Average bill charged by U.S. hospitals for vaginal birth and C-section 2013
Birth costs
The United States has one of the highest birthing costs in the world. The average hospital and physician costs for a normal vaginal delivery in the United States may cost twice as much as a normal vaginal birth in Australia. Cesarean sections costs are more expensive than vaginal births, but the cost difference is similar. The United States, followed by Switzerland, had the highest costs among select countries for C-section deliveries.
Birth rates and mother's age
The birth rate in the United States has decreased dramatically in recent history. Some evidence suggests that birth rates may be impacted by family income. According to recent data, lower incomes have higher birth rates in the United States. Birth rates were highest among women aged 20 to 34 years. However, there is an increasing tendency of mothers being older at the time of their first birth.