Atlanta, GA – US Births Down For 3rd Year; Economy May Be Factor

Atlanta, GA – U.S. births apparently have declined for a third year in a row, probably because of the weak economy.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday said births fell by 3 percent last year, compared to 2009.

Births had been on the rise for years, and the number hit an all-time high of more than 4.3 million in 2007. Last year, slightly more than 4 million births were recorded.

The report is a first glimpse at birth counts for 2010 from state health departments. It doesn’t include an actual review of birth certificates or specifics about what’s going on in different groups of women. But the number usually is pretty close to the final statistics.