2022 and explores changes by maternal age, gestational age, and municipality from 2018 to 2022.

Declines in Cigarette Smoking During Pregnancy in the United States, 2016-2021.

Smoking during pregnancy is an established risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes and health issues for newborns later in life (1-3). National birth certificate data on cigarette smoking and the number of cigarettes smoked before and during pregnancy first became available in 2016. These data allow for the analysis of maternal cigarette use during pregnancy by numerous maternal and infant characteristics. This report describes changes in the number and percentage of mothers who smoked cigarettes at any time during pregnancy in the United States from 2016 to 2021 and changes between 2016 and 2021 in the percentage of mothers who smoked during pregnancy by maternal age, race and Hispanic origin, and state of residence.

Births: Final Data for 2019.

Objectives-This report presents 2019 data on U.S. births according to a wide variety of characteristics. Trends in fertility patterns and maternal and infant characteristics are described and interpreted. Methods-Descriptive tabulations of data reported on the birth certificates of the 3.75 million births that occurred in 2019 are presented. Data are presented for maternal age, livebirth order, race and Hispanic origin, marital status, tobacco use, prenatal care, source of payment for the delivery, method of delivery, gestational age, birthweight, and plurality. Selected data by mother's state of residence and birth rates by age are also shown. Trend data for 2010 through 2019 are presented for selected items. Trend data by race and Hispanic origin are shown for 2016-2019. Results-A total of 3,747,540 births were registered in the United States in 2019, down 1% from 2018. The general fertility rate declined from 2018 to 58.3 births per 1,000 women aged 15-44 in 2019. The birth rate for females aged 15-19 fell 4% between 2018 and 2019. Birth rates declined for women aged 20-34 and increased for women aged 35-44 for 2018-2019. The total fertility rate declined to 1,706.0 births per 1,000 women in 2019. Birth rates declined for both married and unmarried women from 2018 to 2019. The percentage of women who began prenatal care in the first trimester of pregnancy rose to 77.6% in 2019; the percentage of all women who smoked during pregnancy declined to 6.0%. The cesarean delivery rate decreased to 31.7% in 2019 (Figure 1). Medicaid was the source of payment for 42.1% of all births in 2019. The preterm birth rate rose for the fifth straight year to 10.23% in 2019; the rate of low birthweight was essentially unchanged from 2018 at 8.31%. Twin and triplet and higher-order multiple birth rates both declined in 2019 compared with 2018.

Births: Final Data for 2018.

Objectives-This report presents 2018 data on U.S. births according to a wide variety of characteristics. Trends in fertility patterns and maternal and infant characteristics are described and interpreted. Methods-Descriptive tabulations of data reported on the birth certificates of the 3.79 million births that occurred in 2018 are presented. Data are presented for maternal age, live-birth order, race and Hispanic origin, marital status, tobacco use, prenatal care, source of payment for the delivery, method of delivery, gestational age, birthweight, and plurality. Selected data by mother's state of residence and birth rates by age also are shown. Trend data for 2010 through 2018 are presented for selected items. Trend data by race and Hispanic origin are shown for 2016-2018. Results-3,791,712 births were registered in the United States in 2018, down 2% from 2017. Compared with rates in 2017, the general fertility rate declined to 59.1 births per 1,000 women aged 15-44. The birth rate for females aged 15-19 fell 7% in 2018. Birth rates declined for women aged 20-34 and increased for women aged 35-44. The total fertility rate declined to 1,729.5 births per 1,000 women in 2018. Birth rates for both married and unmarried women declined from 2017 to 2018. The percentage of women who began prenatal care in the first trimester of pregnancy rose to 77.5% in 2018; the percentage of all women who smoked during pregnancy declined to 6.5%. The cesarean delivery rate decreased to 31.9% in 2018 following an increase in 2017. Medicaid was the source of payment for 42.3% of all 2018 births, down 2% from 2017. The preterm birth rate rose for the fourth straight year to 10.02% in 2018; the rate of low birthweight was unchanged at 8.28%. Twin and triplet and higher-order multiple birth rates declined in 2018 (Figure 1).

Births: Final Data for 2016.

This report presents 2016 data on U.S. births according to a wide variety of characteristics. Trends in fertility patterns and maternal and infant characteristics are described and interpreted.Descriptive tabulations of data reported on the birth certificates of the 3.95 million births that occurred in 2016 are presented. Data are presented for maternal age, live-birth order, race and Hispanic origin, marital status, tobacco use, prenatal care, source of payment for the delivery, method of delivery, gestational age, birthweight, and plurality. Selected data by mother's state of residence and birth rates by age also are shown. Trend data for 2010-2016 are presented for selected items. A total of 3,945,875 births were registered in the United States in 2016, down 1% from 2015. Compared with rates in 2015, the general fertility rate declined to 62.0 per 1,000 women aged 15-44. The birth rate for females aged 15-19 fell 9% in 2016. Birth rates declined for women in their 20s but increased for women intheir 30s and early 40s. The total fertility rate declined to 1,820.5 births per 1,000 women in 2016. The birth rate for unmarried women declined, while the rate for married women increased. More than three-quarters of women began prenatal care in the firsttrimester of pregnancy (77.1%) in 2016, while 7.2% of all women smoked during pregnancy. The cesarean delivery rate declined for the fourth year in a row. Medicaid was the source of payment for 42.6% of all 2016 births. The preterm birth rate rose for the second straight year, and the rate of low birthweight increased 1%. Twin and triplet and higher-order multiple birth rates declined, although the changes were not statistically significant.

Births: Final Data for 2017.

Objectives-This report presents 2017 data on U.S. births according to a wide variety of characteristics. Trends in fertility patterns and maternal and infant characteristics are described and interpreted. Methods-Descriptive tabulations of data reported on the birth certificates of the 3.86 million births that occurred in 2017 are presented. Data are presented for maternal age, livebirth order, race and Hispanic origin, marital status, tobacco use, prenatal care, source of payment for the delivery, method of delivery, gestational age, birthweight, and plurality. Selected data by mother's state of residence and birth rates by age also are shown. Trend data for 2010 to 2017 are presented for selected items. Trend data by race and Hispanic origin are shown for 2016 and 2017. Results- A total of 3,855,500 births were registered in the United States in 2017, down 2% from 2016. Compared with rates in 2016, the general fertility rate declined to 60.3 births per 1,000 women aged 15-44. The birth rate for females aged 15-19 fell 7% in 2017. Birth rates declined for women in their 20s and 30s but increased for women in their early 40s. The total fertility rate declined to 1,765.5 births per 1,000 women in 2017. Birth rates for both married and unmarried women declined from 2016 to 2017. The percentage of women who began prenatal care in the first trimester of pregnancy rose to 77.3% in 2017; the percentage of all women who smoked during pregnancy declined to 6.9%. The cesarean delivery rate increased to 32.0% following 4 years of declines. Medicaid was the source of payment for 43.0% of all births in 2017, up 1% from 2016. The preterm birth rate rose for the third straight year, as did the rate of low birthweight. Twin and triplet and higher-order multiple birth rates were essentially stable in 2017.

Expanded data from the new birth certificate, 2008.

OBJECTIVES: This report presents data for selected items exclusive to the 2003 U.S. Standard Certificate of Live Birth as well as key items considered not comparable between the 1989 (unrevised) and 2003 (revised) versions for states and territories that implemented the 2003 revision as of January 1, 2008. Information is shown for educational attainment, tobacco use during pregnancy, month prenatal care began, and checkboxes in the following categories: "risk factors in this pregnancy," "obstetric procedures," "characteristics of labor and delivery," "method of delivery," "abnormal conditions of the newborn," and "congenital anomalies of the newborn." METHODS: Descriptive statistics are presented on births occurring in 2008 to residents of the 27 states that implemented the revised birth certificate. RESULTS: There were 2,748,302 births to residents of the 27-state reporting area, representing 65 percent of 2008 U.S. births. About 78 percent of women had at least a high school diploma; 24.5 percent had an advanced education. One out of 10 women smoked during pregnancy (24-state reporting area) and one out of five smokers quit while pregnant. Almost three-quarters of women began prenatal care in the first trimester of pregnancy. The rate of prepregnancy diabetes was 6.5 per 1,000 and gestational diabetes was 40.6; risk of both types rose with maternal age. Nearly one out of four women had a primary cesarean delivery; less than 1 out of 10 women had a vaginal birth after cesarean delivery. About 27 percent of women attempted a trial of labor before a cesarean delivery. Seven percent of all infants were admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit.

Births: final data for 2007.

OBJECTIVES: This report presents 2007 data on U.S. births according to a wide variety of characteristics; preliminary 2008 data are also referenced on key measures where available. Final 2007 data are presented for maternal demographic characteristics including age, live-birth order, race and Hispanic origin, marital status, and educational attainment; maternal lifestyle and health characteristics (medical risk factors, weight gain, and tobacco use); medical care utilization by pregnant women (prenatal care, obstetric procedures, characteristics of labor and/or delivery, attendant at birth, and method of delivery); and infant characteristics (period of gestation, birthweight, Apgar score, congenital anomalies, and multiple births). Birth and fertility rates by age, live-birth order, race and Hispanic origin, and marital status also are presented. Selected data by mother's state of residence are shown, as well as data on month and day of birth, sex ratio, and age of father. Trends in fertility patterns and maternal and infant characteristics are described and interpreted. METHODS: Descriptive tabulations are presented of data reported on the birth certificates of the 4.3 million births that occurred in 2007. Preliminary 2008 data are based on 99.9 percent of births occurring in 2008. Denominators for population-based rates are postcensal estimates derived from the U.S. 2000 census. RESULTS: A total of 4,316,233 births were registered in the United States in 2007, the largest number of births ever reported. The general fertility rate increased 1 percent to 69.5 per 1,000. Birth rates increased for women in nearly all age groups. The rate for teenagers rose 1 percent for the year and is up 5 percent from 2005. The total fertility rate increased 1 percent to 2,122.0 births per 1,000 women. Preliminary data for 2008, however, suggest a decline in the number and rate of births overall, and for most age groups under age 40 years. All measures of unmarried childbearing reached record levels in 2007. The cesarean delivery rate rose to another all-time high--31.8 percent. Preterm and low birthweight rates declined slightly, and twin and triplet and higher-order multiple birth rates were essentially unchanged. Preliminary findings for 2008 suggest that these trends continued for cesarean delivery, unmarried childbearing, and preterm births.