Trends in Characteristics of Births in the United States 2020 to 2023

Data on select characteristics of births in the United States from 2016 to 2023 are available for query on the CDC WONDER Online Database (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention & National Center for Health Statistics, 2024). Data in the table are a compilation of Osterman et al. (2022),Osterman et al. (2023),Osterman et al. (2024),Simpson (2020), and Simpson (2024). Interventions during labor and birth such as induction of labor and cesarean birth continue to increase each year. Gestational hypertension and gestational diabetes are likewise increasing, reflecting the more complex clinical conditions of those who give birth in the United States. Nearly all US births occur in the hospital. These data highlight the importance of nurse staffing as per the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN, 2022b) standards so that all who give birth can have the opportunity for attentive high-quality care from a skilled nursing professional to promote optimal outcomes for the childbearing population (AWHONN, 2022a). - United States Natality Data 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 Selected Characteristics Natality Data 2020 2021 2022 2023 Births 3,613,647 3,664,292 3,667,758 3,596,017 Cesarean Births 31.8% 32.1% 32.1% 32.3% Low-Risk Cesarean Birth 25.9% 26.3% 26.3% ∗ Vaginal Birth after Cesarean (VBAC) 13.9% 14.2% 14.6% 15.1% Preterm Birth (<37 weeks) 10.09% 10.49% 10.38% 10.41% Birthweight Low Birthweight (<2,500 grams) 8.24% 8.52% 8.60% 8.57% Very Low Birthweight (<1,500 grams) 1.34% 1.38% 1.36% 1.36% Labor Procedures Induction of Labor 31.4% 32.1% 31.9% 33.1% Induction of Labor First Birth Mothers∗∗ 38.9% 39.8% 39.7% 41.2% Augmentation of Labor 21.7% 21.7% 20.8% 20.9% Epidural or Spinal Anesthesia During Labor 77.2% 77.6% 77.2% 77.9% Pregnancy Complications Gestational Diabetes 77.1/1,000 83.0/1,000 81/1,000 82.5/1,000 Gestational Hypertension 84.3/1,000 91.2/1,000 95.2/1,000 100.6/1,000 Age of Mother at First Birth 27.1 years 27.3 years 27.4 years ∗ Teen Birth Rate (ages 15 to 19) 15/1,000 13.9/1,000 13.6/1,000 13.1/1,000 Medicaid as Source of Payment 42% 41% 41.3% 41.2% Place of Birth Hospital 98% 97.8% 97.7% 97.7% Freestanding Birth Center 0.61% 0.64% 0.65% 0.64% Home 1.2% 1.4% 1.5% 1.5% Birth Attendant Certified Nurse Midwife 10.32% 10.64% 10.9% 11.35% Other Midwife 1.03% 1.16% 1.21% 1.28% Physician 87.7% 85.8% 86.6% 86.1% ∗Not available in the CDC Wonder Online Database∗∗First birth mothers are those with first live birth and could include mothers who previously had a stillbirth after 20 weeks gestation (1 out of 175 births in the United States)