Preliminary data showed the birth rate to be 42.5 per 1,000, up from 41.9 in 2006 and 40.5 in 2005, according to Brady Hamilton, Ph.D., of the agency's National Center for Health Statistics here, and colleagues.
This uptick follows a 14-year decline culminating in the lowest rate ever recorded in 2005. (See: CDC Reports Teen Birth Rate Never Lower)
Birth rates also increased for women in their 20s, 30s, and early 40s, resulting in the most births ever registered in the U.S. in a single year -- 4,317,119.
Among girls ages 10 to 14, the rate remained stable at 0.6 per 1,000.
All racial and ethnic groups saw increases in the teen birth rate, except for Hispanics, who had a 2% decline to 81.7 per 1,000.
The data came from analyzing 98.7% of the birth records from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories.
Some of the other findings:
- The number of births, birth rate, and proportion of births for unmarried women all rose to their highest levels, increasing between 3% and 5%.
- The rate of cesarean delivery increased to 31.8%, marking the eleventh straight year of upward movement and the highest level on record.
- The rate of preterm births declined to 12.7%.
- The rate of low birthweight deliveries retreated slightly for the first time since 1984, to 8.2%.