Colorado Springs hospitals seeing rise in birth rates, following national trends

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- For the first time in seven years, the Centers for Disease Control reported birth rates rose in the United States. In Colorado Springs, two UCHealth hospitals have also reported an increase.

Between 2014 and 2019, births declined by about 1% per year in the U.S. and 4% from 2019 to 2020.

Here in Colorado Springs, UCHealth said that their two birthing hospitals saw an almost 5.5% increase between 2020 and 2021.

The national rates from the CDC gave data through 2021. UCHealth reported 4,800 births at their hospitals in 2021 and 4,950 in 2022.

Though birth rates are rising, the CDC doesn't specify why. However, a Pew Research Center poll suggests that women put off having babies during the pandemic because of things like health and economic concerns.

In turn, they speculate the rise in birth rates is somewhat of a rebound from this phenomenon.