US Births Down for a Third Consecutive Year, Weak Economy Blamed

By Holly Lebowitz Rossi

Published on June 15, 2011

An initial review of each state's birth certificates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals a decline in the number of births nationwide, for the third year in a row following the peak in 2007.

After recording 4.3 million births in that year, the number has dropped steadily, down 3 percent last year for a total of 4 million births.

According to the Associated Press, the weak economy may be a decisive factor:

Experts believe the downward trend is tied to the economy, which officially was in a recession from December 2007 until June 2009 and is still flagging. The theory is that women who are unemployed or have other money problems feel they can't afford to start a family or add to it.

In 2008 and 2009, the only increase in births was in women older than 40 — considered more sensitive to the ticking of their biological clocks.

A drop in immigration to the United States, blamed on the weak job market, may be another factor in last year's decline.

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Tell us why!