Family planning grows as births rise

Birth rates are on the rise, according to the latest report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The number of births increased by 1% to 4 million, marking the first increase in the number of births since 2007. The general fertility rate per 1,000 women between the ages of 15 and 44 years in the United States also increased slightly by 1% in 2014, from 62.5 births to 62.9 births.



That’s good news for sellers of family planning test kits — overall sales of both pregnancy and ovulation test kits were up 2.2% to $364.8 million across total U.S. multi-outlets for the 52 weeks ended Sept. 6, according to IRI.

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The number of births for women in their late 30s was most pronounced, up 5%, continuing a trend that many families are choosing to have children later in life. The preliminary birth rate for women ages 30 to 34 years in 2014 was 100.8 births per 1,000 women, up 3% from the rate in 2013. The preliminary birth rate for women ages 40 to 44 years in 2014 was 10.6 births per 1,000 women, up 2% from 2013. Since 1982, the rate for women in their early 40s has generally risen.



Many of the new product launches focus on women who are planning to conceive. Last year, Prestige Brands’ family planning diagnostics brand e.p.t launched its Preconception Health Test, which measures vaginal acidity and indicates the presence of infections, so women can visit their doctor and seek treatment before trying to conceive.



And earlier this year, Church and Dwight launched its First Response Test and Confirm Ovulation Test, a combination kit that helps women who are trying to conceive track their ovulation with two different ways to detect and confirm their most fertile days. This kit includes 10 Daily Ovulation Tests and one Digital Ovulation Test, which features unmistakable YES+/NO- results.