U.S. births rose in 2021, but remained lower than pre-pandemic levels

Although the United States saw an increase in births in 2021, The Associated Press reports that "the number of babies born was still lower than before the coronavirus pandemic."

During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. experienced the largest decline in births in almost 50 years. The number ticked back up by 1 percent last year.

Dr. Denise Jamieson, chair of gynecology and obstetrics at Emory University School of Medicine predicts births will continue their decade-long decrease, saying that "[w]e're still not returning to pre-pandemic levels."

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While births slightly increased last year, a government report revealed that "there were still about 86,000 fewer births last year than in 2019." Some pregnancies may have been postponed at the beginning of the pandemic, experts believe.

Brady Hamilton of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the uptick in baby deliveries happened toward the end of 2021, as there seemed to be light at the end of the tunnel. Many of those "postponed" pregnancies were seen in older women.