More women over 40 having babies than teens for first time in US: CDC data

Teen pregnancy rates in the United States have been on a decline, with new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showing that more women over the age of 40 are having children compared to teen moms. This marks a significant shift in the demographics of motherhood in the country.

According to the CDC report, the total number of U.S. births has declined by 14% between 1990 and 2023. Birth rates among women over 40 have increased by a staggering 193% during this time period. On the other hand, birth rates among females younger than 20 have decreased by 73%, with one in 25 births being to teens in 2023, down from one in eight in 1990.

Women in their 20s and early 30s have also seen declines in birth rates, while women over 30 have experienced an increase in births. In fact, women over 30 accounted for more than half of all births in 2023, compared to only three in 10 births in 1990. The percentage of births among women over 40 has also increased from 1.2% in 1990 to 4.1% in 2023.

Dr. Ashley Wiltshire of the Columbia University Fertility Center attributes this shift in fertility trends to advancements in contraception methods and assisted reproductive technology (ART). These advancements have allowed for greater reproductive autonomy for women of all ages, whether they choose not to conceive, delay childbearing for personal or medical reasons, or seek single parenthood or same-sex relationships.

Egg freezing and embryo banking have become more popular among women in their late 20s and 30s, providing them with greater options for conceiving at later ages. Donor egg treatments are also being utilized to improve the odds of pregnancy and live birth in older women.

Overall, the decline in teen pregnancy rates and the increase in births among women over 40 reflect a changing landscape of motherhood in the United States. As more Americans opt to delay having children or choose not to have them at all, the demographics of motherhood continue to evolve. This shift is a reflection of advancements in reproductive technology and the changing preferences and priorities of women in the modern world.