Description:
The sum of birth rates per 1,000 women for all eight 5-year age groups between 10 and 49, multiplied by five and divided by 1,000. The total fertility rate can be interpreted as the number of children a woman would be expected to have in her lifetime given current fertility patterns.
Methodological Notes:
The National Center for Health Statistics collects fertility data from birth certificates. The data are based on 100 percent of births in selected states and on a 50-percent sample of births in all other states. More information is available from the National Vital Statistics System.