Some Americans seem to be postponing childbirth because of a lack of confidence in the economy. Those ethnic groups hardest hit by the Great Recession saw the largest declines.
San Francisco resident Ashley Chandler says families should be financially stable before starting a family.
"There are so many different factors when considering having a baby and obviously financial aspect is huge," Chandler said.
Some Americans have even postponed having children because of the nation's economic uncertainty. A report by the Pew Research Center found in 2010 there were fewer babies -- directly linked to America's economic crisis.
In 2007, just before the recession, 4.3 million babies were born in the U.S. But three years later, the fertility rate fell to four million.
Looking at it a different way, in 2007 there were 69.7 babies per 1,000 women. In 2010 the number dropped to 64.7.
California had nearly 74 babies per 1,000, down to 68 in 2009.
America has seen this kind of decline before; during the Great Depression, then during the oil crisis of the 1970s, and again in 2002 during a very minor recession.
The report also found Hispanics, who were the hardest hit by the recession, also had the biggest fertility declines.
The only state that did not see a decline was North Dakota, which also has one of the nations' lowest unemployment rates at 3.1 percent.
