THE NUMBER of babies born in the US reached record levels in 2007, outpacing the birthrate from the late 1950s. Official figures released yesterday showed 4,317,119 babies were born there in 2007, the highest number on record.
The statistics, culled from birth certificates, hinted at some cultural shifts in the US as the nation enjoyed the final months before the economic crisis set in. Unmarried mothers accounted for almost 40 per cent of births, with three-quarters of them over the age of 20.
Teen births, after declining
for much of the past 15 years,
rose for the second year, as
did births across all ages and races.
The figures, reported by the National Centre for Health Statistics, part of the federal government’s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, confirmed the increase in births across most groups that had been evident in 2006.
The average American woman has 2.1 children in her lifetime, the most since the early 1970s, with women of Hispanic origin having the highest rate – almost three per woman.
America’s birthrate has left behind those of its rich peers, staying above two children per woman since the late 1980s. Rates in Italy, Germany and Japan have hovered around 1.3 over a decade, while the UK rate has revived somewhat after falling below 1.7 around the turn of the millennium. “If it is a boom, it’s a very tiny little boom,” said Brady Hamilton, the report’s lead author.
“Most noteworthy is the total fertility rate per 1,000 women. In 2006, it was above replacement, for 2007 it’s even higher.”
Opinions vary on the economy’s effect on the birthrate, with some research suggesting that, in prosperous times, people feel more comfortable and therefore have more children. Others take a different view. “If teens experience prosperity, they are much more motivated to prevent pregnancy,” said Jennifer Manlove of the non-profit group Child Trends.
The number of Caesarean deliveries in the US rose, accounting for almost one-third of deliveries, an increase of 2 per cent on the previous year and the 11th consecutive rise. The rate of Caesareans in the US has risen by 50 per cent over a decade.
Other reports show America’s infant mortality rate is high for a developed nation, with 6.71 deaths for every 1,000 births in 2006, a rate shared with Slovakia and Poland. Meanwhile abortion rates have dropped to their lowest levels in decades. Explanations for this are also contradictory. Some experts speculate it might be due to an increase in the correct use of contraceptives, while others argue the rise in births is evidence of their incorrect use.
Cultural factors play a part, with teenage mothers such as Bristol Palin, the daughter of Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, providing a role model.
But the baby boom may be shortlived. Historically, birthrates fall when the economy is in a downturn. – (Guardian service)