US fertility rate drops to all-time low in 2025: What it means

According to new federal data, the United States fertility rate has plummeted to its lowest level on record, continuing a decades-long decline that poses significant challenges for the economy and social safety nets. Provisional data from the CDC show the approximately 3.6 million babies were born in the US in 2025.

This represents a birth rate of about 53 births for every 1,000 women of reproductive age-a 1% drop from 2024 and a staggering 20% decrease over the last two decades. Notably, the teen birth rate (ages 15-19 fell 7% last year to 11.7 births per 1,000 women. This decline was steepest among younger teens (ages 15-17), whose rate dropped 11% to a 7% dip for older teenagers.

To this point, the CDC states that reasons for the declines are not totally clear, as evidence suggests these declines are due to more teens abstaining from sexual activity, and more sexually active teens using birth control.”

CDC analysis shows that the US teen birth rate remains higher than in many other high-income countries, with significant disparities across racial, ethnic, geographic and socioeconomic groups. While birthrates have trended downward for years-as Americans marry later and face rising financial pressures- the cesarean delivery rate rose to 32.5% in 2025, the highest rate in over a decade. Experts suggest that it is crucial for everyone, not just women, to understand how age impacts fertility so they can make informed life decisions.