In A Historic Shift, Women Over 40 Are Now Having More Babies Than Teenagers

In A Historic Shift, Women Over 40 Are Now Having More Babies Than Teenagers

The U.S. is seeing a dramatic shift in the way women are having babies!

According to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), for the first time in U.S. history, more women over the age of 40 are giving birth than teenagers and women in their early 20s.

The report highlights a staggering 73% drop in teen births (under age 20) since 1990, while births among women over 40 have surged by 193% during that same period.

For context: in 1990, teens accounted for 12.3% of all births in the U.S. By 2023, that number had fallen to just 4%. Meanwhile, women aged 30 and older now account for over half (51.4%) of all U.S. births—up from just 30.2% in 1990. The largest increases were in the 35–39 and 40+ age brackets.

 

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While the report notes that overall births in the U.S. have declined—dropping 14% from over 4.1 million in 1990 to just under 3.6 million in 2023—it also reflects broader social and economic shifts.

The CDC notes that while many women are simply choosing more autonomy, issues like limited paid maternity leave, unaffordable childcare, and a lack of flexible work policies have also contributed to the changing landscape for young families.

Are you surprised by the shift in women’s pregnancies? ?

??: Kay Johnson