The US government has released the most recent national statistics on birth rates. After reviewing nearly 99% of all birth records in 2007, the total number of births rose to 4,317,119, the highest number of births ever registered in the United States in a single year. As well, the number of children born to unmarried mothers rose significantly. The estimated 1,714,643 babies born to unmarried women in 2007 accounted for 39.7 % of all total births in the country. In addition the number of cesarean deliveries increased for an eleventh consecutive year.
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Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.