Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This report presents 2023 data on U.S. births by selected characteristics. Trends in fertility patterns and maternal and infant characteristics are described. METHODS: Descriptive tabulations based on birth certificates of the 3.60 million births registered in 2023 are shown for various maternal demographic and health characteristics; medical and healthcare utilization, including source of payment for the delivery; and infant health characteristics. Selected data by mother's state of residence and birth rates also are shown. Trends for 2010 to 2023 are presented for selected items, and by race and Hispanic origin for 2016-2023. RESULTS: A total of 3,596,017 births occurred in the United States in 2023, down 2% from 2022. The general fertility rate declined 3% from 2022 to 54.5 births per 1,000 females ages 15-44 in 2023. The birth rate for females ages 15-19 declined 4% from 2022 to 2023; birth rates rose less than 1% for women ages 20-24, fell 1% to 3% for women ages 25-44, and were unchanged for females ages 10-14 and women ages 45-49. The total fertility rate declined 2% to 1,621.0 births per 1,000 women in 2023. Birth rates declined for both unmarried and married women from 2022 to 2023. Prenatal care beginning in the first trimester declined to 76.1% in 2023; the percentage of women who smoked during pregnancy declined to 3.0%. The cesarean delivery rate increased 1% in 2023 to 32.3%; Medicaid was the source of payment for 41.5% of births, an increase from 2022 (41.3%). The preterm birth rate (10.41%) and the low birthweight rate for 2023 (8.58%) were essentially unchanged from 2022. The twin birth rate declined 2% in 2023 to 30.7 per 1,000 births; the triplet and higher-order multiple birth rate decreased 6% to 73.8 per 100,000 births.