U.S.

US Fertility Rate Goes Down And Age Of First-Time Moms Goes Up

New data from the CDC shows that American women aren't having as many kids as they used to, and they're having them later in life.

US Fertility Rate Goes Down And Age Of First-Time Moms Goes Up
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Women in the U.S. aren't having as many kids as they used to, and they're having them at an older age. 

New data from the CDC shows the nation's fertility rate has gone down as the average age of first-time mothers has gone up between 2007 and 2017. 

Researchers broke down the information by race and rural or urban areas. 

They found that women living in rural areas were younger than those in urban areas when they had their first child, which has traditionally been the case. 

For example, the average age of new moms in rural areas in 2017 was 24.5. In urban areas, it was 27.7.

The fertility rate, which is an estimated number of lifetime births per 1,000 women, declined across all races and regions.

The report didn't suggest any causes for the trends. Similar research has pointed to women getting married later or choosing to have children later for financial or personal reasons.  

Additional reporting from Newsy affiliate CNN