(Daily Caller News Foundation) — The U.S. birthrate in 2021 increased for the first time since 2014, with COVID-19 pandemic restrictions potentially causing the jump.
The U.S. birthrate saw a 1% increase over the course of 2021 with 3.66 million babies being born throughout the year, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics. All age groups of women over 25 contributed to the jump in birthrates, with some experts suggesting that a lengthening COVID-19 pandemic might have contributed to the bump, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Women in the 35-39 age group contributed to the highest number of births, according to the CDC statistics. Federal birth report co-author Brady Hamilton suggested that this could be a result of COVID-19 conditions, the WSJ reported.
“When you see the decline in births that occurred in 2020, there’s this tendency to look at them as births that have been foregone,” Hamilton said, according to the WSJ. “These are births that have been postponed.”
Dr. Hamilton added that issues including a baby formula shortage and inflation may put a stop to the birthrate bump, the WSJ reported.
The baby bump follows a dip in birthrates since 2007 that might have started with the Great Recession, according to a winter 2022 study. However, some researchers claim that the decline could be due to societal change and an increased focus on individual autonomy and a decreased focus on marriage across age groups.
The CDC National Center for Health Statistics did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
