NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 216 ■ September 2015

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Center for Health Statistics

Births in the United States, 2014

Joyce A. Martin, M.P.H.; Brady E. Hamilton, Ph.D.; and Michelle J.K. Osterman, M.H.S.

Key findings 

• The number of births per

1,000 women aged 15–44 

(the general fertility rate) in 

the United States increased 

slightly in 2014, to 62.9—the 

first increase since 2007. Rates 

rose for non-Hispanic white 

and Asian or Pacific Islander 

women, but historic lows were 

observed for Hispanic women 

and American Indian or Alaska 

Native women. 

• Teen childbearing in the

United States in 2014 fell to 

another historic low of 24.2 per 

1,000 females. Record lows 

were seen for each race and 

Hispanic origin group. 

• The cesarean delivery rate

declined to 32.2% of births in 

2014, down 2% from the 2009 

peak of 32.9%. Declines in 

rates were seen for most race 

and Hispanic origin groups for 

2013–2014.

• The preterm birth rate fell

slightly in 2014 to 9.57% of 

births, down 8% from the 

2007 high. Preterm rates 

declined among most race and 

Hispanic origin groups during 

2007–2014. 

This report presents several key demographic and maternal and infant health 

indicators by race and Hispanic origin, using 2014 final birth data. Trends 

in general fertility rates (GFRs), teen birth rates, and cesarean delivery and 

preterm birth rates are explored by race and Hispanic origin group (nonHispanic white, non-Hispanic black, Hispanic, American Indian or Alaska 

Native [AIAN], and Asian or Pacific Islander [API]), with special focus on the 

most current period, 2013–2014. An earlier report presented 2014 preliminary 

data on selected topics (1). Data are from the annual national natality files, 

representing 100% of births to U.S. residents. 

Keywords: general fertility rate • teen childbearing • cesarean delivery • 

preterm births

The number of births per 1,000 women aged 15–44 (the GFR) 

increased slightly in 2014—the first increase since 2007. 

• The U.S. GFR increased less than 1% from 2013 to 2014, from 62.5 to

62.9 births per 1,000 women aged 15–44 (Figure 1).

0

45

60

75

90

105

120

1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2014

Rate per 1,000 women aged 15–44

Figure 1. General fertility rates, by race and Hispanic origin of mother: United States, 1990–2014 

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System.

Hispanic

Non-Hispanic black

American Indian

or Alaska Native

Asian or Pacific

Islander

Non-Hispanic

white

All births
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 216 ■ September 2015

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• The GFR declined steadily from 2007 through 2013, with the pace of decline slowing from 

2010 through 2013. 

• Rates were up 1% from 2013 to 2014 for non-Hispanic white women (59.5 per 1,000 in 

2014) and 3% for API women (60.7).

• Fertility rates declined to record lows for Hispanic women (down 1% to 72.1 per 1,000) and 

AIAN women (down 3% to 44.8). The rate for non-Hispanic black women was essentially 

unchanged at 64.5. 

Birth rates for teenagers declined to historic lows in 2014 overall and for 

each race and Hispanic origin group.

• Birth rates for teenagers fell 9% from 2013 to 2014, to 24.2 births per 1,000 females aged 

15–19, reaching yet another record low for the nation. The rate has declined 42% since 2007 

(the most recent peak) and 61% since 1991 (Figure 2).

• Teen birth rates declined to record lows for all groups in 2014, down 7% for non-Hispanic 

white, 9% for Hispanic, 11% for non-Hispanic black and API, and 12% for AIAN females, 

compared with 2013. 

• Birth rates among teenagers have declined for each race and Hispanic origin group over the 

last two decades, with declines ranging from 60% to 72% since 1991.

• In 2014, teen birth rates ranged from a low of 7.7 births per 1,000 for API females to a high 

of 38.0 for Hispanic females. 

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

Asian or

Pacific

Islander

NonHispanic

white

American

Indian or

Alaska

Native

NonHispanic

black

Hispanic

All births

2014

2013

2007

1991

Rate per 1,000 females aged 15–19

Figure 2. Birth rates for females aged 15–19, by race and Hispanic origin of mother: United States, 1991, 2007, 2013, and 

2014

NOTE: Rates for 1991 for non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, and Hispanic females exclude data for New Hampshire, which did not report Hispanic origin.

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System.
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 216 ■ September 2015

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The cesarean delivery rate declined in 2014 for most race and Hispanic 

origin groups.

• The cesarean delivery rate declined in 2014 to 32.2% of all births, from 32.7% in 2013. The

rate is down 2% from the 2009 peak of 32.9% (Figure 3).

• Cesarean delivery rates declined for nearly all race and Hispanic origin groups (nonHispanic white, non-Hispanic black, Hispanic, and API) in 2014. The rate for non-Hispanic

white women fell for the fifth consecutive year, to 31.4% in 2014, down 4% from the 2009

peak of 32.8%.

• Cesarean delivery rates declined in 2014 for the first year since 1996 for non-Hispanic

black, Hispanic, and API women. From 2013 to 2014, the rate declined 1% for non-Hispanic

black (from 35.8% to 35.6%), Hispanic (32.2% to 31.9%), and API women (33.5% to

33.1%). The rate for AIAN women was essentially unchanged (28.5% for 2014).

• Despite the declining cesarean delivery rates for most groups, differences between groups

continue to grow due to the larger declines for non-Hispanic white women.

0

28

30

32

34

36

38

American Indian

or Alaska Native

Non-Hispanic

white

Asian or Hispanic

Pacific Islander

Non-Hispanic

black

All births

Percent 

Figure 3. Cesarean delivery rates, by race and Hispanic origin of mother: United States, 2009, 2013, and 2014

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System.

2009 2013 2014
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Preterm birth rates declined for most race and Hispanic origin groups from 

2007 to 2014. 

• The U.S. preterm birth rate declined again in 2014, to 9.57% of all births, from 9.62% in

2013. The percentage of infants born before 37 completed weeks of gestation is down 8%

since 2007 (from 10.44%)

• The preterm birth rate for API infants declined 3% from 2013 through 2014 (from 8.68% to

8.45%); changes in rates for non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, Hispanic, and AIAN

infants were not statistically significant for this time period.

• Since 2007 (the first year for which national data based on the obstetric estimate of gestation

[2] are available), preterm rates are down 11% for non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic

black infants, 8% for API infants, and 4% for Hispanic infants; a non-statistically significant

decline was reported among AIAN births over this period (Figure 4).

• Large differences in preterm risk persist among the race and Hispanic origin groups. In

2014, non-Hispanic black infants were about 50% more likely to be born preterm than nonHispanic white, Hispanic, and API infants.

Non-Hispanic black

0

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Percent

Figure 4. Preterm birth rates, by race and Hispanic origin of mother: United States, 2007–2014

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System.

American Indian

or Alaska Native

All births

Hispanic

Non-Hispanic

white

Asian or Pacific

Islander
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 216 ■ September 2015

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Summary

For the first year since 2007, childbearing rose in the United States in 2014, albeit slightly. 

Trends differed by race and Hispanic origin, with the GFR up among non-Hispanic white and 

API women but down or unchanged among other groups for 2013–2014. Historical lows in 

teen childbearing were seen in the U.S. overall in 2014, and for each of the race and Hispanic 

origin groups. Following years of steady increases that totaled nearly 60% (3), the U.S. cesarean 

delivery rate declined for the second straight year. Cesarean delivery rates had been on the 

decline for several years for non-Hispanic white and API women, but 2014 marks the first year 

of decline in cesarean deliveries among non-Hispanic black and Hispanic women. Preterm birth 

rates continued to trend downward in 2014 (2), overall and among most race and Hispanic origin 

groups, but large differences among groups in the risk of preterm birth were observed. The 

forthcoming report, “Births: Final data for 2014” (4), will present more information on the topics 

addressed in this report and selected others. 

Definitions

General fertility rate (GFR): Number of births per 1,000 women aged 15–44.

Teen birth rate: Number of births per 1,000 females aged 15–19.

Cesarean delivery rate: Number of births delivered by cesarean section per 100 births.

Preterm birth rate: Births delivered prior to 37 completed weeks of gestation per 100 births. 
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 216 ■ September 2015

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Data sources and methods

This report is based on data from the natality data file of the National Vital Statistics System, a 

collaboration among the vital statistics reporting areas and the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). The vital statistics natality 

file is based on information derived from birth certificates and includes information for all births 

occurring in the United States. This data brief accompanies the release of the 2014 natality 

public use file (5). More detailed analysis of the topics presented in this report, plus many other 

topics such as births to unmarried women, prenatal care, tobacco use during pregnancy, source 

of payment for the delivery, pregnancy risk factors, maternal morbidity, and breastfeeding, is 

possible using the annual natality files (5). 

References to increases or decreases in rates indicate that differences are statistically significant at 

the 0.05 level. Computations exclude records for which information is unknown. 

About the authors

Joyce A. Martin, Brady E. Hamilton, and Michelle J.K. Osterman are with CDC’s National 

Center for Health Statistics, Division of Vital Statistics, Reproductive Statistics Branch.
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 216 ■ September 2015

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References

1. Hamilton BE, Martin JA, Osterman MJK, Curtin SC. Births: Preliminary data for 2014. 

National vital statistics reports; vol 64 no 6. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health 

Statistics. 2015. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr64/nvsr64_06.pdf.

2. Martin JA, Osterman MJK, Kirmeyer SE, Gregory ECW. Measuring gestational age in vital 

statistics data: Transitioning to the obstetric estimate. National vital statistics reports; vol 64 no 5. 

Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2015. Available from: 

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr64/nvsr64_05.pdf.

3. Martin JA, Hamilton BE, Osterman MJK, et al. Births: Final data for 2013. National vital 

statistics reports; vol 64 no 1. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2015. 

Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr64/nvsr64_01.pdf.

4. Martin JA, Hamilton BE, Osterman MJK, et al. Births: Final data for 2014. National vital 

statistics reports. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics [forthcoming].

5. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital statistics data available online: Natality public use 

file and CD–ROM. Hyattsville, MD: NCHS. Published annually. Available from: 

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data_access/VitalStatsOnline.htm.
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 216 ■ September 2015

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Suggested citation

Martin JA, Hamilton BE, Osterman MJK. 

Births in the United States, 2014. NCHS 

data brief, no 216. Hyattsville, MD: National 

Center for Health Statistics. 2015. 

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.

National Center for Health 

Statistics

Charles J. Rothwell, M.S., M.B.A., Director

Nathaniel Schenker, Ph.D., Deputy Director

Jennifer H. Madans, Ph.D., Associate 

Director for Science

Division of Vital Statistics

Delton Atkinson, M.P.H., M.P.H., P.M.P., 

Director

Hanyu Ni, Ph.D., M.P.H., Associate Director 

for Science

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