Differences by race and Hispanic origin*
In 2017, fertility rates were highest among Hispanic women (67.6 per 1,000), followed by rates for non-Hispanic black (63.1 per 1,000), Asian or Pacific Islander (59.3 per 1,000), non-Hispanic white (57.2 per 1,000), and American Indian or Alaska Native women (40.8 per 1,000). From 2010 to 2017, rates rose slightly among Asian women, fell moderately for non-Hispanic white and black women, and fell notably for Hispanic and American Indian women (by 15.7 and 16.1 percent, respectively) (Appendix 1). Among teens (ages 15 to 19), declines were seen in all groups; among Hispanic teens, the birth rate reached an historic low.**
Among Hispanic women in 2015 (the latest data available by country of origin), Central and South American women had the highest fertility rate, at 93.7 births per 1,000. Mexican women also had a relatively high fertility rate (66.3 births per 1,000), while Puerto Rican and Cuban women had lower rates (57.7 and 53.8 births per 1,000, respectively) (Appendix 1).
* Hispanic women may be of any race. Estimates for white and black women in this report do not include Hispanic women.
**Martin, J. A., Hamilton, B. E., Osterman, M. J. K., Driscoll, A. K., & Drake, P. (2018). Op cit.