Newsweek, April 2026
Birth rates among mothers in their 20s have declined, a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows. The report from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) shows that among mothers under 30, birth rates decreased between 2024 and 2025, while among those over 30, birth rates increased. The findings could therefore indicate that Generation Z, those born between 1997 and 2012, are having fewer children and waiting longer to have children.
Why It Matters
Birth and fertility rates are falling globally, and have been since the 1970s, according to a 2025 National Bureau of Economic Research paper. It is believed that lower birth rates, resulting in an aging population, correlate with economic challenges by placing greater strain on Social Security and Medicare services and the health care system. However, others say they can also lead to a rise in nationwide education levels and a drop in poverty rates.
