Number of babies born rises slightly in '04

By Kay Anderson -- Kids Today, 5/1/2006 12:00:00 AM

There were 4.1 million births in 2004, about 1% more than in 2003. The 2004 crude birth rate, 14.0 births per 1,000 total population, was 1% lower than in 2003. The crude birth rate measures the number of live births per 1,000 total population. The general fertility rate in 2004, however, was up slightly from the rate in 2003, to 66.3. The fertility rate refers to the number of births per 1,000 women between the ages of 15 and 44, generally considered the prime child-bearing years. It's an important number to look at because it's a predictor of future patterns of growth in the marketplace. Areas with higher fertility rates are more likely to see higher birth rates — and be better prospects for selling kids items in the future. The map to the right shows which states have fertility rates significantly higher than the national average of 66.3.

The total fertility rate (TFR) rose slightly in 2004 compared with 2003. The TFR summarizes the potential impact of current fertility patterns on completed family size to estimate the average number of births that a hypothetical group of 1,000 women would have over their lifetimes. The TFR by race and Hispanic origin increased for only two groups in 2004. The total fertility rate increased by 1% for both Asian/Pacific Island and Hispanic women. The total fertility rate for non-Hispanic black and non-Hispanic white women fell between 2003 and 2004, and the rate for American Indian women was essentially unchanged.

Most states saw little change in their fertility rates from 2003. Only New Jersey had a decline in its fertility rate. Rates were lowest in Vermont and highest in Utah.

Analysts at Washington, D.C.-based Child Trends, which carefully tracks data concerning children, points out that fertility rates have remained relatively stable since 1980, ranging between 64 and 71 births per 1,000 women. But their analysis shows wide variations among age and ethnic groups that give important clues to kids marketers.

From 1980 to 2004 fertility rates have

• declined substantially among non-Hispanic blacks, from 91 to 67;

• declined slightly among non-Hispanic whites from 62 to 59;

• increased among Hispanics from 95 in 1980 to 108 in 1990 before declining to 93 in 1998, and increasing again to 98 in 2004;

• increased among women between the ages of 30 to 34 from 62 to 96;

• decreased among women under age 25 from 115 to 102.

Childbearing by women in their early twenties showed a slight decline in 2004. The birth rate for women between 20 and 24 decreased 1%, to 101.8 births per 1,000 women in 2004, the lowest rate ever reported. The rate for women between 25 and 29 years was essentially unchanged in 2004 (115.5), but remained the highest rate among the age groups.

Birth rates for women between 20 and 24 years fell 1% for non-Hispanic black women and 2% for non-Hispanic white women, but increased 1% for Hispanic women. The rates for American Indian and Asian Pacific Islander women were essentially unchanged in 2004. Birth rates for women between 25 and 29 years decreased only for non-Hispanic white women. The rate for Hispanic women rose by 1% and was essentially unchanged for the other groups.

Births to older women continue to increase. From 2003 to 2004, the birth rate for women between 30 and 34 years increased less than 1%, while the birth rate for women between 35 and 39 years rose by 4%. The birth rate for women 40 and 44 increased 3%, to 9.0, and the rate for women between 45 and 49 increased in 2004 to 0.6 births per 1,000 women.

First-birth rates for women between 35 and 39 and 40 and 44 showed sizable increases between 2003 and 2004. In 2004, the first-birth rate was 26.4 first births per 1,000 women between 15 and 44 years, down only marginally from 26.5 births in 2003. Changes by maternal age from 2003 and 2004 were small, except for rates for women between 35 and 39 and 40 and 44 years. The birth rate increased by 3% for 35- to 39-year-olds; and 5% for 40- to 44 year-olds.

In 2004, the crude birth rate (which measures the number in relation to the total population) varied widely among the states, ranging from 10.6 in Maine and Vermont to 21.2 in Utah. Only 10 states had significant declines in the crude birth rates: Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island. The only state with an increasing crude birth rate was Virginia. The District of Columbia also had an increased crude birth rate.

The highest birth rate was among women between the ages of 25 and 29.

How old are first-time moms?

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Preliminary data for 2004
Younger than 20	21%
20–24	30%
25–29	24%
30–34	17%
35–39	7%
40 or older	1%

Fertility rates by state
Includes District of Columbia

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Preliminary data for 2004
United States	66.3
Alabama	62.5
Alaska	74.4
Arizona	79.5
Arkansas	68.4
California	70.4
Colorado	68.8
Connecticut	58.8
Delaware	63.4
District of Columbia	58.2
Florida	64.1
Georgia	70.1
Hawaii	74.0
Idaho	77.2
Illinois	66.7
Indiana	66.7
Iowa	63.8
Kansas	69.6
Kentucky	62.2
Louisiana	66.7
Maine	52.4
Maryland	62.3
Massachusetts	56.5
Michigan	61.4
Minnesota	64.5
Mississippi	68.3
Missouri	64.3
Montana	62.8
Nebraska	72.6
Nevada	72.6
New Hampshire	53.4
New Jersey	64.0
New Mexico	71.9
New York	60.9
North Carolina	66.0
North Dakota	63.2
Ohio	62.8
Oklahoma	70.2
Oregon	61.8
Pennsylvania	58.5
Rhode Island	55.0
South Carolina	63.6
South Dakota	72.4
Tennessee	63.4
Texas	78.0
Utah	92.3
Vermont	51.8
Virginia	65.0
Washington	61.7
West Virginia	58.3
Wisconsin	60.7
Wyoming	66.5

Birth order
% of babies who were

	All races/ethnicities	Nonminority	Black	Asian/Pacific Islander	Hispanic
Race and Hispanic designations are based on the race and origin of the mother. Because Hispanics may be of any race, data for persons of Hispanic origin are included in the data for each race group according to the mother's reported race. According to Census Bureau definitions, anyone who is not a non-Hispanic white is considered a minority.
1st	40%	41%	38%	46%	36%
2nd	32%	34%	29%	35%	31%
3rd	17%	16%	18%	12%	20%
4th and over	11%	9%	15%	6%	14%

Where the babies are
2004 live births by state

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Preliminary data for 2004
Alabama	59,549
Alaska	10,338
Arizona	93,672
Arkansas	38,602
California	545,071
Colorado	68,520
Connecticut	42,099
Delaware	11,299
District of Columbia	7,932
Florida	218,034
Georgia	138,851
Hawaii	18,280
Idaho	22,527
Illinois	180,934
Indiana	86,733
Iowa	38,439
Kansas	39,581
Kentucky	54,451
Louisiana	65,399
Maine	13,945
Maryland	74,605
Massachusetts	78,566
Michigan	129,768
Minnesota	70,615
Mississippi	42,810
Missouri	77,780
Montana	11,525
Nebraska	26,331
Nevada	35,188
New Hampshire	14,566
New Jersey	114,916
New Mexico	28,386
New York	250,894
North Carolina	119,851
North Dakota	8,189
Ohio	149,154
Oklahoma	51,283
Oregon	45,693
Pennsylvania	145,768
Rhode Island	12,778
South Carolina	56,592
South Dakota	11,340
Tennessee	79,641
Texas	384,389
Utah	50,669
Vermont	6,565
Virginia	103,915
Washington	81,740
West Virginia	20,855
Wisconsin	70,154
Wyoming	6,807

% change in number of births, 2003–2004

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Preliminary data for 2004
Non-minority	-1%
Non-Hispanic Black	0%
Asian or Paviic Islander	4%
Hispanic	4%

States with % of minority births above the national average

	% minority births	Number of births
Race and Hispanic designations are based on the race and origin of the mother. Because Hispanics may be of any race, data for persons of Hispanic origin are included in the data for each race group according to the mother's reported race. According to Census Bureau definitions, anyone who is not a nonHispanic white is considered a minority. Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Preliminary data for 2004
Hawaii	76%	18,280
District of Columbia	75%	7,932
California	70%	545,071
New Mexico	69%	28,386
Texas	64%	384,389
Arizona	58%	93,672
Nevada	55%	35,188
Georgia	51%	138,851
Florida	51%	218,034
Alaska	50%	10,338
Maryland	49%	74,605
New York	49%	250,894
New Jersey	48%	114,916
Mississippi	47%	42,810
Louisiana	46%	65,399
Rhode Island	46%	12,778
Illinois	46%	180,934