It was a one percent fall in 12 months, and marked a 23 percent drop from 2007, the most recent peak, when the fertility rate was 69.3. Experts initially blamed the Great Recession of 2008, saying economic uncertainty led many to put off having children. There was also a record-high fertility rate among women aged 40 to 44 - 12.8 births per 1,000 women, up one percent from 2024. Provisional CDC data shows that Americans are having fewer children (stock image)She added: 'The broader fertility decline is complex. 'Women aren't having fewer children in a vacuum.

Source: Daily Mail April 10, 2026 23:25 UTC