The U.S. fertility rate fell to 53.1 births per 1,000 women of childbearing age in 2025, marking another record low, according to federal data released Thursday. The number of births dropped 1 percent from the previous year to 3,606,400, extending a two-decade decline that began during the Great Recession.

While the overall rate fell, the data revealed a striking age divide. Teenage births plummeted 7 percent, continuing a dramatic long-term decline of 72 percent since 2007. Meanwhile, women in their 30s saw a 3 percent increase in fertility rates, suggesting many are delaying parenthood rather than forgoing it entirely. Some demographers point to this shift as evidence of greater reproductive autonomy.

Experts remain divided on whether delayed childbearing will ultimately reverse the trend. Economist Martha Bailey noted that women who delayed in the 1970s eventually had nearly two children on average. However, with nearly half of 30-year-old women now childless compared to just 18 percent in 1976, some warn that making up for such a substantial delay will prove difficult. The declining fertility rate, combined with reduced immigration, continues to slow U.S. population growth.