The nonmarital birth rate for women aged 15-44 years has declined 14% since peaking in 2007 and 2008, the National Center for Health Statistics reported.
The rate was 44.8 births per 1,000 unmarried women in 2013, compared with 51.8 in 2007-2008. The percentage of all births to unmarried women – 40.6% in 2013 – has leveled off since reaching a high of 41% in 2009, according to the analysis of data from the National Vital Statistics System.
The total number of births to unmarried women was 1,605,643 in 2013, a drop of 7% since 2008, when it reached a high of 1,726,566. "The recent declines in birth rates and numbers of births to unmarried women parallel to some extent the overall decline in birth rates during this period and also reflect the declines in teen birth rates," the report said, adding that "the majority of births to teenagers are to unmarried women."
Nonmarital birth rates since 2007 are down for all age groups under age 35 years, with the largest percentage declines coming among teenagers: 30% to 14/1,000 for those aged 15-17 years and 26% to 46/1,000 for those aged 18-19 years. The nonmarital birth rate has continued to increase for women aged 35 and over, the NCHS noted.
