Births, marriages, divorces, and deaths for January 1997.

Births According to provisional reports, an estimated 320,000 births occurred in the United States during January 1996. This was a 9-percent decrease from the provisional number of births reported for January 1995 (350,000). The birth rate, 14.3 live births per 1,000 population, was 9 percent lower than the rate of 15.8 for January 1995. The fertility rate, 63.5 live births per 1,000 women 15–44 years, was 9 percent lower than the comparable rate for January 1995 (69.4). The seasonally adjusted fertility rate (66.6) was also 9 percent lower than the comparable rate for January 1995 (72.8). An estimated 3,862,000 live births occurred in the 12-month period ending with January 1996, a 3-percent decline from the 3,978,000 births reported for the same period a year earlier. The birth rate of 14.7 was 3 percent lower than the rate of 15.2 for the preceding 12-month period. The fertility rate for the most recent 12-month period was 64.9, 3 percent lower than the rate for the 12 months ending with January 1995 (67.0). These lower rates continue the generally downward trend observed since early 1991. As a result of natural increase, the excess of births over deaths, an estimated 99,000 people, or 4.4 persons per 1,000 population, were added to the population during January 1996. For the 12-month period ending with January 1996, 1,551,000 persons were added to the population. This represents a rate of natural increase of 5.9, 9 percent lower than the rate of 6.5 for the preceding 12-month period. The decline in the rate of natural increase was due to a decrease in the birth rate and an increase in the death rate. Marriages The provisional number of marriages for January 1996 was 106,000, 5 percent fewer than the number for January a year earlier (111,000). The marriage rate for January was 4.9 per 1,000 population, a 4-percent drop from the comparable rate [Rates for infant deaths are deaths under 1 year per 1,000 live births; fertility rates are live births per 1,000 women aged 15–44 years; all other rates are per 1,000 total population. Data are subject to monthly reporting variation; see Technical notes]