Census Bureau: Fertility of American Women 2006

The U.S. Census Bureau isn't telling us anything we don't already know.
Sift through the data and the fact remains: More women are delaying childbirth.

In the newly released report "Fertility of American Women: 2006", one highlighted statistic concludes:

The level of childlessness among women 40-44 years old in June 2006, 20 percent, is twice as high as 30 years ago (10 percent).

That statistic is just another way of saying women are delaying childbirth--and that's why older women have a higher level of childlessness in 2006 than there was in 1976.

Just a reminder here: Medically speaking, Advanced Maternal Age is defined as 35 years old or older.

A report from the National Center for Health Statistics stated that births to older women continued to increase from 2004 to 2005. During that time, the birth rate:

• increased 2 percent for women 35 to 39
• increased 2 percent for women 40 to 44
• increased slightly for women 45 to 49, the highest rate for this group since 1970 (although this figure only reflects a small total numer of births.)

Information adapted from BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING: EMBRACING AND PREPARING FOR MOTHERHOOD AFTER 35 by Beth K. Vogt