U.S. births fell two percent in 2008, the first full year of the recession and was the first annual decline in births in eight years, ending a small turn-of-the-century baby boom.

About 4,247,000 births were recorded last year, about 68,000 less from 2007, according to a new report from the National Center for Health Statistics.

The biggest decline was in California and Florida, the two states hit hardest by the housing crisis.

But the trend is familiar across the country. Experts said the birth rate always declines during downturns in the economy.

The new report is only an early count of births from each state, and does not show the demographic breakdowns that could explain the whether or not the decline was only in certain groups.

Source: The Associated Press