In 2025, the fertility rate in the United States reached its lowest level ever recorded.
According to data from the National Center for Health Statistics, approximately 3.6 million babies were born, representing a 1% decrease compared to the previous year. The overall fertility rate dropped to 53.1 births per 1,000 women, the lowest level since records began.
But beyond the numbers, what matters is understanding what this shift reflects.
Because this isn’t just about fewer babies being born.
It’s about how the timing of when people choose to have a baby is changing, and that has a direct impact on fertility.
It’s not a lack of desire, it’s a delay
One of the most important findings in this trend is understanding what is NOT happening.
There is no clear evidence that people no longer want to have a baby.
What is happening is different.
More and more women are delaying motherhood.
The data supports this:
- The birth rate among teenagers dropped 7% in 2025
- And has declined 81% since 1991
- While birth rates among women in their 30´s and early 40´s have increased
This shift is not random.
Experts point to clear factors:
- Economic pressure
- Rising cost of living
- Access to housing
- Later marriage
- Uncertainty about the future, even from a subjective, emotional standpoint
In other words, today people are choosing to have a baby when life feels more stable.
The challenge is that the body does not always wait for that moment.
The critical point: when timing and biology don’t align
While personal decisions have changed, reproductive biology continues to follow the same timeline.
Female fertility begins to decline more noticeably after age 35, especially in egg quality. This is not something visible day to day, but it has a direct impact on the ability to achieve pregnancy.
This is why what we are seeing in clinical practice aligns with population data.
At Ingenes, it is increasingly common to see women who:
- Chose to wait before trying to have a baby
- Come in during their late 30´s or 40´s
- And realize at that point that the process is not happening as expected
Not because they did something wrong. But because the biological context has changed.
What is happening today in clinical practice
The decline in fertility rates is not just a statistic. It is something that is already visible in everyday medical practice.
More and more patients arrive after months or years of trying without success, often without having previously evaluated their fertility.
At that point, underlying factors begin to appear:
- Low ovarian reserve
- Changes in egg quality
- Embryos with chromosomal abnormalities
- Or differences in endometrial receptivity
These scenarios are not always present at younger ages. But when trying is delayed, the likelihood of encountering them increases.
More delay, greater need for a different approach
Another key takeaway from the data is that decisions about having a baby are influenced by subjective factors.
It’s not always about actual income or employment, but about perceived stability, stress, or emotional readiness.
This explains why many people continue to delay, even when, objectively, they could move forward.
But that delay has consequences.
Because when trying begins later, it is often no longer just about “trying more,” but about understanding what is happening.
And that is where the approach must change.
From trying to understanding: the necessary shift
One of the most common mistakes is assuming that if pregnancy doesn’t happen, the solution is simply to keep trying under the same conditions.
But current data shows that the context has changed.
And when the context changes, the strategy must change as well.
Today, fertility is understood as a process that requires analysis at multiple levels:
- Egg quality
- Embryo development
- Genetics
- The endometrium
- And metabolic factors
At Ingenes, this comprehensive approach is essential. It’s not just about supporting the attempt, it’s about identifying what may be interfering and defining a clear path forward.
Reproductive medicine in this new reality
The decline in fertility rates is not only a social or economic issue.
It has also driven important advancements in reproductive medicine.
Today, there are tools that allow intervention at different stages of the reproductive process:
- Improving the metabolic environment
- Optimizing egg quality
- Analyzing embryos at the genetic level
- Selecting those with the highest potential
- Preparing the endometrium to support implantation
But the key is not just that these tools exist.
It’s how they are integrated.
At Ingenes, the value lies in combining these elements into a personalized strategy based on each patient’s unique situation.
Because not every patient needs the same approach.
A shift that goes beyond medicine
The decline in birth rates also reflects a cultural shift.
Today, having a baby is no longer just a natural life stage, it is a decision made with more awareness, planning, and context.
And that is a positive change.
But it also means understanding that, in some cases, additional support may be needed to achieve it.
And that does not represent a limitation.
It represents a different way of approaching the process.
Ingenes: understanding timing to define the path forward
At Ingenes, the approach starts with a clear understanding:
Not every case is the same, and not every timeline is the same.
That’s why the goal is not just to offer solutions, but to understand where each patient stands.
This includes analyzing:
- Reproductive context
- Age
- Metabolic health
- Medical history
- And previous attempts
From there, a personalized strategy is defined to help move forward with greater clarity.
Because when you understand what is happening, the next step becomes clearer.
Conclusion
The decline in birth rates does not mean people no longer want to have a baby—it means they are choosing to do so at a different stage in life.
And when that moment arrives, having clear information and the right approach can make all the difference.
At Ingenes, each case is analyzed from a comprehensive perspective to identify what may be interfering and to define a clearer, more personalized path forward—with better chances of helping you achieve your goal of having a baby.