U.S. Births Fell To A 32-Year Low In 2018; CDC Says Birthrate Is In Record Slump

[jpak]

Source: NPR

The U.S. birthrate fell again in 2018, to 3,788,235 births — representing a 2% drop from 2017. It's the lowest number of births in 32 years, according to a new federal report. The numbers also sank the U.S. fertility rate to a record low.

Not since 1986 has the U.S. seen so few babies born. And it's an ongoing slump: 2018 was the fourth consecutive year of birth declines, according to the provisional birthrate report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Birthrates fell for nearly all racial and age groups, with only slight gains for women in their late 30s and early 40s, the CDC says.

The news has come as something of a surprise to demographers who say that with the U.S. economy and job market continuing a years-long growth streak, they had expected the birthrate to show signs of stabilizing, or even rising. But instead, the drop could force changes to forecasts about how the country will look — with an older population and fewer young workers to sustain key social systems.

<more>

Read more: https://www.npr.org/2019/05/15/723518379/u-s-births-fell-to-a-32-year-low-in-2018-cdc-says-birthrate-is-at-record-level

[cstanleytech]

1. Well considering how automation is replacing people in time a lower birth rate might

be a good thing especially if it gets the entire worlds population down to a sustainable level.

[LanternWaste]

22. Just like the wheel did...

"considering how automation is replacing people in time a lower birth rate might be a good thing..."

[montanacowboy]

2. This is a good thing

Either we control our numbers or Mother Nature will

[soryang]

3. "Birth Strike"

"In her new book Birth Strike: The Hidden Fight Over Women's Work (PM Press), activist and author Jenny Brown argues that declining birth rates represent a work slowdown, or strike, in the face of the poor conditions for those who do the labor of bearing and raising children."

Demographers are surprised??????

https://birthstrike.home.blog/author/jbrown72073gmailcom/

[rownesheck]

4. Um...

good. The earth could use a few less parasites. Hope the trend continues.

[MH1]

5. It's a good thing.

I'd rather they pick a more positive word than "slump". At least call it an ongoing trend, rather than ongoing slump.

[patphil]

6. Hillary must be responsible for this

We better get Barr to investigate her.
Oh, wait a minute, the south has the answer to the declining birth rate.
Ban abortion!

[peacefreak2.0]

7. Coming soon...

Be patriotic & breed for the Motherland.

[StevieM]

8. Considering that our planet appears to be dying, I am glad that I never had kids.

And I suspect that in the coming decades a lot more people will make the choice not to have children. It is horrifying to think about the world that the next few generations will be inheriting.

[CountAllVotes]

19. +1

That is exactly why I never wanted nor had any kids.

All of the wildlife may be extinct within the next 50 years. This fact alone makes me very sad.

[StevieM]

21. I don't know what the exact timeline will look like--but the prognosis is bleak.

And the task is daunting.

Right now we are not even trying.

I suspect that the planet will look very different by end of the century.

If all wildlife is gone in 50 years, then I might live to see that, if I can reach 94-95 years of age.

At this point we will probably need a geoengineering hail mary pass in order to keep the species going.

[CountAllVotes]

23. Sad facts

When I look at the future it is bleak.

You are so right, we aren't even trying.

However, just because I won't be around for much longer, it does not prevent me from caring about the well-being of our planet.

My heart weeps for the planet.

The humans have been very poor custodians.

[progree]

9. Total fertility rate: 1.728 per woman (2.1 is replacement rate)

The total fertility rate fell to 1,728 births per 1,000 women over their lifetimes — a 2% fall from 2017. That's far below the replacement rate of 2,100 births per 1,000 women.

But the population is still increasing due to immigration and because the population is still relatively young. The population is increasing by 1 person every 16 seconds -- that's 1.97 million / year.

[BigmanPigman]

10. Did I start a trend?

That is the year I had my tubes tied at Planned Parenthood for $99.

I just read an article today which said the same thing is happening in China despite the govt allowing people to have more than one child. Due to the tough economy and the need for women to work the birth rate is remaining low there too.

[progree]

11. Apparently. In China, total births fell 12 percent from 2017 to 2018. China's pop. may peak in 2023

China’s population could peak in 2023, here’s why that matters, CNBC, May 2, 2019

The Chinese government previously estimated that the country would hit its maximum population size in 2029.

The number of births per 1,000 women rose sharply from 45.6 in 2015 to 49.9 in 2016, the year where all Chinese couples were allowed to have two children. In 2018, the figure dropped drastically to 43.9. Total births fell 12 percent from 2017 to 2018 ((in just one year! -Progree))

With fewer women of childbearing age and fewer births per 1,000 women, the total number of newborns will drop as well. The study predicts that 13.3 million babies will be born in 2023, down from 15.2 million last year.

More: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/03/chinas-population-could-peak-in-2023-heres-why-that-matters.html

[nycbos]

12. New Rule: I Didn't Reproduce Day Real Time with Bill Maher

[LogicFirst]

13. I read the other day

that the government wants women, married or not, to have more babies. If Roe is overturned, the downward slide in the birth rate will come to a halt, giving the government what it desires. What no one talks about is the explosion of welfare recipients, and the foster care systems will not have beds for all of the children. Right to life does not specify the quality of that life.

[X_Digger]

14. Good! n/t

[Dem2theMax]

15. Who in the world would want to bring a child into this world?

Not me.

[Mendocino]

16. In 1957

4.3 million babies were born in the US, entire US population 172 million. In 2017 about 3.9 million babies were born in a population that numbers 326 million (2017).

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

17. Read the book Empty Planet

by Darrell Bricker and John Ibbitson. Birth rates are falling everywhere. And even when governments try very hard to increase them, it doesn't work.

Birth rates are even lower in lots of other countries.

[Yavin4]

18. I've never felt economically secure enough to bring a child into this world.

And I am 55 years old.

[honest.abe]

20. Not surprising. Life is scary at the moment.

We conceived our only child in Sept 2016 prior to the elections. I don't think we would have even tried if we knew Trump would win.