As the Great Recession took its toll on American families, birth rates declined. Then, they stalled for years. But they began to decline in 2015 and continue to fall into the next decade. Then, the birth rate plunged again in 2020, falling nearly 6% – the largest drop in a single year since 1972. This decline is not entirely surprising, given the fact that the country has seen fewer newborns than it did in previous decades. But why has the decline been so rapid?
The decline in births was most pronounced among women of color and those of Asian descent. While births dropped 2% in January and March, they increased by 3% in April and May. This pattern continued through June. Although the decline in births was not as widespread as in prior years, it was still significant. There was a slight increase in childbirth in both states. Overall, the rate of pregnancy decreased for all races, but there was a notable drop in the number of infant deaths.
The number of births declined in 19 states and Washington, DC. The decrease was largest in Alaska and the poorest regions. In contrast, the rise in the number of babies was more pronounced in middle-income nations. For this reason, the first half of 2021 is particularly important, as it indicates that the world’s population is growing. The world’s poorest countries are among the poorest, and data on their birth rates are incomplete.
The decline in births in January and February in the US was relatively modest, compared to the previous half of the decade. However, if the decline persists into 2021, it will mean a long-term impact on fertility and childbirth in these countries. The number of births in the US has been declining each year since 2008, and the decline was even greater in March. A new study published in the Journal of Public Health suggests that the current health crisis may have a lasting impact on the rate of births in these countries.
The decline in births in the United States is also accompanied by a sharp drop in December 2019. In January and February, births decreased by 7.66 percent compared to last year. Then, the decrease in births continued through March, when the number of newborns increased by 0.15% compared to the previous year. Then, it was reported that the numbers were lower in the second half of 2021 than in the same period of the previous year.
The overall trend in births in the U.S. is not as stark as it was during the pandemic in 2008. In fact, despite a drop of 9% in December, the rate fell by just 0.41% in March. This decrease was less than one-fifth of the decline in the first half of 2020 in all races, according to the data released by the Census Bureau. The overall decline is not as dramatic as it was during the pandemic.