The age at which women in the United States have their first child is steadily rising, according to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2023, the average age for all mothers giving birth was nearly 30 years old (29.6), up from 28.7 in 2016. First-time mothers are now usually 27.5 years old, compared to 26.6 in 2016.
This change is part of a long-term trend. Since 1970, when the average age for first-time mothers was just 21.4 years, women have been waiting longer to start families. The biggest increases happened after 2009.
Differences by Location and Race
The study also found differences depending on where women live and their racial or ethnic background:
Women in large cities tend to have their first child at about 28.5 years old.
Women in rural areas usually start families earlier, at around 24.8 years.
Asian women had the highest average age for first births at 31.5 years in 2023, rising 1.4 years since 2016.
White women’s average age increased from 27.4 to 28.3 years.
Black and Hispanic women had similar average ages for first birth, around 25.9 and 25.7 years, both rising by about one year since 2016.
Trends in Age Groups
Between 2016 and 2023, births among women aged 35 and older grew by 25%, while births among women under 25 dropped by 26%. Birth rates for women aged 25 to 29 stayed mostly the same.
Reasons Behind the Trend
Dr. Andrei Rebarber, a maternal-fetal medicine expert in New York City, says many factors influence this trend. Women are choosing to have children later because of financial stability, relationships, personal goals, and careers.
He also points to advances in reproductive technology, which give women more control over when they have children. These technologies reduce the pressure to have babies at a younger age.
This shift toward later motherhood reflects changing social and economic realities for many American women.
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