Fewer Births in 2015

The baby bust continues. The number of births in the United States fell to 3,977,745 in 2015, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. That's about 10,000 fewer births than in 2014. Except for a small increase in 2014, the number of births has declined in every year since 2007, which was when births hit a record high of 4.3 million.

Number of births (in 000s)
2015: 3,978 
2014: 3,988
2013: 3,932
2012: 3,953
2011: 3,954
2010: 3,999 (start of baby bust)
2009: 4,131
2008: 4,248
2007: 4,316 (record high)

Record low birth rates are behind the decline in the number of births. In 2015, the birth rate of women in every age group under age 30 fell to new historic lows. The overall fertility rate—the number of births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44—was 62.5 in 2015, matching the record low. Among women aged 30 to 44, birth rates increased as older women played catchup. 

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Births: Preliminary Data for 2015