by Claudia Boyd-Barrett posted in Pregnancy

The birthrate among U.S. women is the lowest it's been in 30 years, according to a government report released last week.
Researchers counted 3.85 million births across the nation last year, or about 60 births per 1,000 women between ages 15 and 44. That's the lowest number since 1987, and a 2 percent drop over 2016, according to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The drop includes women in their teens, 20s and even their 30s, which is surprising because until recently birthrates amoung the 30 to 39 age group had been on the rise.
Only women in their 40s had more babies than last year: 11.6 births per 1,000 women, up 2 percent from 2016, the CDC reported. What's behind this trend" It's somewhat of a mystery, since employment and economic growth are sturdy right now. Historically, people have more children during prosperous times because they feel more financially secure.

Here are some theories on why the birthrate continues to decline:
? Changing generational attitudes: Millennials ? people born between the early 1980s and early 2000s ? are more likely than previous generations to delay having kids until later in life. Jason Dorsey, president of the Center for Generational Kinetics, told CNBC this attitude may be the "new normal."
? Women putting career first: Having a baby between the ages of 25 and 35 can negatively affect your salary and career advancement, according t...