U.S. birth rate at lowest ever

The U.S. birth rate hit a new all-time low in 2025, according to an April Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. The general birth rate dropped for the sixth year in a row to 53 births per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44. The total number of babies born decreased by 1 percent to roughly 3.6 million. Experts say this decline comes from financial pressures, lifestyle choices and broader shifts in society. As we explain in “Heading Into a Baby-Free World,” this is part of a catastrophic global trend with an unseen spiritual cause.