Fewer Babies Born In CA In 2023 As Birth Rates Slide Nationwide

CALIFORNIA — Fewer babies were born in California in 2023 as births nationwide slowed to a historic low, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In an analysis of provisional data published Thursday, the CDC said the U.S. birth rate slowed by 2 percent from 2022 to 2023, officially ending the uptick in babies that began during the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, 3,591,328 babies were born, compared to 3,667,758 in 2022. Slightly fewer babies were born in 2022 than in 2021, though CDC officials did not consider the decline statistically significant.

In the Golden State, 2023 saw a decrease of almost a thousand births with 33,757 compared to 2022's 34,502. However, the number of births has grown since birth rates were heavily impacted by start of the pandemic when 31,919 recorded births in 2021, according to provisional data.

The CDC said the drop signals a return to the pre-pandemic trend of people having fewer babies. Typically, the number of births goes down by about 2 percent a year.

The fertility rate, which calculates how many times a woman will give birth over her lifetime, also slid. Last year, the fertility rate was about 1,616.5 births per 1,000 women.

Previously reported U.S. Census Bureau estimates show that unless the fertility rate rebounds to about 2,100 births per 1,000 women, or about 2.1 children per woman, the nation won’t be able to sustain its current population without immigration and a decrease in the death rate.

The number of babies born to teenagers ages 15-19 also declined, down by 3 percent from 2022, but at a much slower pace than in previous years. From 2007 to 2022, teen births dropped an average of 7 percent annually.

The report also noted the cesarean delivery rate rose to 32.4 percent in 2023, up from 32.1 percent the year prior. The rate of low-risk cesarean deliveries was 10.41 percent – essentially unchanged from 10.38 percent in 2022.