National Center for Health Statistics (CDC)

New Capabilities

Publishes annual national birth data

The U.S. fertility rate fell to a record low in 2025, capping two decades of decline that has cut births by nearly a quarter since 2007. The drop would have been larger if not for one counter-trend: women over 30 are having more babies than earlier generations of American women.

Updated Oct 24

Rule Changes

As of September 2026: Maintains the birth and death records used in the study

After two decades of narrowing, the gap between Black and White infant mortality in the U.S. has grown since 2020. A study of 57.9 million live births, published in JAMA Network Open on September 23, finds the widening is driven largely by a rise in sudden unexpected infant deaths (SUID) among Black babies.

Updated Sep 29

Rule Changes

As of September 2026: Source of the survey data

For the first time since the pandemic, Americans are drinking less. Between 2022 and 2024, any alcohol use dropped nearly 2% and heavy drinking fell more than 8%, according to a Keck Medicine of USC study in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Updated Sep 22