Experts point to economic pressures and delayed marriages as two factors in the downward trend, which has been a political flash point.

There are some clues in the age breakdown: The fertility rate for teenagers dropped by 7 percent from 2024’s figure, setting another record low for the group. Since 2007, the rate for teenagers is down by 72 percent, and since 1991, when teenage fertility rates were at a high, the rate is down by 81 percent.

The United States’s fertility rate fell to a new record low in 2025, extending a nearly two-decade trend, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released Thursday. The fertility rate,

High living costs and finding a partner are among factors influencing family planning decisions.

The U.S. fertility rate is at a record low. New Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics indicate about 3.6 million babies were born last year.