Annual summary of vital statistics: 2010-2011

Abstract

The number of births in the United States declined by 1% between 2010 and 2011, to a total of 3 953 593. The general fertility rate also declined by 1% to 63.2 births per 1000 women, the lowest rate ever reported. The total fertility rate was down by 2% in 2011 (to 1894.5 births per 1000 women). The teenage birth rate fell to another historic low in 2011, 31.3 births per 1000 women. Birth rates also declined for women aged 20 to 29 years, but the rates increased for women aged 35 to 39 and 40 to 44 years. The percentage of all births to unmarried women declined slightly to 40.7% in 2011, from 40.8% in 2010. In 2011, the cesarean delivery rate was unchanged from 2010 at 32.8%. The preterm birth rate declined for the fifth straight year in 2011 to 11.72%; the low birth weight rate declined slightly to 8.10%. The infant mortality rate was 6.05 infant deaths per 1000 live births in 2011, which was not significantly lower than the rate of 6.15 deaths in 2010. Life expectancy at birth was 78.7 years in 2011, which was unchanged from 2010. Crude death rates for children aged 1 to 19 years did not change significantly between 2010 and 2011. Unintentional injuries and homicide were the first and second leading causes of death, respectively, in this age group. These 2 causes of death jointly accounted for 47.0% of all deaths of children and adolescents in 2011.

Figures

FIGURE 1

Estimated cumulative number of additional births to women aged 15–19 years from 1992 to 2011 if 1991 birth rates had continued. Note: Data for 2011 are preliminary. For information and discussion of estimation, see Hamilton and Ventura. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System: natality.

FIGURE 2

Twin and triplet birth rates: United States, 1980–2010 (final). Notes: The twin birth rate is the number of births in twin deliveries per 1000 births. The triplet birth rate is the number of births in triplet and other higher-order deliveries per 100 000 births. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System: natality.

FIGURE 3

Total, early, and late preterm birth rates: United States, 1990 and 2006–2010 (final) and 2011 (preliminary). Notes: Preterm is defined as

FIGURE 4

Infant, neonatal, and postneonatal mortality rates: United States, 2005–2010 (final) and 2011 (preliminary). Notes: Neonatal is defined as