Births in America hovered near record-low rates last year. More than 3.6 million babies were born in the U.S. in 2024—a less than 1% advance from the year prior, according to federal data released Wednesday.

Women in the United States are less likely to have babies than ever before, but key figures in the Trump administration seem keen on changing that – even as federal programs focused on reproductive health face significant upheaval.

The U.S. fertility rate grew by less than 1% -- close to a record low -- as 3,622,673 babies were born in 2024, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.