Monthly Vital Statistics Reports

Advance Report of Final Natality Statistics, 1992

There were 4,065,014 registered births in the United States in 1992. This is the second consecutive year that births declined after reaching a high of 4,158,212 births in 1990. This report includes estimates on births by State, births to teenage mothers, and maternal life-style characteristics. Data are obtained from birth certificates filed from vital registration offices within the United States.

Data Highlights:

• Birth rates for teenagers 15-17 years of age reached a turning point in 1992, with the rate declining 2 percent following a 27 percent increase from 1986-91.
• In 1992, for the first time in 8 years, the rate of childbearing among unmarried women did not increase from the previous year. The 1992 rate was 45.2 per 1,000 unmarried women aged 15-44 years.
• In 1992, electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) was the most prevalent obstetric performed. EFM usage in 1992 rose for the third consecutive year.
• There were 99,255 babies born in plural deliveries in 1992, a 1 percent increase over the 98,125 reported for 1991. The number of live births in twin deliveries was unchanged. The number of live births for triplets, quadruplets, and quintuplets rose sharply, from 3,346 in 1991 to 3,883 in 1992, which represents an increase of 16 percent.