Births: Preliminary Data for 1999

by Sally C. Curtin, M.A. and Joyce A. Martin, M.P.H., Division of Vital Statistics

Abstract

Objectives—This report presents preliminary data for 1999 on

births in the United States. U.S. data on births are shown by age,

race, and Hispanic origin of mother. Data on marital status, prenatal

care, cesarean delivery, and low birthweight are also presented.

Methods—Data in this report are based on more than a 97-percent

sample of births for 1999. The records are weighted to independent

control counts of births received in State vital statistics offices in 1999.

Comparisons are made with 1998 final data.

Results—The crude birth rate in 1999 was 14.5 per 1,000 population, a slight decline from 1998 (14.6), returning to the level observed

in 1997. However, the fertility rate, which is limited to women aged

15–44 years, was 65.8 in 1999, a slight increase over the rate for 1998

(65.6). The birth rate for teenagers continued to decline for 1998–99,

dropping 3 percent to 49.6 births per 1,000 females aged 15–19 years.

The 1999 rate for teenagers is 20 percent lower than the recent high

point in 1991. The rate for young teenagers 15–17 years fell 6 percent,

and the rate for teenagers 18–19 years declined 2 percent. Since 1991,

rates have fallen 26 percent for teenagers 15–17 years, and 15 percent

for teenagers 18–19 years. Birth rates for women aged 20–24 years

declined slightly between 1998 and 1999 whereas the rate for women

aged 25–29 years rose 2 percent. Birth rates for women in their thirties

and forties continued their long increase. Rates for women in their

thirties increased 2 to 3 percent and were the highest in three decades.

The birth rate for women aged 40–44 years was the highest level

reported since 1970. The birth rate for unmarried women in 1999 was

43.9 per 1,000, 1 percent lower than in 1998 and 6 percent lower than

the peak level reported for 1994 (46.9). However, the number of births

to unmarried women was up about 1 percent due to the continued

increase in the number of unmarried women of childbearing age. The

rate of prenatal care utilization continued to improve. The total cesarean

rate increased 4 percent between 1998 and 1999 and continued a

3-year rise. The low birthweight rate remained unchanged at 7.6

percent.

Keywords: births c vital statistics

Introduction

This report presents preliminary data on births based on a

substantial proportion of vital records for births occurring in 1999.

Previous reports in the preliminary series have included data for both

NOTE: Rates are plotted on a log scale.

1970 1980 1990

25

Rate per 1,000 women

15-19 years

1999

50

75

100

18-19 years

15-17 years

125

Figure 1. Birth rates for teenagers by age: United States,

1970–99

National Vital Statistics Reports

From the CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION

National Center for Health Statistics

National Vital Statistics System

NVSS

Volume 48, Number 14 August 8, 2000

CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Center for Health Statistics
births and deaths. This report includes data on births only; preliminary

1999 mortality data will be published separately. The preliminary

report series, which is published annually by NCHS, includes detailed

tabulations from the preliminary natality file. This report is the eighth in

the series and shows preliminary birth data for 1999. Trends shown in

the preliminary reports for 1995–98 births for most measures were

confirmed by the final statistics for each year (1–4).

Sources and methods

The preliminary data in this series are based on records of births

that occurred during 1999 and were received and had undergone

quality control by NCHS as of May 10, 2000. This represents over

97 percent of the births that occurred in the United States during this

12-month period.

To produce the preliminary estimates shown in this report, records

in the file were weighted using independent control counts of births by

State of occurrence. Preliminary estimates are subject to sampling

variation as well as random variation.

In addition to national and State estimates of total births and birth

rates, this report includes preliminary statistics on births by age, livebirth order, marital status, race, Hispanic origin, and selected maternal

and infant health characteristics: receipt of prenatal care, cesarean

delivery, and low birthweight.

Race and Hispanic origin are reported as separate items on the

birth certificate. Therefore, births shown by race may be of Hispanic or

non-Hispanic origin, and births of Hispanic origin may be of any race.

All tabulations in this report show data separately for the non-Hispanic

white population as well as for the white population as a whole. Although

the overwhelming majority of Hispanic-origin births (approximately

97 percent) are to white women, there are notable differences in childbearing patterns between Hispanic and non-Hispanic white women.

About one in five white births are to Hispanic women. For this preliminary report, data are not shown separately for non-Hispanic black

persons because the great majority (more than 95 percent) of black

births are to non-Hispanic persons and, thus, the difference in the

statistics for the two groups are minimal (1). The report ‘‘Births: Final

Data for 1998,’’ show data for these groups separately.

State-specific preliminary data are shown only for those States and

areas for which at least 75 percent of the records for 1999 were received

and had undergone quality control by May 10, 2000 (i.e., were processed). (See Technical notes.) All States met this requirement in 1999.

The proportion of records processed is shown by State in table I in the

Technical notes. Detailed information on the nature, sources, and

qualifications of the preliminary data is given in the Technical notes.

Results

Trends in numbers and rates

The number of births (preliminary) in the United States was

3,957,829 in 1999, a less than 1-percent increase over the final

number for 1998 (3,941,553) (table A). All of the increase in the total

number was due to increases for Asian or Pacific Islander and

Hispanic mothers. The number of births for non-Hispanic white, black,

and American Indian mothers declined between 1998 and 1999. The

crude birth rate in 1999 was 14.5, a slight decline from 1998 (14.6),

returning to the level observed in 1997. The rates in 1999 and 1997

were the lowest in two decades. The fertility rate relates births to the

population at risk of giving birth (women aged 15–44 years) and is

thus more indicative of changes in fertility behavior than is the crude

birth rate. The rate was 65.8 in 1999, a slight increase over the rate

for 1998 (65.6). This was the second consecutive increase in the

fertility rate after dropping each year during 1990–97 (see tables 1–4

for birth, birth rates, and fertility rates). The majority of States, 28, and

the District of Columbia had declines in their crude birth rates

between 1998 and 1999 while 12 States had increases and 10 were

unchanged. In contrast, fertility rates increased for 33 States, declined

for 13 States and the District of Columbia, and were unchanged in 4

States.

Table A. Total births and percent of births with selected demographic and health characteristics, by race and Hispanic

origin of mother: United States, final 1998 and preliminary 1999

[Figures for 1999 are based on weighted data rounded to the nearest individual]

Characteristic

All races1 White, total2 White, non-Hispanic Black2 Hispanic3

1999 1998 1999 1998 1999 1998 1999 1998 1999 1998

Number

Births ....................... 3,957,829 3,941,553 3,130,100 3,118,727 2,349,536 2,361,462 606,720 609,902 762,364 734,661

Percent

Births to mothers under 20 years....... 12.2 12.5 10.9 11.1 9.2 9.4 20.6 21.5 16.7 16.9

Births to unmarried mothers .......... 33.0 32.8 26.7 26.3 22.0 21.9 68.8 69.1 42.1 41.6

Low birthweight4

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.6 7.6 6.6 6.5 6.6 6.6 13.1 13.0 6.4 6.4

Very low birthweight5 .............. 1.45 1.45 1.15 1.15 1.15 1.15 3.13 3.08 1.13 1.15

Births delivered by cesarean ......... 22.0 21.2 21.9 21.0 22.1 21.2 23.1 22.4 21.2 20.6

Prenatal care beginning in first trimester . . 83.2 82.8 85.1 84.8 88.4 87.9 74.0 73.3 74.5 74.3

Prenatal care beginning in third

trimester or no care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.8 3.9 3.2 3.3 2.3 2.4 6.7 7.0 6.3 6.3

1

Includes races other than white and black.

2

Race and Hispanic origin are reported separately on the birth certificate. Data for persons of Hispanic origin are included in the data for each race group according to the mother’s reported race; see

Technical notes.

3

Includes all persons of Hispanic origin of any race; see Technical notes.

4

Birthweight of less than 2,500 grams (5 pounds 8 ounces).

5

Birthweight of less than 1,500 grams (3 pounds 4 ounces).

2 National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 48, No. 14, August 8, 2000
The fertility rate in 1999 for Hispanic women (101.8) was 76 percent

higher than for non-Hispanic white women (57.9), the group with the

lowest rate. Rates for black women (70.2), American Indian women (69.4),

and Asian or Pacific Islander women (65.7) were much lower than for

Hispanic women but moderately higher than for non-Hispanic white

women. Fertility rates in 1999 for black and American Indian women both

declined compared with 1998, by 1 and 2 percent, respectively. The rate

for non-Hispanic white women increased slightly between 1998 and 1999.

The 1999 rate for Asian and Pacific Islander women increased 3 percent

compared with 1998, but was still the second lowest fertility rate since

these data were first collected in 1980. For Hispanic women, the fertility

rate was about 1 percent higher in 1999 than in 1998, the first increase

in this rate since 1992. However, the 1999 fertility rate for Hispanic women

was still the second lowest rate since national data became available for

this group in 1989 (1). Births to Hispanic women comprised 19 percent

of all births in the United States in 1999, the same percent as in 1998,

but much higher than in 1989 (14 percent).

The birth rate for teenagers in 1999 was 49.6 per 1,000 births to

women aged 15–19 years, a 3-percent decline compared with the rate

for 1998 (51.1), and 20 percent lower than the recent high point in 1991

(62.1) (table B, table 1, and figure 1). The 1999 rate for teenagers is at

an all-time low. The rate for the youngest teenage group, 10–14 years,

fell slightly between 1998 (1.0 per 1,000 women 10–14 years of age) and

1999 (0.9). The number of births to women aged 10–14 years fell

4 percent between 1998 and 1999 (from 9,462 to 9,049), to the lowest

number in 30 years. Rates for teenagers 15–17 and 18–19 years

continued their steady decline since the early 1990’s. Compared with

1998, the 1999 rate for teenagers 15–17 years (28.7) declined 6 percent

whereas the rate for teenagers 18–19 years (80.2) declined 2 percent.

Between 1991 and 1999 there was a 26-percent drop in the birth rate for

teenagers 15–17 years and a 15-percent drop in the rate for teenagers

18–19 years.

Birth rates for 15–19 year-olds by race and Hispanic origin

show that all groups continued their declines into 1999. The largest

declines between 1998 and 1999 were for American Indian teenagers

(6 percent, with a 1999 rate of 67.7 per 1,000), followed by a 5- percent

drop among black (81.1), and a 3-percent decline for non-Hispanic white

teenagers (34.1). The birth rate for Hispanic teenagers declined by less

than 1 percent, to 93.1, remaining substantially higher than that of other

groups. Between 1991 and 1999, rates for teenagers dropped most

steeply for black women (30 percent) with the smallest decline observed

for Hispanic women (13 percent). Due to these trends, rates for Hispanic

teenagers have been higher than for black teenagers for each year

1994–99.

Birth rates for women in their twenties in 1999, the ages at

which rates are typically the highest, were 111.0 per 1,000 for women

aged 20–24 years and 117.8 for women aged 25–29 years (table 1).

The 1999 rate for women aged 20–24 years was slightly lower than in

1998 (111.2) whereas the rate for women aged 25–29 years increased

2 percent, from 115.9 in 1998. The rate for women aged 20–24 years

was down slightly for non-Hispanic white and Hispanic women and

declined 2 percent for American Indian mothers. In contrast, the rate for

black women aged 20–24 years was unchanged whereas it rose

2 percent for Asian or Pacific Islander women. Except for American

Indian women, all groups experienced increases in the rate for women

aged 25–29 years. All of the increases in the rate between 1998 and

1999 were less than 2 percent except for a 5-percent increase in the

rate for Asian or Pacific Islander women. The decline for American

Indian women was less than 1 percent.

The birth rates for women in their thirties continued to increase.

For women aged 30–34 years, the rate in 1999 (89.6) was 3 percent

higher than the 1998 rate (87.4) whereas the 1999 rate for women aged

35–39 years (38.3) was 2 percent higher than the comparable rate in

1998 (37.4). The birth rates for women in their thirties were the highest

Table B. Birth rates for women aged 15–19 years, by age, race, and Hispanic origin: United States, final 1990–98 and

preliminary 1999, and percent change in rates, 1991–99

[Rates per 1,000 women in specified group]

Age, race, and Hispanic

origin of mother 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990

Percent change

1991–99

15–19 years

All races1 ..................... 49.6 51.1 52.3 54.4 56.8 58.9 59.6 60.7 62.1 59.9 –20.1

White, total2 ................... 44.5 45.4 46.3 48.1 50.1 51.1 51.1 51.8 52.8 50.8 –15.7

White, non-Hispanic ............. 34.1 35.2 36.0 37.6 39.3 40.4 40.7 41.7 43.4 42.5 –21.4

Black, total2 ................... 81.1 85.4 88.2 91.4 96.1 104.5 108.6 112.4 115.5 112.8 –29.8

Hispanic3 ..................... 93.1 93.6 97.4 101.8 106.7 107.7 106.8 107.1 106.7 100.3 –12.7

15–17 years

All races1 ..................... 28.7 30.4 32.1 33.8 36.0 37.6 37.8 37.8 38.7 37.5 –25.8

White, total2 ................... 24.8 25.9 27.1 28.4 30.0 30.7 30.3 30.1 30.7 29.5 –19.2

White, non-Hispanic ............. 17.1 18.4 19.4 20.6 22.0 22.8 22.7 22.7 23.6 23.2 –27.5

Black, total2 ................... 52.1 56.8 60.8 64.7 69.7 76.3 79.8 81.3 84.1 82.3 –38.0

Hispanic3 ..................... 61.2 62.3 66.3 69.0 72.9 74.0 71.7 71.4 70.6 65.9 –13.3

18–19 years

All races1 ..................... 80.2 82.0 83.6 86.0 89.1 91.5 92.1 94.5 94.4 88.6 –15.0

White, total2 ................... 73.4 74.6 75.9 78.4 81.2 82.1 82.1 83.8 83.5 78.0 –12.1

White, non-Hispanic ............. 59.0 60.6 61.9 63.7 66.1 67.4 67.7 69.8 70.5 66.6 –16.3

Black, total2 ................... 122.9 126.9 130.1 132.5 137.1 148.3 151.9 157.9 158.6 152.9 –22.5

Hispanic3 ..................... 139.0 140.1 144.3 151.1 157.9 158.0 159.1 159.7 158.5 147.7 –11.6

1

Includes races other than white and black.

2

Race and Hispanic origin are reported separately on the birth certificate. Data for persons of Hispanic origin are included in the data for each race group according to the mother’s reported race; see

Technical notes.

3

Includes all persons of Hispanic origin of any race; see Technical notes.

National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 48, No. 14, August 8, 2000 3
in about three decades. The birth rate for women aged 40–44 years

increased slightly between 1998 (7.3) and 1999 (7.4) and was the

highest in almost two decades.

The birth rate for women aged 45–54 years remained at 0.4 per

1,000 in 1999 but the number of births to these women increased

14 percent between 1998 (3,782) and 1999 (4,330). All of the increase

in the number of births can be attributed to the increase in the population

of these women.

Due to the continued decline in teenage birth rates along with

increases for most groups aged 20 years and over, the percent of all

births to women under the age of 20 declined to 12.2 percent compared

with 12.5 percent in 1998 (table A). The percent of teenage births varies

tremendously by State, from 6.9 in Massachusetts to 19.7 in Mississippi

(table 5).

The first birth rate increased slightly between 1998 (26.4 first

births per 1,000 women aged 15–44 years) and 1999 (26.5) (table 3).

This was the first increase in this rate since 1990 (5). The first birth rate

for teenagers, however, continued to decline to the lowest level recorded

since 1986. The first birth rate for teenagers was 38.9 in 1999, a

3-percent decline compared with 1998 (39.9).

The total fertility rate (TFR) indicates the number of births that

a hypothetical group of 1,000 women would have if they experienced

throughout their childbearing years the age-specific birth rates observed

in a given year. The TFR for 1999 was 2,075.0, a 1-percent increase

over 1998 (2,058.5) and the highest TFR since 1990. TFR’s increased

between 1998 and 1999 for the following groups—from 2,041.0 to

2,063.0 overall for white women, from 1,837.0 to 1,853.5 for nonHispanic white women, from 1,867.5 to 1,930.5 for Asian or Pacific

Islander women, and from 2,947.5 to 2,978.0 for Hispanic women.

TFR’s declined between 1998 and 1999 for black women (from 2,171.0

to 2,149.0) and for American Indian women (from 2,090.5 to 2,049.5)

(tabular data not shown).

The number (preliminary) of births to unmarried women for

1999 was 1,304,594, about 1 percent higher than in 1998 (1,293,567)

(table C). The number for 1999 is the highest ever reported in the United

States, and the increase is due mostly to the continued increase in the

number of unmarried women of childbearing age (up 4 percent since

1997) (6). The birth rate for unmarried women declined about 1 percent in 1999 to 43.9 births per 1,000 unmarried women aged 15–44

years, compared with 44.3 in 1998; the 1999 rate was 6 percent lower

than its highest level, 46.9 in 1994 (1).

The proportion of all births to unmarried women in 1999

increased to 33.0 percent, compared with 32.8 percent in 1998. This

proportion has been relatively stable since 1994, ranging from 32.2 to

33.0 percent. The proportion for all white births increased from 26.3 to

26.7 percent, for non-Hispanic white births from 21.9 to 22.0 percent,

and for Hispanic births from 41.6 to 42.1 percent. The proportion

declined slightly for black births from 69.1 to 68.8 percent.

The number (preliminary) of births to unmarried teenagers (total

under age 20 years) was 2 percent lower in 1999 than in 1998 (table C).

The numbers declined 5 percent for births to teenagers under 15 years

and for births to teenagers 15–17 years. Births to older unmarried

teenagers, 18–19 years, rose by about 1 percent.

Despite the decline in the total number of births to unmarried

teenagers, the percent of all teenage births that occurred to unmarried

teenagers was unchanged in 1999 (78.9 percent) compared with 1998.

Slight increases in the percent unmarried were found for each teenage

subgroup, 15–19 years, even for the 15–17 age group, which reported

fewer nonmarital births. The percent unmarried increased slightly for

births to teenagers 15–17 years because total births to these teenagers

declined even more than nonmarital births. Birth rates for unmarried

teenagers for 1999 are not yet available; see Technical notes.

The procedures for reporting mother’s marital status did not

change in any State between 1998 and 1999 (See table 6 for State

data). Connecticut added a direct question on marital status to the birth

certificate in June 1998. Previously, Connecticut inferred the mother’s

marital status from information on the birth certificate (see Technical

notes). Because the change in Connecticut was implemented in June

1998 and because Connecticut accounts for only 1 percent of U.S.

births, the change has had essentially no impact on the national data

or the trends for 1998–99. For 1998 and 1999, birth data on marital

status for all but two States are based on a direct question on each

State’s birth certificate or electronic birth registration system (see Technical notes).

The proportion of low birthweight births (LBW) (less than 2,500

grams) was 7.6 percent for 1999, unchanged from the previous year.

A gradual upward trend in LBW has been observed since the mid1980’s; during the 1990’s, LBW has risen from 7.0 percent (1). See

tables A and 7 for 1998 and 1999 data. The percent of births born very

low birthweight (VLBW) remained unchanged at 1.45 percent. VLBW

has also risen slowly over the last two decades.

The percent LBW was essentially the same for 1998–99 for births

to non-Hispanic white (6.6 percent), black (13.1 percent), and Hispanic

women (6.4 percent). For the 1990’s, LBW rose among non-Hispanic

white births, declined among black births, and remained fairly stable

among Hispanic births.

The rate of cesarean delivery increased 4 percent between 1998

and 1999, from 21.2 per 100 births to 22.0 (tables A and 8). This was

the third consecutive increase in the cesarean rate after steady declines

between 1989–95 (figure 2). The rate of primary cesarean delivery

increased for the second consecutive year and was 4 percent higher

in 1999 (15.5 per 100 births to women with no previous cesarean) than

in 1998 (14.9). The rate of vaginal births after previous cesarean

delivery (VBAC) fell 11 percent between 1998 and 1999 (from 26.3 per

100 births to women with a previous cesarean to 23.4) and has declined

17 percent since 1996. Between 1989 and 1996 the rate had risen

50 percent (1).

Cesarean rates increase with maternal age, from 15.0 for

women under age 20 years to 34.7 for women aged 40–54 years. All

Table C. Number and percent of births to unmarried

women, all ages and women under 20 years:

United States, final 1998 and preliminary 1999

[Figures for 1999 are based on weighted data rounded to the nearest individual]

Age of mother

Number Percent

1999 1998 1999 1998

All ages ................... 1,304,594 1,293,567 33.0 32.8

Under 20 years .............. 382,655 390,005 78.9 78.9

Under 15 years ............. 8,724 9,137 96.4 96.6

15–19 years ............... 373,931 380,868 78.6 78.5

15–17 years ............. 143,318 151,557 87.6 87.5

18–19 years ............. 230,613 229,311 73.9 73.6

4 National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 48, No. 14, August 8, 2000
age groups experienced increases in cesarean rates between 1998 and

1999, with the percent increases ranging between 3 and 5 percent. The

percent increases for older mothers were slightly greater than for their

younger counterparts (tabular data not shown).

Cesarean rates by race and Hispanic origin show that all groups

experienced increases between 1998 and 1999 (table 8). The percent

increase in the rate was 4 percent for non-Hispanic white women, and

3 percent each for black and Hispanic women. The rate in 1999

continued to be the highest for black women (23.1 per 100 births), lowest

for Hispanic women (21.2) and intermediate for non-Hispanic white

women (22.1).

Cesarean rates vary tremendously by State, from 14.8 in Alaska

to 27.3 in Mississippi. The vast majority of States—45 and the District

of Columbia—experienced increases in their rates between 1998 and

1999 whereas only 2 States declined (Delaware and Montana) and 3

States were unchanged (New Mexico, Utah, and Vermont).

VBAC rates varied from a low of 11.3 in Louisiana to a high of 36.2

in New Hampshire. Rates declined between 1998 and 1999 for 46

States, with 29 States having declines of greater than 10 percent. VBAC

rates increased for the District of Columbia, Montana, North Dakota,

South Dakota, and Utah (tabular data not shown).

The percent of women beginning prenatal care in the first

trimester of pregnancy rose slightly for 1999 to 83.2 percent, compared with 82.8 percent for 1998. This measure of prenatal care has

shown steady progress during the 1990’s, rising 10 percent since 1989

(from 75.5 percent) (1). The percent of women with late (care beginning

in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy) or no care declined slightly from 3.9

to 3.8 percent for 1998–99. The proportion late or no care has dropped

from 6.4 percent during the decade. (See tables A and 9 for 1998 and

1999 data.)

For the current year, improvement in prenatal care initiation was

observed for each of the racial and ethnic groups: non-Hispanic white,

black, and Hispanic women. During the 1990’s, first trimester care has

risen 7 percent among non-Hispanic white women (from 82.7 to

88.4 percent), 24 percent among black women (from 60.0 to 74.0 percent) and 25 percent among women of Hispanic origin (from 59.5 to

74.5 percent).

References

1. Ventura SJ, Martin JA, Curtin SC, Mathews TJ. Births: Final data for

1998. National vital statistics reports; vol 48 no 3. Hyattsville, Maryland:

National Center for Health Statistics. 2000.

2. Ventura SJ, Martin JA, Curtin SC, Mathews TJ. Births: Final data for

1997. National vital statistics reports; vol 47 no 18. Hyattsville,

Maryland: National Center for Health Statistics. 1999.

3. Ventura SJ, Martin JA, Curtin SC, Mathews TJ. Report of final natality

statistics, 1996. Monthly vital statistics report; vol 46 no 11, supp.

Hyattsville, Maryland: National Center for Health Statistics. 1998.

4. Ventura SJ, Martin JA, Curtin SC, Mathews TJ. Report of final natality

statistics, 1995. Monthly vital statistics report; vol 45 no 11, supp 2.

Hyattsville, Maryland: National Center for Health Statistics. 1997.

1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

0

5

10

15

20

25

2

2

3

3

1

1

30

Total cesarean

Rate per 100 in specified group

Primary cesarean

VBAC

Per 100 births.

Per 100 births to women with no previous cesarean.

Per 100 births to women with a previous cesarean.

Figure 2. Total and primary cesarean rate and vaginal birth after previous cesarean (VBAC) rate: United States,

1989–99

National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 48, No. 14, August 8, 2000 5
5. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital statistics of the United States,

1997, vol I, Natality. Table 1–7. Hyattsville, Maryland: National Center

for Health Statistics. 2000. Available on the NCHS Web site at:

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/datawh/statab/unpubd/natality/natab97.htm and

included on the CD-ROM entitled ‘‘Vital statistics of the United States,

vol I, Natality, 1997.’’

6. Fields J, Casper L. Unpublished data from the March 1999 current

population survey. Washington, DC: U.S. Bureau of the Census.

Forthcoming report, 2000.

7. National Center for Health Statistics. Technical appendix. Vital statistics

of the United States, 1998, vol I, Natality. Available on the NCHS Web

site at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/births.htm and included on the

CD-ROM entitled ‘‘Vital statistics of the United States, vol I, Natality,

1998.’’

8. U.S. Census Bureau. U.S. population estimates by age, sex, race, and

Hispanic origin: 1980 to 1999. Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau.

Internet release date, April 11, 2000. http://www.census.gov/

population/estimates/nation/e90s/e9999rmp.txt.

9. Ventura SJ. Births to unmarried mothers: United States, 1980–92.

National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 21(53). 1995.

10. U.S. Bureau of the Census. Unpublished Census file NESTV98.WK1

consistent with populations published in: U.S. Bureau of the Census.

Population estimates of the United States by age, sex, race, and

Hispanic origin: 1990 to 1998. Washington, DC: U.S. Bureau of the

Census. http://www.census.gov/population/www/estimates/uspop.html

Internet release, June 4, 1999.

11. U.S. Bureau of the Census. Estimates of the population for States by

age and sex: 1990 to 1998. Unpublished Census file STRES981.txt,

published as: U.S. Bureau of the Census. Internet release date: June

15, 1998. http://www.census.gov/population/www/estimates/statepop.

html

12. Population estimates for the United States and States by single year of

age and sex. Washington, DC: U.S. Bureau of the Census. Internet

release date: March 9, 2000. http://www.census.gov/population/

estimates/state/stats/st-99–10.txt

List of detailed tables

1. Births and birth rates, by age, race, and Hispanic origin of mother:

United States, final 1998 and preliminary 1999 ............ 7

2. Live births by age of mother, live-birth order, and race and

Hispanic origin of mother: United States, preliminary 1999 .... 9

3. Birth rates by age of mother, live-birth order, and race and

Hispanic origin of mother: United States, preliminary 1999 . . . . 10

4. Live births by race and Hispanic origin of mother: United States,

each State, and territory, preliminary 1999, and birth and fertility

rates, final 1998 and preliminary 1999 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

5. Percent of live births to mothers under 20 years of age by race

and Hispanic origin of mother: United States, each State and

territory, final 1998 and preliminary 1999. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

6. Percent of live births to unmarried mothers by race and Hispanic

origin of mother: United States, each State and territory, final

1998 and preliminary 1999 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

7. Percent low birthweight by race and Hispanic origin of mother:

United States, each State and territory, final 1998 and preliminary

1999 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

8. Percent of live births by cesarean delivery by race and Hispanic

origin of mother: United States, each State and territory, final

1998 and preliminary 1999 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

9. Percent of mothers receiving prenatal care in first trimester of

pregnancy by race and Hispanic origin of mother: United States,

each State and territory, final 1998 and preliminary 1999 . . . . . 16

6 National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 48, No. 14, August 8, 2000
Table 1. Births and birth rates, by age, race and Hispanic origin of mother: United States,

final 1998 and preliminary 1999

[Data for 1999 are based on a continuous file of records received from the States. Figures for 1999 are based on weighted data rounded to the

nearest individual, so categories may not add to totals]

Age and race/Hispanic origin

1999 1998

Number Rate Number Rate

All races

Total 1 ............................................. 3,957,829 65.8 3,941,553 65.6

10-14 years ..................................... 9,049 0.9 9,462 1.0

15-19 years ..................................... 475,745 49.6 484,895 51.1

 15-17 years ................................... 163,559 28.7 173,231 30.4

 18-19 years ................................... 312,186 80.2 311,664 82.0

20-24 years ..................................... 981,207 111.0 965,122 111.2

25-29 years ..................................... 1,078,350 117.8 1,083,010 115.9

30-34 years ..................................... 892,478 89.6 889,365 87.4

35-39 years ..................................... 433,793 38.3 424,890 37.4

40-44 years ..................................... 82,875 7.4 81,027 7.3

45-54 years 2 .................................. 4,330 0.4 3,782 0.4

White, total 3

Total 1 ............................................. 3,130,100 65.0 3,118,727 64.6

10-14 years ..................................... 4,723 0.6 4,801 0.6

15-19 years ..................................... 337,323 44.5 340,694 45.4

 15-17 years ................................... 111,481 24.8 116,623 25.9

 18-19 years ................................... 225,842 73.4 224,071 74.6

20-24 years ..................................... 747,217 106.8 736,664 107.2

25-29 years ..................................... 873,586 121.1 880,688 119.1

30-34 years ..................................... 739,967 93.2 737,532 90.5

35-39 years ..................................... 356,546 38.7 349,799 37.8

40-44 years ..................................... 67,228 7.3 65,485 7.2

45-54 years 2 .................................. 3,509 0.4 3,064 0.4

White, non-Hispanic

Total 1 ............................................. 2,349,536 57.9 2,361,462 57.7

10-14 years ..................................... 2,046 0.3 2,132 0.3

15-19 years ..................................... 213,223 34.1 219,169 35.2

 15-17 years ................................... 63,659 17.1 68,619 18.4

 18-19 years ................................... 149,564 59.0 150,550 60.6

20-24 years ..................................... 515,026 90.1 511,101 90.7

25-29 years ..................................... 665,018 111.3 678,227 109.7

30-34 years ..................................... 601,676 90.4 603,639 88.0

35-39 years ..................................... 294,585 37.3 291,202 36.4

40-44 years ..................................... 55,037 6.8 53,480 6.7

45-54 years 2 .................................. 2,802 0.4 2,388 0.4

Black, total 3

Total 1 ............................................. 606,720 70.2 609,902 71.0

10-14 years ..................................... 3,981 2.6 4,289 2.9

15-19 years ..................................... 121,262 81.1 126,937 85.4

 15-17 years ................................... 45,979 52.1 50,103 56.8

 18-19 years ................................... 75,283 122.9 76,834 126.9

20-24 years ..................................... 193,483 141.9 189,088 141.9

25-29 years ..................................... 139,175 102.2 139,302 101.8

30-34 years ..................................... 91,596 64.5 93,785 64.7

35-39 years ..................................... 47,244 30.7 46,657 30.5

40-44 years ..................................... 9,562 6.5 9,496 6.7

45-54 years 2 .................................. 417 0.3 348 0.3

American Indian, total 3,4

Total 1 ............................................. 40,015 69.4 40,272 70.7

10-14 years ..................................... 203 1.7 197 1.6

15-19 years ..................................... 7,905 67.7 8,201 72.1

 15-17 years ................................... 2,980 41.3 3,167 44.4

 18-19 years ................................... 4,925 110.4 5,034 118.4

20-24 years ..................................... 13,203 136.9 13,046 139.3

25-29 years ..................................... 9,549 101.4 9,529 102.2

30-34 years ..................................... 5,695 64.3 5,930 66.3

35-39 years ..................................... 2,822 30.5 2,795 30.2

40-44 years ..................................... 613 7.0 555 6.4

45-54 years 2 .................................. 26 0.4 19 *

See footnotes at end of table.

National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 48, No. 14, August 8, 2000 7
Table 1. Births and birth rates, by age, race and Hispanic origin of mother: United States,

final 1998 and preliminary 1999 -Con.

[Data for 1999 are based on a continuous file of records received from the States. Figures for 1999 are based on weighted data rounded to the

nearest individual, so categories may not add to totals]

Age and race/Hispanic origin

1999 1998

Number Rate Number Rate

Asian or Pacific Islander, total 3

Total 1 ............................................. 180,993 65.7 172,652 64.0

10-14 years ..................................... 142 0.4 175 0.4

15-19 years ..................................... 9,255 22.8 9,063 23.1

 15-17 years ................................... 3,119 12.6 3,338 13.8

 18-19 years ................................... 6,135 38.8 5,725 38.3

20-24 years ..................................... 27,304 70.4 26,324 68.8

25-29 years ..................................... 56,040 116.3 53,491 110.4

30-34 years ..................................... 55,220 109.2 52,118 105.1

35-39 years ..................................... 27,182 54.6 25,639 52.8

40-44 years ..................................... 5,472 11.5 5,491 12.0

45-54 years 2 .................................. 379 0.9 351 0.9

Hispanic 5

Total 1 ............................................. 762,364 101.8 734,661 101.1

10-14 years ..................................... 2,721 2.0 2,716 2.1

15-19 years ..................................... 124,352 93.1 121,388 93.6

 15-17 years ................................... 48,127 61.2 48,234 62.3

 18-19 years ................................... 76,226 139.0 73,154 140.1

20-24 years ..................................... 230,881 178.3 223,113 178.4

25-29 years ..................................... 203,399 162.6 196,012 160.2

30-34 years ..................................... 131,134 102.1 125,702 98.9

35-39 years ..................................... 57,926 46.2 54,195 44.9

40-44 years ..................................... 11,430 10.7 11,056 10.8

45-54 years 2 .................................. 519 0.6 479 0.6

 * Figure does not meet standards of reliability or precision. 1 The total number includes births to women of all ages, 10-54 years. The rate shown for all ages is the fertility rate, which is defined as the total number of births, 

 regardless of age of mother, per 1,000 women aged 15-44 years. 2 The number of births shown is the total for women aged 45-54 years. The birth rate is computed by relating the number of births to women aged 45-54 years to 

 women aged 45-49 years, because most of the births in this group are to women aged 45-49. 3 Race and Hispanic origin are reported separately on the birth certificate. Data for persons of Hispanic origin are also included in the data for each race group, 

 according to the mother’s reported race; see Technical notes. 4 Includes births to Aleuts and Eskimos. 5 Includes all persons of Hispanic origin of any race; see Technical notes.

 NOTE: Data are subject to sampling and/or random variation. For information on the relative standard errors of the data and further discussion, see

 Technical notes.

8 National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 48, No. 14, August 8, 2000
Table 2. Live births by age of mother, live-birth order, and race and Hispanic origin of mother: United States, preliminary 1999

[Data are based on a continuous file of records received from the States. Figures are based on weighted data rounded to the nearest individual, so categories may

not add to totals]

Live-birth order and

race/Hispanic origin

of mother

All

ages

Age of mother

Under 15

years

15-19

years

20-24

years

25-29

years

30-34

years

35-39

years

40-44

years

45-54

years

All races ................................................. 3,957,829 9,049 475,745 981,207 1,078,350 892,478 433,793 82,875 4,330

1st child .................................................. 1,587,971 8,818 370,749 448,102 392,762 253,327 95,585 17,577 1,051

2d child ................................................... 1,285,974 160 85,455 338,720 373,887 322,390 141,258 23,118 987

3d child ................................................... 652,380 8 14,643 137,232 194,879 186,292 101,369 17,200 757

4th child and over ................................... 413,012 1 2,148 52,762 112,263 126,464 93,376 24,499 1,499

Not stated ............................................... 18,491 62 2,750 4,391 4,559 4,006 2,205 481 37

White, total 1 .......................................... 3,130,100 4,723 337,323 747,217 873,586 739,967 356,546 67,228 3,509

1st child .................................................. 1,261,393 4,607 268,489 355,369 326,633 211,308 79,472 14,610 905

2d child ................................................... 1,034,704 72 57,139 260,979 309,448 271,040 116,263 18,950 813

3d child ................................................... 516,212 3 8,461 96,764 155,646 156,369 84,531 13,827 610

4th child and over ................................... 302,888 - 1,038 30,636 78,224 97,918 74,464 19,451 1,156

Not stated ............................................... 14,903 41 2,196 3,469 3,635 3,331 1,816 390 25

White, non-Hispanic ............................... 2,349,536 2,046 213,223 515,026 665,018 601,676 294,585 55,037 2,924

1st child .................................................. 972,697 2,017 174,829 256,339 270,788 184,899 70,065 12,950 809

2d child ................................................... 796,235 22 32,840 177,890 237,628 229,669 100,916 16,543 726

3d child ................................................... 373,019 - 4,218 61,682 106,704 119,710 68,867 11,322 516

4th child and over ................................... 199,202 - 459 17,484 47,774 65,180 53,495 13,952 857

Not stated ............................................... 8,383 6 877 1,631 2,124 2,217 1,242 269 16

Black, total 1 ........................................... 606,720 3,981 121,262 193,483 139,175 91,596 47,244 9,562 417

1st child .................................................. 228,479 3,868 88,746 71,573 34,648 19,725 8,315 1,541 65

2d child ................................................... 179,729 88 25,359 65,573 44,331 28,542 13,492 2,257 87

3d child ................................................... 106,375 4 5,658 35,744 31,135 20,759 10,918 2,081 76

4th child and over ................................... 89,620 1 1,020 19,879 28,453 22,153 14,304 3,626 184

Not stated ............................................... 2,517 21 479 715 607 418 216 57 5

American Indian, total 1,2 ....................... 40,015 203 7,905 13,203 9,549 5,695 2,822 613 26

1st child .................................................. 14,395 203 6,035 4,907 1,946 882 354 64 4

2d child ................................................... 10,904 - 1,540 4,681 2,721 1,320 539 95 8

3d child ................................................... 7,003 - 259 2,414 2,385 1,267 563 113 2

4th child and over ................................... 7,522 - 30 1,143 2,452 2,203 1,346 337 12

Not stated ............................................... 192 - 41 58 44 24 20 4 -

Asian or Pacific Islander, total 1 ............. 180,993 142 9,255 27,304 56,040 55,220 27,182 5,472 379

1st child .................................................. 83,705 141 7,480 16,254 29,534 21,412 7,444 1,363 77

2d child ................................................... 60,636 - 1,416 7,487 17,387 21,488 10,964 1,815 79

3d child ................................................... 22,790 1 265 2,311 5,713 7,897 5,357 1,178 68

4th child and over ................................... 12,983 - 60 1,103 3,134 4,190 3,263 1,086 147

Not stated ............................................... 879 - 34 149 273 233 154 29 7

Hispanic 3 ............................................... 762,364 2,721 124,352 230,881 203,399 131,134 57,926 11,430 519

1st child .................................................. 282,364 2,633 93,964 98,610 53,337 23,968 8,341 1,435 76

2d child ................................................... 232,287 52 24,412 82,612 70,370 38,530 14,056 2,175 80

3d child ................................................... 140,947 3 4,255 35,040 48,555 35,721 14,875 2,412 85

4th child and over ................................... 102,216 - 577 13,139 30,159 32,322 20,385 5,360 274

Not stated ............................................... 4,550 33 1,145 1,480 979 593 269 48 3

 - Quantity zero. 1 Race and Hispanic origin are reported separately on the birth certificate. Data for persons of Hispanic origin are included in the data for each race group according to the mother’s

 reported race; see Technical notes. 2 Includes births to Aleuts and Eskimos. 3 Includes all persons of Hispanic origin of any race; see Technical notes.

 NOTE: Data are subject to sampling and/or random variation. For information on the relative standard errors of the data and further discussion, see Technical notes.

National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 48, No. 14, August 8, 2000 9
Table 3. Birth rates by age of mother, live-birth order, and race and Hispanic origin of mother: United States,

preliminary 1999

[Data are based on a continuous file of records received from the States. Rates per 1,000 women in specified age and racial group] 

Live-birth order and

race/Hispanic origin

of mother

15-44

 years 1

Age of mother

10-14

years

15-19

years

20-24

years

25-29

years

30-34

years

35-39

years

40-44

years

45-49

years 2

All races ....................................... 65.8 0.9 49.6 111.0 117.8 89.6 38.3 7.4 0.4

1st child ........................................ 26.5 0.9 38.9 50.9 43.1 25.6 8.5 1.6 0.1

2d child ........................................ 21.5 0.0 9.0 38.5 41.0 32.5 12.5 2.1 0.1

3d child ........................................ 10.9 * 1.5 15.6 21.4 18.8 9.0 1.5 0.1

4th child and over ........................ 6.9 * 0.2 6.0 12.3 12.8 8.3 2.2 0.2

White, total 3 ................................ 65.0 0.6 44.5 106.8 121.1 93.2 38.7 7.3 0.4

1st child ........................................ 26.3 0.6 35.7 51.0 45.5 26.7 8.7 1.6 0.1

2d child ........................................ 21.6 0.0 7.6 37.5 43.1 34.3 12.7 2.1 0.1

3d child ........................................ 10.8 * 1.1 13.9 21.7 19.8 9.2 1.5 0.1

4th child and over ........................ 6.3 * 0.1 4.4 10.9 12.4 8.1 2.1 0.1

White, non-Hispanic ..................... 57.9 0.3 34.1 90.1 111.3 90.4 37.3 6.8 0.4

1st child ........................................ 24.0 0.3 28.1 44.9 45.4 27.9 8.9 1.6 0.1

2d child ........................................ 19.7 0.0 5.3 31.2 39.8 34.7 12.8 2.1 0.1

3d child ........................................ 9.2 * 0.7 10.8 17.9 18.0 8.7 1.4 0.1

4th child and over ........................ 4.9 * 0.1 3.1 8.1 9.8 6.8 1.7 0.1

Black, total 3 ................................. 70.2 2.6 81.1 141.9 102.2 64.5 30.7 6.5 0.3

1st child ........................................ 26.6 2.6 59.6 52.7 25.5 14.0 5.4 1.1 0.1

2d child ........................................ 20.9 0.1 17.0 48.3 32.7 20.2 8.8 1.6 0.1

3d child ........................................ 12.4 * 3.8 26.3 23.0 14.7 7.1 1.4 0.1

4th child and over ........................ 10.4 * 0.7 14.6 21.0 15.7 9.3 2.5 0.2

American Indian, total 3,4 ............. 69.4 1.7 67.7 136.9 101.4 64.3 30.5 7.0 0.4

1st child ........................................ 25.1 1.7 52.0 51.1 20.8 10.0 3.8 0.7 *

2d child ........................................ 19.0 * 13.3 48.7 29.0 15.0 5.9 1.1 *

3d child ........................................ 12.2 * 2.2 25.1 25.4 14.4 6.1 1.3 *

4th child and over ........................ 13.1 * 0.3 11.9 26.2 25.0 14.6 3.8 *

Asian or Pacific Islander, total 3 ... 65.7 0.4 22.8 70.4 116.3 109.2 54.6 11.5 0.9

1st child ........................................ 30.5 0.4 18.5 42.2 61.6 42.5 15.0 2.9 0.2

2d child ........................................ 22.1 * 3.5 19.4 36.3 42.7 22.1 3.8 0.2

3d child ........................................ 8.3 * 0.7 6.0 11.9 15.7 10.8 2.5 0.2

4th child and over ........................ 4.7 * 0.1 2.9 6.5 8.3 6.6 2.3 0.4

Hispanic 5 .................................... 101.8 2.0 93.1 178.3 162.6 102.1 46.2 10.7 0.6

1st child ........................................ 37.9 2.0 71.0 76.6 42.8 18.7 6.7 1.3 0.1

2d child ........................................ 31.2 0.0 18.5 64.2 56.5 30.1 11.3 2.0 0.1

3d child ........................................ 18.9 * 3.2 27.2 39.0 27.9 11.9 2.3 0.1

4th child and over ........................ 13.7 * 0.4 10.2 24.2 25.3 16.3 5.0 0.3

 0.0 Quantity more than zero but less than 0.05.

 * Figure does not meet standards of reliability or precision. 1 The rate shown is the fertility rate, which is defined as the total number of births, regardless of age of mother, per 1,000 women aged 15-44 years. 2 The birth rate for ages 45-49 years is computed by relating births to women aged 45-54 years to women aged 45-49 years, because most of the births in this group are to women 

 aged 45-49. 3 Race and Hispanic origin are reported separately on the birth certificate. Data for persons of Hispanic origin are included in the data for each race group according to the mother’s

 reported race; see Technical notes. 4 Includes births to Aleuts and Eskimos. 5 Includes all persons of Hispanic origin of any race; see Technical notes.

 NOTE: Data are subject to sampling and/or random variation. For information on the relative standard errors of the data and further discussion, see Technical notes.

10 National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 48, No. 14, August 8, 2000
Table 4. Live births by race and Hispanic origin of mother: United States, each State, and territory, preliminary 1999, and birth and fertility

rates, final 1998 and preliminary 1999

[By place of residence. Data are based on a continuous file of records received from the States. Birth rates are total births per 1,000 total population; fertility rates are total

births per 1,000 women aged 15-44 years. Figures for 1999 are based on weighted data rounded to the nearest individual, so categories may not add to totals]

Area

Number Birth rate Fertility rate

All

races

White,

total 1 White,non-Hispanic Black 1 AmericanIndian 1,2

Asian or

Pacific

Islander 1 Hispanic 3 1999 1998 1999 1998

United States 4 ................. 3,957,829 3,130,100 2,349,536 606,720 40,015 180,993 762,364 14.5 14.6 65.8 65.6

Alabama ........................... 62,123 41,729 40,182 19,771 158 466 1,586 14.2 14.3 63.3 63.2

Alaska .............................. 9,953 6,529 6,063 460 2,485 478 595 16.1 16.2 74.3 73.1

Arizona ............................. 81,225 71,125 39,299 2,803 5,388 1,909 31,845 17.0 16.8 81.1 78.2

Arkansas .......................... 36,832 28,476 26,521 7,717 241 398 1,973 14.4 14.5 67.8 67.5

California .......................... 518,229 420,188 172,219 35,991 3,262 58,788 249,247 15.6 16.0 69.4 70.7

Colorado ........................... 62,161 56,706 40,700 2,900 645 1,910 16,284 15.3 15.0 69.7 67.2

Connecticut ...................... 43,471 36,502 28,420 5,314 81 1,573 6,341 13.2 13.4 62.1 61.3

Delaware .......................... 10,675 7,678 6,865 2,688 34 275 853 14.2 14.2 61.7 61.2

District of Columbia .......... 7,523 1,687 1,411 5,662 6 168 790 14.5 14.7 60.0 60.8

Florida .............................. 197,014 146,663 106,370 45,095 853 4,403 41,487 13.0 13.1 65.1 65.1

Georgia ............................ 126,744 81,140 69,957 42,113 222 3,269 10,566 16.3 16.0 68.8 67.2

Hawaii .............................. 17,047 4,001 3,347 460 202 12,384 2,211 14.4 14.7 68.8 69.6

Idaho ................................ 19,871 19,211 16,809 77 299 283 2,357 15.9 15.8 73.2 72.3

Illinois ............................... 182,174 140,805 103,986 34,254 209 6,907 36,942 15.0 15.2 68.1 68.3

Indiana ............................. 86,040 75,448 70,885 9,323 114 1,155 4,384 14.5 14.4 65.2 64.3

Iowa .................................. 37,541 35,348 33,249 1,165 205 823 1,844 13.1 13.0 62.2 61.4

Kansas ............................. 38,788 34,611 30,035 2,858 367 951 4,275 14.6 14.6 67.5 67.1

Kentucky .......................... 54,344 48,747 47,807 4,959 101 536 937 13.7 13.8 61.4 61.6

Louisiana .......................... 66,913 38,408 36,819 27,225 324 955 1,527 15.3 15.3 67.5 66.7

Maine ............................... 13,615 13,241 12,448 106 99 169 135 10.9 11.0 49.4 49.7

Maryland .......................... 72,207 44,296 40,520 24,568 196 3,147 4,105 14.0 14.0 60.6 60.1

Massachusetts ................. 80,998 68,218 60,797 8,292 152 4,336 8,794 13.1 13.2 58.5 58.5

Michigan ........................... 133,562 105,293 91,806 24,057 702 3,509 6,232 13.5 13.6 60.7 60.4

Minnesota ......................... 65,966 57,491 50,965 4,034 1,181 3,260 3,299 13.8 13.8 62.6 61.8

Mississippi ........................ 42,694 22,668 22,134 19,417 226 383 449 15.4 15.6 67.9 68.3

Missouri ............................ 75,352 62,531 60,335 11,253 332 1,236 2,262 13.8 13.9 62.9 62.9

Montana ........................... 10,789 9,387 8,974 35 1,268 97 316 12.2 12.3 59.8 59.0

Nebraska .......................... 23,907 21,727 18,921 1,281 425 474 2,273 14.3 14.2 66.6 65.2

Nevada ............................. 29,357 24,975 15,573 2,223 438 1,722 9,267 16.2 16.4 78.3 77.9

New Hampshire ................ 14,071 13,657 12,780 139 29 247 357 11.7 12.2 51.0 52.3

New Jersey ...................... 114,097 84,103 65,288 21,385 192 8,417 21,045 14.0 14.1 64.5 64.3

New Mexico ...................... 27,065 22,791 9,149 497 3,407 370 13,773 15.6 15.7 71.9 72.2

New York .......................... 258,412 186,128 126,312 53,798 696 17,789 53,269 14.2 14.2 64.3 63.9

North Carolina .................. 113,800 81,232 71,502 28,446 1,678 2,445 9,819 14.9 14.8 67.6 66.6

North Dakota .................... 7,637 6,742 6,463 86 730 79 121 12.1 12.4 57.3 58.3

Ohio .................................. 150,292 126,636 122,980 21,020 281 2,355 3,371 13.4 13.6 60.5 61.2

Oklahoma ......................... 49,054 38,628 34,179 4,649 4,907 870 3,916 14.6 14.8 69.0 69.0

Oregon ............................. 45,205 41,410 34,251 905 709 2,180 6,902 13.6 13.8 64.8 64.7

Pennsylvania .................... 145,497 121,063 113,733 20,608 338 3,488 7,191 12.1 12.2 57.4 56.9

Rhode Island .................... 12,356 10,796 7,400 967 149 444 1,858 12.5 12.7 57.1 57.5

South Carolina ................. 54,984 34,987 33,333 19,103 159 734 1,721 14.2 14.0 62.2 61.3

South Dakota ................... 10,523 8,669 8,504 89 1,664 101 178 14.4 13.9 67.7 65.1

Tennessee ....................... 77,839 59,998 57,607 16,537 142 1,162 2,434 14.2 14.3 63.5 63.1

Texas ............................... 346,774 297,150 140,486 38,883 806 9,934 156,207 17.3 17.3 77.1 76.2

Utah .................................. 46,289 44,033 38,548 270 618 1,367 5,426 21.7 21.5 93.1 91.4

Vermont ............................ 6,565 6,469 6,297 40 10 45 39 11.1 11.1 49.2 49.1

Virginia ............................. 95,538 68,199 62,097 22,498 153 4,688 6,528 13.9 13.9 59.7 59.1

Washington ...................... 79,603 68,227 55,437 3,363 1,881 6,131 10,360 13.8 14.0 62.1 62.3

West Virginia .................... 20,764 19,828 19,710 752 10 174 96 11.5 11.5 54.8 53.7

Wisconsin ......................... 68,216 58,777 54,833 6,509 971 1,960 4,044 13.0 12.9 59.4 58.5

Wyoming .......................... 6,135 5,745 5,230 73 268 49 530 12.8 13.0 60.8 60.9

Puerto Rico ...................... 59,571 54,556 --- 5,016 --- --- --- 15.3 15.7 65.3 66.8

Virgin Islands .................... 1,669 303 99 1,295 66 5 299 14.0 15.2 64.2 69.6

Guam ............................... 4,015 315 284 51 2 3,646 46 26.4 29.0 129.1 139.0

American Samoa .............. --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 27.2 --- 124.6

Northern Marianas ........... --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 21.9 --- 65.0

 --- Data not available. 1 Race and Hispanic origin are reported separately on the birth certificate. Data for persons of Hispanic origin are included in the data for each race group according to the mother’s reported race; 

 see Technical notes. 2 Includes births to Aleuts and Eskimos. 3 Includes all persons of Hispanic origin of any race; see Technical notes. 4 Excludes data for the territories.

 NOTE: Data are subject to sampling and/or random variation. For information on the relative standard errors of the data and further discussion, see Technical notes.

National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 48, No. 14, August 8, 2000 11
Table 5. Percent of live births to mothers under 20 years of age by race and Hispanic origin of mother: United States, 

each State and territory, final 1998 and preliminary 1999

[By place of residence. Data are based on a continuous file of records received from the States]

Area

All races 1 White, total 2 White, non-Hispanic Black, total 2 Hispanic 3

1999 1998 1999 1998 1999 1998 1999 1998 1999 1998

United States4 ........... 12.2 12.5 10.9 11.1 9.2 9.4 20.6 21.5 16.7 16.9

Alabama .................... 16.2 17.1 12.9 13.3 12.7 13.3 23.5 25.2 17.0 14.2

Alaska ....................... 11.5 11.2 8.5 8.9 8.6 8.7 17.4 13.5 11.1 12.0

Arizona ...................... 14.8 15.1 14.4 14.6 10.0 10.1 22.6 22.2 20.1 20.7

Arkansas ................... 17.8 18.6 15.3 15.9 15.2 15.9 27.5 28.4 16.6 15.9

California ................... 11.1 11.4 11.5 11.7 6.5 6.9 16.2 16.9 15.0 15.2

Colorado ................... 11.8 12.1 11.6 11.7 8.1 8.2 18.5 20.8 20.5 21.4

Connecticut ............... 8.0 8.3 7.0 7.0 4.2 4.1 16.0 17.8 21.1 21.6

Delaware ................... 13.3 13.1 10.0 9.5 9.3 8.6 23.5 24.9 16.6 17.0

District of Columbia ... 14.8 15.3 2.6 5.7 * 1.5 18.7 19.3 13.4 12.6

Florida ....................... 12.9 13.2 10.8 10.9 10.1 10.4 20.6 21.5 12.7 12.5

Georgia ..................... 14.6 15.0 11.9 12.0 11.5 11.7 20.4 21.4 15.2 15.0

Hawaii ....................... 10.4 10.7 5.1 5.0 4.4 4.1 8.9 9.1 18.9 18.7

Idaho ......................... 12.2 12.8 12.1 12.7 11.0 11.7 * * 19.9 20.3

Illinois ........................ 12.0 12.4 9.4 9.5 7.3 7.5 24.6 25.6 15.4 15.7

Indiana ...................... 13.2 13.8 12.0 12.5 11.7 12.2 24.0 25.6 16.5 18.2

Iowa .......................... 10.6 10.6 10.2 10.2 9.8 9.7 24.5 25.3 18.0 18.2

Kansas ...................... 12.8 12.6 11.9 11.7 11.0 10.8 25.1 25.3 18.6 18.6

Kentucky ................... 15.0 15.4 14.4 14.6 14.3 14.7 22.6 24.5 15.6 12.5

Louisiana ................... 17.6 18.4 12.6 12.9 12.7 12.9 25.0 26.5 10.9 12.4

Maine ........................ 9.7 9.8 9.7 9.7 9.3 9.5 * * 15.6 *

Maryland ................... 10.3 10.2 7.0 7.0 6.6 6.6 17.3 17.2 11.4 10.9

Massachusetts .......... 6.9 7.2 6.3 6.6 4.5 4.9 13.0 14.0 19.7 20.5

Michigan .................... 11.1 11.6 9.2 9.6 8.2 8.7 20.1 21.0 18.4 18.8

Minnesota ................. 8.5 8.6 7.0 7.1 6.6 6.8 19.4 21.2 18.1 17.9

Mississippi ................. 19.7 20.0 14.1 14.1 14.1 14.1 26.5 27.3 14.4 15.1

Missouri ..................... 13.5 13.8 11.9 12.1 11.7 12.0 23.1 23.9 16.0 16.6

Montana .................... 11.7 12.3 10.2 10.7 9.9 10.4 * * 17.3 21.4

Nebraska ................... 10.5 10.6 9.4 9.7 8.5 8.7 26.5 23.0 16.8 16.8

Nevada ...................... 13.1 13.1 12.5 12.7 10.4 10.5 22.3 20.1 16.1 16.7

New Hampshire ........ 7.1 7.7 7.2 7.7 6.9 7.4 * * 14.0 16.4

New Jersey ............... 7.3 7.7 5.6 5.7 3.2 3.2 16.3 18.1 14.3 14.6

New Mexico .............. 17.9 18.2 18.0 18.2 11.3 11.7 21.4 24.0 22.5 23.0

New York .................. 8.6 8.8 7.5 7.7 5.2 5.3 14.2 14.5 14.1 14.7

North Carolina ........... 13.5 14.0 11.0 11.1 10.2 10.4 20.8 22.0 16.6 17.1

North Dakota ............. 9.3 9.8 8.0 8.3 7.7 8.0 * * 17.4 14.5

Ohio .......................... 12.6 13.0 11.0 11.1 10.8 10.9 23.4 24.4 19.3 19.8

Oklahoma .................. 16.2 16.3 14.8 14.7 14.4 14.2 23.5 23.5 19.0 20.3

Oregon ...................... 12.3 12.5 12.3 12.4 11.2 11.5 20.8 21.4 17.8 17.3

Pennsylvania ............. 10.3 10.3 8.4 8.5 7.5 7.5 22.1 22.3 23.3 24.1

Rhode Island ............. 9.7 10.5 8.8 9.6 7.1 7.9 15.4 16.9 16.3 18.9

South Carolina .......... 15.8 16.0 12.1 12.0 11.8 11.9 23.0 23.5 17.4 13.6

South Dakota ............ 11.3 12.0 8.7 9.5 8.6 9.5 * * 14.6 16.3

Tennessee ................ 15.4 15.9 13.4 13.5 13.3 13.4 23.1 24.7 16.3 16.0

Texas ........................ 15.9 16.1 15.5 15.6 11.1 11.3 21.8 22.4 19.6 19.6

Utah .......................... 9.3 9.8 9.1 9.7 8.0 8.5 20.4 19.9 17.0 19.0

Vermont .................... 8.5 7.9 8.5 7.9 8.4 7.7 * * * *

Virginia ...................... 10.6 10.8 8.2 8.4 7.9 8.1 19.5 19.7 11.8 11.2

Washington ............... 10.8 10.9 10.6 10.7 9.4 9.6 16.8 18.5 17.9 17.7

West Virginia ............. 14.8 15.7 14.5 15.4 14.5 15.4 24.6 25.3 22.9 *

Wisconsin .................. 10.7 10.5 8.4 8.1 7.7 7.4 28.0 28.3 19.2 19.4

Wyoming ................... 13.9 16.2 13.8 15.8 13.2 15.0 * * 19.4 24.0

Puerto Rico ............... 19.9 20.5 19.8 20.3 --- --- 20.9 22.8 --- ---

Virgin Islands ............ 16.3 17.8 16.5 19.9 * * 16.8 17.6 18.1 25.2

Guam ........................ 14.6 14.2 6.6 6.3 7.3 * * * * *

American Samoa ...... --- 7.6 --- * --- --- --- * --- ---

Northern Marianas .... --- 11.1 --- * --- --- --- * --- ---

 * Figure does not meet standards of reliability or precision.

 --- Data not available. 1 Includes races other than white and black. 2 Race and Hispanic origin are reported separately on the birth certificate. Data for persons of Hispanic origin are included in the data for each race group according to the

 mother’s reported race; see Technical notes. 3 Includes all persons of Hispanic origin of any race; see Technical notes 4 Excludes data for territories.

 NOTE: Data are subject to sampling and/or random variation. For information on the relative standard errors of the data and further discussion, see Technical notes.

12 National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 48, No. 14, August 8, 2000
Table 6. Percent of live births to unmarried mothers by race and Hispanic origin of mother: United States, each State and

territory, final 1998 and preliminary 1999

[By place of residence. Data are based on a continuous file of records received from the States]

Area

All races 1 White, total 2 White, non-Hispanic Black, total 2 Hispanic 3

1999 1998 1999 1998 1999 1998 1999 1998 1999 1998

United States 4 .......... 33.0 32.8 26.7 26.3 22.0 21.9 68.8 69.1 42.1 41.6

Alabama .................... 33.3 34.1 17.2 17.3 16.9 17.1 67.8 69.3 26.5 23.0

Alaska ....................... 33.1 31.1 23.0 21.8 22.7 21.3 45.9 39.7 31.8 28.8

Arizona ...................... 38.7 38.4 36.0 35.5 24.8 24.9 63.5 62.9 50.4 49.7

Arkansas ................... 35.2 35.0 24.7 24.1 24.0 23.5 74.5 74.4 35.0 34.0

California ................... 32.9 32.8 32.7 32.5 20.7 21.4 62.0 61.9 41.3 40.7

Colorado ................... 25.4 25.6 24.1 24.1 18.4 18.5 54.6 54.6 38.8 39.8

Connecticut ............... 28.9 31.2 24.2 26.0 16.6 18.4 66.9 68.7 62.5 64.1

Delaware ................... 38.9 37.1 28.0 25.9 25.4 23.4 72.8 72.6 51.4 48.1

District of Columbia ... 61.7 62.9 14.2 23.3 8.2 8.2 77.2 79.0 54.0 50.7

Florida ....................... 37.5 36.6 29.0 27.9 26.1 25.7 67.1 67.1 37.3 34.7

Georgia ..................... 36.6 36.2 21.9 20.7 20.0 19.5 66.7 67.1 35.4 32.3

Hawaii ....................... 32.7 31.5 17.6 15.5 16.6 14.5 24.8 22.1 45.4 45.4

Idaho ......................... 21.6 22.0 21.1 21.3 19.7 19.6 41.6 40.2 31.3 32.1

Illinois ........................ 34.1 34.1 24.9 24.2 19.3 19.2 77.1 77.9 40.8 39.4

Indiana ...................... 34.5 33.5 29.5 28.4 28.5 27.7 77.0 77.2 45.4 42.2

Iowa .......................... 27.5 27.2 26.0 25.8 25.2 24.9 71.2 72.3 40.2 41.0

Kansas ...................... 28.6 27.8 25.4 24.4 23.7 22.7 69.1 69.0 38.8 38.7

Kentucky ................... 30.3 30.1 26.1 26.1 26.0 26.0 73.0 71.5 31.6 28.8

Louisiana ................... 44.8 44.9 25.1 24.4 24.9 24.2 73.6 74.2 30.7 31.9

Maine ........................ 31.3 30.6 31.1 30.3 30.5 30.1 49.1 49.5 35.6 32.8

Maryland ................... 34.9 34.4 21.6 21.4 19.9 19.9 62.0 61.7 40.5 37.8

Massachusetts .......... 26.5 26.1 23.1 22.9 18.7 18.6 59.3 58.4 61.3 60.0

Michigan .................... 33.1 33.9 24.6 25.1 22.8 23.4 72.7 74.7 41.4 42.0

Minnesota ................. 25.8 25.6 22.3 22.1 21.5 21.5 61.8 65.8 47.2 47.8

Mississippi ................. 46.0 45.4 21.0 20.4 20.7 20.2 75.4 75.5 33.3 31.0

Missouri ..................... 34.1 34.1 26.7 26.5 26.2 26.1 76.5 77.0 39.5 37.8

Montana .................... 29.7 29.9 24.3 25.1 23.8 24.4 * 50.0 38.8 39.6

Nebraska ................... 25.9 26.2 22.7 23.1 20.5 21.1 69.8 68.9 40.9 39.3

Nevada ...................... 35.7 35.0 33.2 32.5 28.5 27.6 68.0 66.1 41.4 41.2

New Hampshire ........ 24.2 24.1 24.3 24.0 23.5 23.5 37.4 44.8 40.9 37.9

New Jersey ............... 28.2 28.3 21.1 20.8 12.8 12.8 64.6 65.8 50.6 49.9

New Mexico .............. 45.0 44.0 41.3 40.0 26.6 25.7 63.3 60.9 51.2 50.2

New York .................. 36.5 34.9 29.4 27.5 19.1 17.5 67.9 66.3 60.0 57.9

North Carolina ........... 33.2 32.8 21.8 20.8 19.1 18.6 66.4 66.7 41.7 40.7

North Dakota ............. 27.5 27.0 22.9 22.4 22.6 22.1 26.7 28.7 33.9 29.6

Ohio .......................... 34.0 34.0 27.4 26.8 26.9 26.2 76.1 76.7 47.7 49.1

Oklahoma .................. 32.9 33.2 27.0 27.3 26.0 26.5 70.5 69.1 36.4 35.5

Oregon ...................... 30.4 29.7 29.9 28.9 28.0 27.2 63.0 65.4 39.6 38.3

Pennsylvania ............. 32.9 32.8 25.9 25.7 23.6 23.6 77.7 77.5 61.8 61.1

Rhode Island ............. 33.3 33.9 29.9 30.6 24.8 25.6 64.9 66.4 55.2 57.2

South Carolina .......... 39.0 38.8 22.3 22.1 21.6 21.6 70.6 69.9 37.1 35.5

South Dakota ............ 31.8 32.0 23.6 23.2 23.4 22.9 36.0 37.6 34.3 42.5

Tennessee ................ 34.6 34.9 24.3 24.1 23.7 23.7 73.3 73.8 37.9 37.5

Texas ........................ 31.0 31.5 27.6 27.8 20.0 20.0 62.3 63.0 34.6 35.1

Utah .......................... 16.7 17.1 16.0 16.3 12.9 13.5 51.1 49.3 37.7 38.6

Vermont .................... 29.0 28.0 28.9 27.9 28.7 27.6 55.0 * * *

Virginia ...................... 29.8 29.8 20.5 20.1 18.8 18.7 62.4 63.6 37.6 36.4

Washington ............... 26.5 27.9 25.1 26.4 23.2 24.5 50.5 54.4 36.3 38.3

West Virginia ............. 31.7 32.4 30.2 30.8 30.1 30.8 77.7 76.7 39.5 32.3

Wisconsin .................. 29.2 28.5 23.2 22.4 21.8 21.0 83.5 82.1 43.8 44.9

Wyoming ................... 29.1 29.6 27.2 27.9 26.0 26.5 54.1 50.0 40.2 42.6

Puerto Rico ............... 47.9 47.0 46.6 45.7 --- --- 61.4 62.7 --- ---

Virgin Islands ............ 67.1 69.6 51.3 57.4 28.3 42.1 73.4 74.3 66.6 66.8

Guam ........................ 55.9 54.2 20.2 19.3 18.9 19.2 40.5 * * *

American Samoa ...... --- 34.2 --- * --- --- --- * --- ---

Northern Marianas .... --- 45.6 --- * --- --- --- * --- ---

 * Figure does not meet standards of reliability or precision.

 --- Data not available. 1 Includes races other than white and black. 2 Race and Hispanic origin are reported separately on the birth certificate. Data for persons of Hispanic origin are included in the data for each race group according to the

 mother’s reported race; see Technical notes. 3 Includes all persons of Hispanic origin of any race; see Technical notes 4 Excludes data for the territories.

 NOTE: Data are subject to sampling and/or random variation. For information on the relative standard errors of the data and further discussion, see Technical notes.

National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 48, No. 14, August 8, 2000 13
Table 7. Percent low birthweight by race and Hispanic origin of mother: United States, each State and territory, final 1998

and preliminary 1999

[By place of residence. Data are based on a continuous file of records received from the States. Low birthweight is less than 2,500 grams]

Area

All races 1 White, total 2 White, non-Hispanic Black, total 2 Hispanic 3

1999 1998 1999 1998 1999 1998 1999 1998 1999 1998

United States 4 .......... 7.6 7.6 6.6 6.5 6.6 6.6 13.1 13.0 6.4 6.4

Alabama .................... 9.3 9.3 7.3 7.3 7.3 7.4 13.6 13.3 6.6 5.9

Alaska ....................... 5.8 6.0 5.3 5.6 5.2 5.6 10.7 10.5 6.6 6.4

Arizona ...................... 7.0 6.8 6.7 6.6 6.5 6.6 12.3 12.2 7.0 6.6

Arkansas ................... 8.6 8.9 7.4 7.5 7.5 7.6 13.0 13.9 5.8 6.6

California ................... 6.1 6.2 5.5 5.7 5.6 5.8 11.6 11.6 5.5 5.6

Colorado ................... 8.3 8.6 8.0 8.3 8.0 8.3 13.7 13.3 8.2 8.4

Connecticut ............... 7.6 7.8 6.8 7.0 6.3 6.5 13.2 13.3 9.0 9.7

Delaware ................... 8.6 8.4 6.9 6.2 6.8 6.1 13.7 14.8 6.9 7.7

District of Columbia ... 13.1 13.1 6.2 5.9 6.7 5.7 15.3 15.8 6.1 5.9

Florida ....................... 8.2 8.1 6.9 6.8 7.1 6.9 12.2 12.2 6.4 6.5

Georgia ..................... 8.7 8.5 6.7 6.4 6.8 6.6 12.7 12.7 5.8 5.3

Hawaii ....................... 7.5 7.5 5.5 6.2 5.2 6.2 9.6 10.7 7.9 7.7

Idaho ......................... 6.2 6.0 6.1 6.0 6.1 5.9 * * 6.0 6.8

Illinois ........................ 8.0 8.0 6.5 6.4 6.5 6.5 14.2 14.2 6.4 6.3

Indiana ...................... 7.9 7.9 7.2 7.2 7.3 7.3 12.9 13.5 6.7 6.9

Iowa .......................... 6.2 6.4 5.9 6.2 5.9 6.2 12.7 12.8 5.6 6.1

Kansas ...................... 7.1 7.0 6.7 6.5 6.8 6.6 12.1 13.0 6.2 5.9

Kentucky ................... 8.2 8.1 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 13.9 13.5 6.5 6.9

Louisiana ................... 10.0 10.1 6.9 7.0 7.0 7.0 14.4 14.6 6.3 7.3

Maine ........................ 6.0 5.8 6.0 5.8 6.1 5.9 * * * *

Maryland ................... 9.0 8.7 6.7 6.4 6.7 6.4 13.5 13.0 7.2 6.1

Massachusetts .......... 7.1 6.9 6.6 6.5 6.4 6.3 10.8 10.2 8.2 7.8

Michigan .................... 8.1 7.8 6.6 6.4 6.5 6.3 14.7 13.8 6.8 6.6

Minnesota ................. 6.1 5.8 5.6 5.4 5.7 5.6 11.0 11.0 6.0 5.7

Mississippi ................. 10.3 10.1 7.4 7.2 7.4 7.3 13.8 13.7 6.3 *

Missouri ..................... 7.7 7.8 6.7 6.7 6.7 6.7 13.7 14.0 5.8 6.3

Montana .................... 6.8 7.0 6.8 6.9 6.9 6.8 * * * 7.4

Nebraska ................... 6.7 6.5 6.4 6.2 6.4 6.1 12.8 12.2 6.7 6.6

Nevada ...................... 7.6 7.6 7.1 6.9 7.6 7.3 12.2 13.3 6.1 6.3

New Hampshire ........ 6.2 5.7 6.2 5.6 5.9 5.5 * * 7.3 *

New Jersey ............... 8.1 8.0 6.8 6.7 6.7 6.4 13.0 13.3 7.1 7.4

New Mexico .............. 7.7 7.6 7.7 7.7 7.7 8.1 12.4 11.4 7.6 7.5

New York .................. 7.8 7.8 6.7 6.7 6.5 6.3 11.7 11.9 7.6 7.8

North Carolina ........... 8.9 8.8 7.2 7.0 7.3 7.1 13.7 13.9 6.4 6.2

North Dakota ............. 6.2 6.5 6.2 6.5 6.3 6.5 * * * *

Ohio .......................... 7.7 7.7 6.8 6.7 6.7 6.7 13.4 13.2 7.3 7.7

Oklahoma .................. 7.4 7.2 7.1 6.6 7.2 6.7 11.8 12.5 6.0 6.0

Oregon ...................... 5.4 5.4 5.3 5.2 5.3 5.1 10.7 9.8 5.2 5.8

Pennsylvania ............. 7.8 7.6 6.7 6.6 6.6 6.4 14.3 13.5 9.1 9.4

Rhode Island ............. 7.3 7.6 6.8 7.1 6.7 6.9 11.1 11.4 7.1 7.9

South Carolina .......... 9.8 9.5 7.2 7.1 7.3 7.1 14.7 14.0 5.5 5.8

South Dakota ............ 5.9 5.8 5.9 5.7 5.9 5.7 * * * *

Tennessee ................ 9.2 9.1 7.9 7.6 7.9 7.6 14.1 14.3 6.6 6.5

Texas ........................ 7.3 7.4 6.6 6.7 6.6 6.7 12.6 12.6 6.6 6.7

Utah .......................... 6.8 6.7 6.7 6.6 6.7 6.6 13.3 14.9 6.7 7.2

Vermont .................... 5.7 6.5 5.7 6.5 5.6 6.6 * * * *

Virginia ...................... 7.8 7.9 6.4 6.4 6.5 6.4 11.9 12.7 5.9 6.5

Washington ............... 5.8 5.7 5.5 5.4 5.4 5.3 10.3 10.1 5.3 5.7

West Virginia ............. 8.0 8.0 7.9 7.8 7.9 7.9 12.3 13.4 * *

Wisconsin .................. 6.7 6.5 5.9 5.7 5.9 5.6 13.4 13.6 6.1 6.5

Wyoming ................... 8.4 8.9 8.1 8.8 8.4 8.9 * * 5.7 7.5

Puerto Rico ............... 11.5 10.9 11.5 11.0 --- --- 11.6 10.5 --- ---

Virgin Islands ............ 10.0 9.2 10.6 * * * 10.1 10.3 13.0 *

Guam ........................ 7.9 7.6 * 6.1 * * * * * *

American Samoa ...... --- 3.0 --- * --- --- --- * --- ---

Northern Marianas .... --- 8.6 --- * --- --- --- * --- ---

 * Figure does not meet standards of reliability or precision.

 --- Data not available. 1 Includes races other than white and black. 2 Race and Hispanic origin are reported separately on the birth certificate. Data for persons of Hispanic origin are included in the data for each race group according to the

 mother’s reported race; see Technical notes. 3 Includes all persons of Hispanic origin of any race; see Technical notes 4 Excludes data for the territories.

 NOTE: Data are subject to sampling and/or random variation. For information on the relative standard errors of the data and further discussion, see Technical notes.

14 National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 48, No. 14, August 8, 2000
Table 8. Percent of live births by cesarean delivery by race and Hispanic origin of mother: United States, each State and

territory, final 1998 and preliminary 1999

[By place of residence. Data are based on a continuous file of records received from the States]

Area

All races 1 White, total 2 White, non-Hispanic Black, total 2 Hispanic 3

1999 1998 1999 1998 1999 1998 1999 1998 1999 1998

United States 4 .......... 22.0 21.2 21.9 21.0 22.1 21.2 23.1 22.4 21.2 20.6

Alabama .................... 24.8 24.0 25.4 24.7 25.6 24.8 23.6 22.8 20.4 20.7

Alaska ....................... 14.8 14.7 16.9 16.5 16.7 16.4 16.2 18.0 17.2 17.6

Arizona ...................... 17.8 17.0 17.9 17.2 19.2 18.3 19.0 20.1 16.2 15.6

Arkansas ................... 25.4 24.9 24.9 24.7 25.3 25.0 27.6 26.1 19.2 20.8

California ................... 22.7 21.7 22.6 21.6 23.5 22.5 25.8 24.8 21.9 20.9

Colorado ................... 17.3 16.4 17.3 16.4 17.9 16.7 19.2 16.9 15.8 15.7

Connecticut ............... 21.0 20.1 21.0 20.1 21.1 20.4 21.6 20.6 19.1 18.7

Delaware ................... 23.0 23.2 23.2 22.7 23.5 23.3 22.9 24.8 20.9 18.2

District of Columbia ... 22.2 20.8 22.1 17.8 23.9 21.3 22.3 22.1 12.9 12.2

Florida ....................... 23.8 22.4 24.3 22.9 23.4 22.1 22.5 21.2 26.4 24.9

Georgia ..................... 21.7 20.8 21.5 20.7 22.2 21.3 22.4 21.5 16.7 15.1

Hawaii ....................... 17.5 15.6 18.7 16.8 18.6 16.4 17.4 18.7 18.9 17.1

Idaho ......................... 17.3 15.7 17.1 15.6 17.0 15.5 * * 18.0 16.5

Illinois ........................ 20.1 19.4 20.1 19.4 20.9 20.3 20.2 19.5 17.8 16.9

Indiana ...................... 20.5 20.0 20.5 20.0 20.5 20.0 20.5 19.9 19.6 20.3

Iowa .......................... 19.9 19.6 20.0 19.7 20.0 19.7 18.9 19.9 19.5 19.8

Kansas ...................... 21.2 18.6 21.3 18.5 21.4 18.7 21.3 20.6 20.2 17.2

Kentucky ................... 23.3 22.8 23.4 22.9 23.4 22.9 23.1 22.6 22.0 17.9

Louisiana ................... 26.8 26.0 27.4 26.8 27.4 26.8 26.0 25.1 28.9 26.4

Maine ........................ 21.5 19.7 21.5 19.8 21.5 19.8 28.3 23.1 28.1 22.1

Maryland ................... 23.2 21.3 22.5 20.7 22.8 21.0 24.7 22.5 19.7 17.9

Massachusetts .......... 22.4 20.9 22.4 21.1 22.7 21.5 23.7 21.6 20.4 17.9

Michigan .................... 21.0 20.6 21.1 20.6 21.4 20.7 20.4 20.6 18.5 19.3

Minnesota ................. 18.9 18.0 19.4 18.4 19.5 18.5 18.8 17.2 17.6 17.4

Mississippi ................. 27.3 27.0 28.1 27.9 28.3 28.0 26.4 26.0 20.6 24.9

Missouri ..................... 21.7 20.6 22.1 20.7 22.2 20.8 19.9 20.0 18.2 19.3

Montana .................... 18.8 18.9 18.4 18.6 18.3 18.5 * * 21.2 21.7

Nebraska ................... 22.0 20.6 22.2 20.7 22.5 21.0 20.4 21.8 19.5 18.3

Nevada ...................... 21.8 21.4 21.3 20.8 22.5 22.1 26.8 25.7 19.2 18.6

New Hampshire ........ 19.9 18.5 19.9 18.5 20.0 18.6 25.4 17.2 21.1 18.0

New Jersey ............... 26.2 25.4 26.2 25.5 26.3 25.4 26.5 25.5 26.4 26.3

New Mexico .............. 16.4 16.4 16.8 16.8 17.4 17.7 18.8 20.5 16.3 16.1

New York .................. 23.6 22.9 23.6 22.9 24.3 23.5 24.3 23.5 22.7 22.0

North Carolina ........... 22.7 21.5 22.3 21.3 22.9 21.8 23.9 22.3 18.1 16.6

North Dakota ............. 19.5 19.4 19.5 19.2 19.8 18.9 * 23.0 16.2 30.3

Ohio .......................... 19.2 18.9 19.3 18.9 19.3 18.9 19.0 19.0 18.4 17.9

Oklahoma .................. 24.2 22.8 24.1 22.6 24.5 22.8 24.6 24.2 21.5 20.2

Oregon ...................... 18.4 17.8 18.3 17.6 18.5 17.9 18.3 21.6 17.7 16.6

Pennsylvania ............. 20.7 19.6 21.0 19.8 21.1 19.9 19.7 19.3 18.2 18.1

Rhode Island ............. 20.6 19.5 20.9 19.9 21.3 21.3 20.9 19.4 20.5 16.7

South Carolina .......... 24.2 23.4 24.3 23.5 24.6 23.6 24.1 23.4 18.8 19.4

South Dakota ............ 22.3 21.5 22.6 21.5 22.7 21.5 * 29.8 19.1 27.0

Tennessee ................ 24.0 22.6 24.2 22.5 24.3 22.7 23.8 23.0 20.4 18.3

Texas ........................ 23.8 23.5 23.6 23.3 24.8 24.1 25.5 25.1 22.5 22.7

Utah .......................... 16.0 16.0 15.9 15.9 15.7 15.9 20.4 23.8 17.7 16.4

Vermont .................... 16.5 16.5 16.5 16.5 16.5 16.7 * * * *

Virginia ...................... 21.7 21.2 21.6 20.8 21.8 21.1 22.0 22.5 19.3 17.9

Washington ............... 18.9 17.9 18.7 17.7 18.8 17.8 22.4 22.7 17.7 17.2

West Virginia ............. 24.7 24.1 24.6 24.1 24.6 24.1 27.3 23.3 25.5 21.5

Wisconsin .................. 17.0 16.0 17.5 16.5 17.6 16.5 13.7 14.1 16.2 15.4

Wyoming ................... 19.6 18.6 19.5 18.4 19.6 18.2 * * 18.7 19.5

Puerto Rico ............... 37.8 35.1 38.0 35.4 --- --- 36.1 30.7 --- ---

Virgin Islands ............ 22.7 22.7 28.1 27.0 26.3 29.1 21.4 21.5 27.6 24.9

Guam ........................ 16.8 14.7 19.1 20.8 19.0 20.6 * * * *

American Samoa ...... --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Northern Marianas .... --- 17.1 --- * --- --- --- * --- ---

 * Figure does not meet standards of reliability or precision.

 --- Data not available. 1 Includes races other than white and black. 2 Race and Hispanic origin are reported separately on the birth certificate. Data for persons of Hispanic origin are included in the data for each race group according to the

 mother’s reported race; see Technical notes. 3 Includes all persons of Hispanic origin of any race; see Technical notes 4 Excludes data for the territories.

 NOTE: Data are subject to sampling and/or random variation. For information on the relative standard errors of the data and further discussion, see Technical notes.

National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 48, No. 14, August 8, 2000 15
Table 9. Percent of mothers receiving prenatal care in first trimester of pregnancy by race and Hispanic origin of mother: 

United States, each State and territory, final 1998 and preliminary 1999

[By place of residence. Data are based on a continuous file of records received from the States]

Area

All races 1 White, total 2 White, non-Hispanic Black, total 2 Hispanic 3

1999 1998 1999 1998 1999 1998 1999 1998 1999 1998

United States 4 .......... 83.2 82.8 85.1 84.8 88.4 87.9 74.0 73.3 74.5 74.3

Alabama .................... 83.2 82.4 88.9 88.3 90.0 89.1 71.4 70.1 60.5 62.9

Alaska ....................... 79.3 81.4 82.2 83.5 82.2 83.7 83.6 82.3 79.6 81.3

Arizona ...................... 76.0 75.1 76.7 76.0 86.0 84.7 73.7 73.5 65.1 64.7

Arkansas ................... 79.1 77.8 81.8 80.7 83.1 82.0 69.4 67.6 63.7 61.6

California ................... 83.6 82.4 83.6 82.4 89.2 88.2 81.2 79.5 79.7 78.1

Colorado ................... 81.7 82.2 82.0 82.7 88.4 87.9 75.4 75.9 66.0 68.3

Connecticut ............... 89.3 88.0 90.5 89.3 93.0 91.3 81.2 79.0 78.1 78.2

Delaware ................... 83.7 83.4 86.6 86.4 88.3 88.2 75.4 74.2 71.7 69.7

District of Columbia ... 71.9 72.0 87.4 84.8 90.9 91.0 66.9 66.9 64.2 69.5

Florida ....................... 83.9 83.6 87.1 86.9 89.1 88.6 73.6 72.8 81.3 81.9

Georgia ..................... 87.3 86.4 90.4 90.0 91.9 91.4 81.0 79.4 79.7 78.2

Hawaii ....................... 85.7 85.4 91.0 90.2 91.6 90.9 91.2 91.5 83.8 83.5

Idaho ......................... 80.5 78.7 80.7 79.1 82.9 81.7 74.7 69.1 64.8 61.5

Illinois ........................ 82.5 82.7 85.4 85.7 89.9 89.7 70.0 70.1 72.4 73.7

Indiana ...................... 80.0 79.9 81.7 81.6 82.8 82.6 66.1 65.3 63.5 64.7

Iowa .......................... 87.7 87.3 88.3 87.9 89.2 88.6 74.8 74.8 71.2 73.0

Kansas ...................... 85.8 85.8 86.7 86.7 89.2 89.2 77.0 76.1 68.1 68.1

Kentucky ................... 86.6 86.4 87.5 87.3 87.8 87.5 78.4 78.0 71.7 73.8

Louisiana ................... 82.9 82.2 89.7 89.4 89.9 89.6 73.2 72.1 85.8 85.3

Maine ........................ 89.2 88.9 89.5 89.1 89.7 89.3 83.0 85.6 85.2 77.9

Maryland ................... 87.0 87.8 91.5 91.5 92.4 92.3 78.0 80.3 81.4 82.3

Massachusetts .......... 89.4 89.5 90.9 90.9 92.2 92.3 79.8 80.1 79.0 79.2

Michigan .................... 84.0 84.3 87.0 87.1 88.6 88.4 69.9 71.1 72.0 72.8

Minnesota ................. 84.5 84.5 87.1 87.1 88.1 87.9 66.3 66.7 62.1 63.8

Mississippi ................. 81.5 80.6 89.1 89.3 89.4 89.6 72.6 70.2 75.1 73.8

Missouri ..................... 87.1 86.1 89.1 88.2 89.5 88.6 76.3 74.5 77.6 77.7

Montana .................... 83.9 82.3 85.8 84.8 86.1 84.9 85.7 77.3 76.0 78.6

Nebraska ................... 84.4 83.9 85.4 84.9 87.3 86.9 73.7 71.0 68.9 68.8

Nevada ...................... 75.2 74.6 75.5 75.3 83.2 82.5 69.5 66.3 62.0 62.2

New Hampshire ........ 90.7 89.7 91.0 89.8 91.4 90.0 72.9 76.9 80.1 78.4

New Jersey ............... 81.7 81.6 85.6 85.5 89.8 89.6 65.0 65.1 70.3 71.0

New Mexico .............. 66.8 67.6 68.0 69.1 73.5 75.1 62.5 58.5 64.4 64.8

New York .................. 81.0 81.2 84.2 84.4 88.1 88.2 71.0 70.8 71.8 72.1

North Carolina ........... 85.0 84.5 88.4 88.1 91.1 90.3 76.1 75.2 68.7 68.5

North Dakota ............. 86.3 85.6 88.3 87.3 88.6 87.7 72.1 78.8 81.7 73.6

Ohio .......................... 86.5 85.5 88.2 87.6 88.5 87.9 76.1 73.3 77.7 77.4

Oklahoma .................. 80.6 78.6 82.7 80.7 83.9 81.8 73.2 69.7 69.0 68.3

Oregon ...................... 80.9 80.2 81.2 80.4 83.8 82.8 76.1 79.4 68.6 67.2

Pennsylvania ............. 85.1 84.8 87.5 87.3 88.4 88.2 71.1 70.8 74.1 72.4

Rhode Island ............. 91.5 89.7 92.7 90.9 93.8 92.1 83.5 79.3 86.3 82.4

South Carolina .......... 80.6 81.4 85.9 87.2 87.2 88.0 70.9 71.0 61.1 65.9

South Dakota ............ 83.4 82.7 87.0 86.6 87.4 86.8 74.2 75.3 68.9 74.3

Tennessee ................ 84.3 84.1 87.0 87.3 87.9 88.1 74.6 72.7 64.0 64.8

Texas ........................ 79.3 79.3 79.4 79.6 87.3 86.9 76.5 75.7 72.2 72.7

Utah .......................... 80.5 82.1 81.5 82.9 84.0 85.3 64.3 64.7 63.1 64.9

Vermont .................... 88.0 87.4 88.0 87.5 88.0 87.6 81.6 * 82.8 85.3

Virginia ...................... 85.3 85.2 88.8 88.8 90.2 90.2 74.4 74.4 74.0 73.2

Washington ............... 83.0 83.0 83.9 83.6 86.1 85.8 75.5 77.1 71.5 71.0

West Virginia ............. 85.1 83.7 85.6 84.2 85.7 84.2 70.9 70.2 68.9 84.0

Wisconsin .................. 84.1 84.3 86.6 87.0 87.7 88.0 69.1 67.5 70.6 71.9

Wyoming ................... 83.0 81.3 83.4 82.2 84.3 83.4 76.6 67.3 74.8 70.2

Puerto Rico ............... 77.9 78.8 78.7 79.4 --- --- 69.5 70.5 --- ---

Virgin Islands ............ 59.5 59.3 63.8 60.5 73.7 76.6 58.1 58.6 57.4 55.0

Guam ........................ 62.1 63.0 87.2 86.0 88.8 86.8 78.6 81.8 70.3 83.7

American Samoa ...... --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Northern Marianas .... --- 26.3 --- * --- --- --- * --- ---

 * Figure does not meet standards of reliability or precision.

 --- Data not available. 1 Includes races other than white and black. 2 Race and Hispanic origin are reported separately on the birth certificate. Data for persons of Hispanic origin are included in the data for each race group according to the

 mother’s reported race; see Technical notes. 3 Includes all persons of Hispanic origin of any race; see Technical notes 4 Excludes data for the territories.

 NOTE: Data are subject to sampling and/or random variation. For information on the relative standard errors of the data and further discussion, see Technical notes.

16 National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 48, No. 14, August 8, 2000
Technical notes

Nature and sources of data

Preliminary data for 1999 are based on a substantial proportion

of vital records for that year. The data for 1999 are based on a

continuous receipt and processing of statistical records through May

10, 2000, by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). NCHS

receives the data from the States’ vital registration systems through

the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program. In this report, U.S. totals

include only events occurring within the 50 States and the District of

Columbia. Data for Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam are

included in tables showing data by State, but are not included in U.S.

totals. Tables by State generally show entries for American Samoa

and the Northern Marianas, but preliminary data for these areas were

not available by May 10, 2000, and are not presented in this report.

Final data for 1998 for these areas are presented where available.

For 1999, individual records of births are weighted to independent

counts of vital events occurring in each State. These State-specific

counts serve as control totals and are the basis for the record weights

in the preliminary file. If the number of records in the preliminary file is

greater than the count received from the State, the State-specific

number of records in the preliminary file is used instead and the weight

is set at 1.0.

Each birth record has one weight specific to the State where the

birth occurred. Table I shows the percent completeness of the preliminary file for each event by place of occurrence. The percent completeness is obtained by dividing the number of records in the preliminary

file by the control total and multiplying by 100. Although data by place

of occurrence are used to compute the weights, all data in this report

are tabulated by place of residence.

For selected variables in the natality file, unknown or not-stated

values are imputed. The percent not stated in the natality files was less

than 1 percent for birthweight and method of delivery and 2.7 percent

for month prenatal care began. Detailed information on reporting completeness and imputation procedures may be found in Technical

Appendix of the Vital Statistics of the United States: Natality (7).

Race and Hispanic origin are reported separately on the birth

certificate. Therefore, data shown by race include persons of Hispanic

or non-Hispanic origin, and data for Hispanic origin include persons of

any race. In this report, births of Hispanic origin are included in the totals

for each race group—white, black, American Indian, and Asian or Pacific

Islander—according to the mother’s race as reported on the birth

certificate. Data shown for Hispanic persons include all persons of

Hispanic origin of any race. In 1999, approximately 97 percent of

Hispanic-origin births were to white women. Data are shown separately

for non-Hispanic white women because there are substantial differences

in childbearing patterns between Hispanic and non-Hispanic white

women. More than 1 in 5 white births were to Hispanic women in 1999.

From 1964 to 1996, mother’s age was edited for ages 10–49 years:

births reported to occur to mothers younger than age 10 or older than

49 years had age imputed according to the same race and total birth

order (total of live births and fetal deaths). Beginning in 1997, age of

mother is edited for ages 10–54 years. A review and verification of

unedited birth data for 1996 showed that the vast majority of births

reported as occurring to women aged 50 years and over were to women

aged 50–54 years. The numbers of births to women aged 50–54 years

Table I. Total count of records and percent completeness of

preliminary file of live births: United States, each State and

territory, preliminary 1999

[By place of occurrence]

Area

Live births

Count of

records

Percent

completeness

 United States1 ................................... 3,964,473 97.6

Alabama .............................................. 61,341 100.0

Alaska ................................................. 9,848 100.0

Arizona ................................................ 81,286 78.5

Arkansas ............................................. 35,691 99.6

California ............................................. 518,853 100.0

Colorado .............................................. 62,388 100.0

Connecticut ......................................... 43,401 94.9

Delaware ............................................. 11,306 100.0

District of Columbia ............................. 14,660 100.0

Florida ................................................. 197,156 100.0

Georgia ............................................... 127,616 100.0

Hawaii ................................................. 17,091 100.0

Idaho ................................................... 19,414 100.0

Illinois .................................................. 179,300 99.7

Indiana ................................................ 86,351 99.8

Iowa ..................................................... 37,690 100.0

Kansas ................................................ 38,244 100.0

Kentucky ............................................. 52,850 97.6

Louisiana ............................................. 67,524 99.9

Maine .................................................. 13,393 100.0

Maryland ............................................. 67,852 99.7

Massachusetts .................................... 81,839 100.0

Michigan .............................................. 132,319 100.0

Minnesota ............................................ 65,784 99.9

Mississippi ........................................... 41,757 98.8

Missouri ............................................... 77,300 99.9

Montana .............................................. 10,751 98.7

Nebraska ............................................. 24,210 100.0

Nevada ................................................ 28,894 100.0

New Hampshire ................................... 13,718 100.0

New Jersey ......................................... 111,049 90.4

New Mexico ......................................... 26,865 100.0

New York ............................................. 259,961 98.4

 New York excluding New York City ... 136,204 97.0

 New York City ................................... 123,757 100.0

North Carolina ..................................... 114,894 100.0

North Dakota ....................................... 8,879 100.0

Ohio ..................................................... 152,616 85.3

Oklahoma ............................................ 47,935 97.8

Oregon ................................................ 46,106 100.0

Pennsylvania ....................................... 145,938 87.3

Rhode Island ....................................... 13,223 97.7

South Carolina .................................... 52,640 99.9

South Dakota ...................................... 10,673 100.0

Tennessee .......................................... 83,002 100.0

Texas .................................................. 350,593 96.0

Utah ..................................................... 47,265 100.0

Vermont ............................................... 6,216 99.4

Virginia ................................................ 93,360 99.9

Washington ......................................... 79,075 100.0

West Virginia ....................................... 21,389 100.0

Wisconsin ............................................ 67,198 100.0

Wyoming ............................................. 5,769 100.0

Puerto Rico ......................................... 59,685 89.9

Virgin Islands ....................................... 1,773 100.0

Guam .................................................. 4,038 82.0

American Samoa ................................. - - - - - -

Northern Marianas .............................. - - - - - -

 - - - Data not available. 1 Excludes data for Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and

 Northern Marianas.

 NOTE: Percent completeness = Number of records in preliminary file * 100

 Count of records

National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 48, No. 14, August 8, 2000 17
are too small for computing age-specific birth rates and have been

included with births to women aged 45–49 years for computing birth

rates.

National estimates of births to unmarried women are based on two

methods of determining marital status. For 1998 and 1999, birth certificates in 48 States and the District of Columbia included a direct

question about mother’s marital status; in Nevada the direct question

is part of the electronic birth registration process but does not appear

on certified or paper copies of the birth certificate. The question in most

States is: ‘‘Mother married? (At birth, conception, or any time between)

(Yes or no).’’

Marital status is inferred in Michigan and New York (both New York

City and the balance of the State). A birth is inferred as nonmarital if

the father’s name is missing from the birth certificate or if a paternity

acknowledgment was filed.

Since June 1998, marital status has been reported in Connecticut

based on a direct question on the birth certificate. Previously, marital

status was inferred for Connecticut births on the basis of one of these

factors: a paternity acknowledgment was filed, the father’s name is

missing, or the parent’s and child’s surnames were different. The impact

of the change was to reduce the numbers and proportions of births to

unmarried women in the State. During the first half of 1998, 33.4 percent

of Connecticut births were nonmarital; during the second half, 29.1 percent were nonmarital. The inferential procedures evidently had resulted

in overstatement of births to unmarried women because of the reliance

on the comparison of the parent’s and child’s surnames. Many births

were erroneously inferred as nonmarital because the surnames did not

match or because the parents and/or child had a hyphenated surname.

With the adoption of a direct question on marital status, data on

nonmarital births for Connecticut are much more accurate since mid1998 than in previous years.

The birth rate for unmarried women for 1999 is estimated on the

basis of population distributions by marital status provided by the U.S.

Bureau of the Census as of March 1999 (6) applied to the national

population estimates as of July 1 (8) . The nonmarital birth rate shown

here for 1999 thus differs from those published by NCHS in the annual

final reports, which are based on populations estimated from 3-year

averages of the marital status distributions, rather than a single year

as shown here (1–4,9). Population estimates for a single year are not

an adequate basis for computing age-specific birth rates for unmarried

women—these rates are available only in the final reports.

Computing rates and percents

Rates are on an annual basis per 1,000 estimated population

residing in the specified area as of July 1, 1999, and July 1, 1998, and

are based on populations furnished by the U.S. Bureau of the Census

(8,10). Rates by State are computed on the basis of populations on

July 1, 1999, and July 1, 1998 (11,12).

For calculating birth rates, age and race of mother are imputed if

they are not stated (0.02 percent and 0.2 percent, respectively, for

1999). In computing birth rates by live-birth order, births with live birth

order not stated are distributed in proportion to stated data. Births with

marital status not reported (0.1 percent for 1999) are included with births

to married mothers. Percents were computed using only events for

which the characteristic is reported. The ‘‘Not stated’’ category is

subtracted from the total before the percent is computed for birthweight,

prenatal care, and method of delivery. Birth rates for the Hispanic

population are based only on events to persons reported as Hispanic.

Rates for non-Hispanic white persons are based on the sum of all white

events reported as non-Hispanic and white events with origin not stated.

Hispanic origin is not imputed if it is not reported.

An asterisk indicates that the figure does not meet standards of

reliability or precision. In this report, three sets of criteria determine

whether a figure meets these standards.

+ The State-specific sample is complete enough to provide reliable

estimates. For example, a criterion of at least 75 percent of a

State’s records for the 12-month period is used as a basis for

providing State-specific estimates (see table I).

+ Reporting for any particular variable is at least 80 percent complete. In this report, no data were suppressed based on this

criterion.

+ A rate or percent is based on at least 20 births in the numerator

or denominator.

Rates based on fewer than 20 births have a relative standard

error (RSE) of about 23 percent or more and, therefore, are considered highly variable. However, some birth rates (based on data files

that are less than 100-percent complete and based on 20–31 births)

may have RSE’s of 23 percent or more but are still shown instead of

asterisks. As a result, caution should be exercised in analyzing rates

based on 20–31 events. Additional information on random variation in

numbers of events, rates, ratios, and percents may be found in

‘‘Reliability of estimates.’’

Reliability of estimates

Because the preliminary estimates of births in this report are

based on files that may not be complete, they are subject to sampling

variability. The notion of the sample is reflected in the record weights

that are used to adjust record counts to independent control totals.

The lack of completeness of the vital statistics files is due to delays in

receiving and processing the live birth records.

In addition, the natality file is subject to nonsampling errors or

biases. Records that were delayed and were not included in this report

are assumed to have the same characteristics as the records that were

included in this report. Seasonal bias may occur because file completeness is greater during the early part than during the later part of

the 12-month period for which the data are processed and tabulated.

Even if the number of vital events in this report were 100 percent

complete and not subject to sampling variability, it might be affected by

random variation. Thus, when the number of events is small and the

probability of such an event is small, considerable caution must be

observed in interpreting the data. Such infrequent events may be

assumed to follow a Poisson probability distribution. The first column

of table II shows the estimated RSE’s of a file that is nearly 100 percent

complete. The estimated RSE’s of the 1998 final data, the preliminary

1999 control totals, and the preliminary 1999 data (based on nearly

100 percent of a file) are shown in the first column of table II.

Data based on a sample, that is, where the file is less than

100 percent complete, are affected by sampling variation as well as by

random variation. The estimated RSE’s in columns 2–6 of table II for

various levels of file completeness are measures of the sampling errors

and the random errors of the estimates. The estimated RSE’s in table II

were computed using this formula:

18 National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 48, No. 14, August 8, 2000
RSE = 100Œ1

X +

(1 –f ) (N – X)

f X (N –

1

f

)

where

f = the sampling fraction or the percent of file completeness/100

from table I.

X = the estimated number of live births.

N = the total count of live births for the United States or any

State. (The RSE’s shown in table II are based on N =

4,000,000. If N is smaller, the RSE’s may be slightly smaller

than those shown.)

RSE’s may be used to compute 95-percent confidence intervals

for the number of events (X), for a rate (R), or for a percent (P) and

to compute statistical tests concerning the equality of two rates (R1

and R2) or two percents (P1 and P2).

For the number of live births, the 95-percent confidence interval

may be computed as follows:

Lower limit: X1 – 1.96 c X1 c

RSE(X1)

100

Upper limit: X1 + 1.96 c X1 c

RSE(X1)

100

As a hypothetical example, assume the number of births, X1, is

70 from a file with 80-percent completeness. Then

Lower limit: 70 – 1.96 c 70 c

13.4

100 = 51.6

Upper limit: 70 + 1.96 c 70 c

13.4

100 = 88.4

This means that the chances are 95 times out of 100 that the

confidence interval (51.6–88.4) will cover the ‘‘true’’ number of births.

For rates based on population estimates in the denominator, the

95-percent confidence interval may be computed as follows:

Lower limit: R1 – 1.96 c R1 c

RSE(R1)

100

Upper limit: R1 + 1.96 c R1 c

RSE(R1)

100

As a hypothetical example, assume the birth rate, R1, is 20.0,

which is based on 70 births from a file with 80-percent completeness.

Lower limit: 20.0 – 1.96 c 20.0 c

13.4

100 = 14.7

Upper limit: 20.0 + 1.96 c 20.0 c

13.4

100 = 25.3

Table ll. Relative standard errors for preliminary number of live births by percent of file completeness

[Relative standard errors are expressed as a percent of the estimate]

Estimated

number

of live births

Percent of file completeness

100 95 90 80 70 60

Relative standard error (percent)

 1.. ........... 100.0 102.6 105.4 111.8 119.5 129.1

 5.. ........... 44.7 45.9 47.1 50.0 53.5 57.7

 10.. ........... 31.6 32.4 33.3 35.4 37.8 40.8

 20.. ........... 22.4 22.9 23.6 25.0 26.7 28.9

 30.. ........... 18.3 18.7 19.2 20.4 21.8 23.6

 40.. ........... 15.8 16.2 16.7 17.7 18.9 20.4

 50.. ........... 14.1 14.5 14.9 15.8 16.9 18.3

 60.. ........... 12.9 13.2 13.6 14.4 15.4 16.7

 70.. ........... 12.0 12.3 12.6 13.4 14.3 15.4

 80.. ........... 11.2 11.5 11.8 12.5 13.4 14.4

 90.. ........... 10.5 10.8 11.1 11.8 12.6 13.6

 100.. ........... 10.0 10.3 10.5 11.2 12.0 12.9

 200.. ........... 7.1 7.3 7.5 7.9 8.5 9.1

 300.. ........... 5.8 5.9 6.1 6.5 6.9 7.5

 400.. ........... 5.0 5.1 5.3 5.6 6.0 6.5

 500.. ........... 4.5 4.6 4.7 5.0 5.3 5.8

 600.. ........... 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.6 4.9 5.3

 700.. ........... 3.8 3.9 4.0 4.2 4.5 4.9

 800.. ........... 3.5 3.6 3.7 4.0 4.2 4.6

 900.. ........... 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.7 4.0 4.3

 1,000.. ........... 3.2 3.2 3.3 3.5 3.8 4.1

 2,000.. ........... 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.7 2.9

 5,000.. ........... 1.4 1.5 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8

 10,000.. ........... 1.0 1.0 1.1 1.1 1.2 1.3

 20,000.. ........... 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.8 0.9

 50,000.. ........... 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.6

 100,000.. ........... 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.4

 200,000.. ........... 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3

 500,000.. ........... 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.2

 1,000,000.. ........... 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1

 2,000,000.. ........... 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1

 4,000,000.. ........... 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1

National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 48, No. 14, August 8, 2000 19
This means that the chances are 95 times out of 100 that the

confidence interval (14.7–25.3) will cover the ‘‘true’’ rate.

For testing the equality of two rates, R1 and R2, the following z-test

may be used to define a significance test statistic:

z =

R1 – R2

ŒR2

1 (

RSE(R1)

100 )

2

+ R2

2 (

RSE(R2)

100 )

2

The two-tailed 0.95 critical value for a z statistic is 1.96.

Therefore, if ?z? ≥ 1.96, the difference is significant at the 0.05 level. If

?z? < 1.96, then the difference would be considered not statistically

significant at the 0.05 level.

As a hypothetical example, assume R1 is the same as the above

example for the current 12-month period and that R2, 15.0, is based on

50 births occurring in the prior 12-month period (which implies that the

file is approximately 100 percent complete for R2). The z-test may be

determined as follows:

z = = 1.46 20.0 –15.0

Œ(20.0)2

( 13.4

100 )

2

+ (15.0)2

(

14.1

100)

2

Because ?z? < 1.96, there is not a statistically significant difference between the two rates at the 0.05 level of significance.

20 National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 48, No. 14, August 8, 2000
Suggested citation

Curtin SC, Martin JA. Births: Preliminary data for 1999. National vital

statistics reports; vol 48 no 14. Hyattsville, Maryland: National Center for

Health Statistics. 2000.

To receive this publication regularly, contact the National Center for Health

Statistics by calling 301-458-4636. E-mail: nchsquery@cdc.gov

Internet: www.cdc.gov/nchs/

National Center for Health Statistics

Director, Edward J. Sondik, Ph.D.

Deputy Director, Jack R. Anderson

Division of Vital Statistics

Director, Mary Anne Freedman

Copyright information

All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be

reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however,

is appreciated.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Center for Health Statistics

6525 Belcrest Road

Hyattsville, Maryland 20782-2003

DHHS Publication No. (PHS) 2000–1120

0-0555 (8/00)

OFFICIAL BUSINESS

PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE, $300

Contents

Abstract ...................................... 1

Introduction ................................... 1

Sources and methods ........................... 2

Results ...................................... 2

Trends in numbers and rates .................... 2

References ................................... 5

List of detailed tables ........................... 6

Technical notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Acknowledgments

This report was prepared in the Division of Vital Statistics under the general

direction of Mary Anne Freedman, Director, Division of Vital Statistics;

Stephanie J. Ventura, Acting Chief, Reproductive Statistics Branch (RSB);

and Nicholas F. Pace, Chief, Systems, Programming, and Statistical

Resources Branch (SPSRB). Joyce Arbertha, Thomas D. Dunn, David

Johnson, Gail Parr, Manju Sharma, and Steven Steimel of SPSRB provided

computer programming support and statistical tables. Melissa M. Park of RSB

provided content review. Staff of the Data Acquisition and Evaluation Branch

carried out quality evaluation and acceptance procedures for the State data

on which this report is based, and were responsible for receipt and

processing of the basic data files. This report was edited by Demarius V.

Miller, typeset by Jacqueline M. Davis, and graphics were produced by

Jarmila Ogburn of the Publications Branch, Division of Data Services.

24 National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 48, No. 14, August 8, 2000

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