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Annual Review of Vital Statistics

The data reveal increasing rates of teen pregnancies, cesarean sections, and very low birth weight infants as well as persistent disparities in life expectancy.

The annual summary of vital statistics provides a snapshot of child health in the U.S. Recently published, the review presents data through 2007. Highlights include the following:

• The birth rate in 2007 continued to rise, and the number of live births reached 4.3 million, representing a 6% increase since 2000.
  
• The 2007 infant mortality rate (6.77/1000 live births) was slightly higher than the 2006 rate (6.69/1000 live births) but lower than the 2000 rate (6.89/1000 live births). The infant mortality rate continues to rank at about the 25th highest in the world among countries with populations of >2,500,000.
  
• Although the adolescent pregnancy rate declined 34% between 1991 and 2005, the rate increased from 40.5/1000 live births in 2005 to 42.5/1000 live births in 2007.
  
• From 1990 to 2007, the rate of low birth weight infants continued to increase (from 7.0/1000 to 8.2/1000 live births), as did rates of very low birth weight infants (from 1.27 to 1.48/1000 live births), premature infants, and very premature infants.
  
• The cesarean section rate reached another record high — 31.8% of all births.
  
• The alarming rise in multiple births has finally stabilized. The rate of twin births was similar in 2004 and 2005 (32/1000 births), although this figure still represents a 70% increase since 1980. After a 400% increase in the 1980s and 1990s, higher-order births (triplets and above) finally declined to 153/100,000 births in 2005, down 21% from a record high of 193/100,000 births in 1988.
  
• The leading cause of death for children between ages 1 and 19 years is unintentional injuries (42%), followed by homicide (12%), neoplasm (8%), and suicide (7%).
  
• Life expectancy at birth increased to 80.7 for white women, 77.0 years for black women, 75.8 years for white men, and 70.2 years for black men.
  

Comment: Although immunizations have all but eliminated many major infectious diseases, and the introduction of human papillomavirus vaccine will likely lead to a substantial reduction in cervical cancer, these statistics reveal many disturbing trends that remain: increasing rates of teen pregnancies, cesarean sections, and very low birth weight infants as well as persistent disparities in life expectancy.

— Howard Bauchner, MD

Published in Journal Watch Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine January 20, 2010

Citation(s):

Heron M et al. Annual summary of vital statistics: 2007. Pediatrics 2010 Jan; 125:4.

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Reader Remarks:

Read all Reader Remarks on this article

• Re-examining our goals
  Matthew A Cupp, private practice, 26 Jan 2010 9:17 PM EST
  Perhaps healthcare can make lives more comfortable and extend quality life without removing selection pressures from the species.
  
  Child birthing... [more]
• article on vital statistics 2007
  Tom Gates, 27 Jan 2010 11:45 AM EST
  "The 2007 infant mortality rate (6.77/1000 live births) was slightly higher than the 2006 rate (6.69/1000 live births) but lower... [more]
• Infant mortality in the U.S.
  Lyn Whinston-Perry, Executive Editor, Journal Watch Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 27 Jan 2010 12:48 PM EST
  The U.S. has the 25th highest infant mortality rate among countries with populations of >2,500,000.
• life expectancy
  David J. Harrowe, 27 Jan 2010 1:45 PM EST
  It would be nice to see life expectancy data according to economic class. The United States is NOT a classless... [more]
• Childhood Mortality
  William Zipperer, 27 Jan 2010 6:32 PM EST
  I find it difficult to include the 16 - 19 year old in the category of "children". Maybe 16-17 but... [more]
• Statistics question
  E. Butler, 30 Jan 2010 12:16 PM EST
  Question one is how are abortions represented in this data? How are teen pregnancies that result in abortions counted? Shouldn't... [more]