Good news from the government today: The teenage birth rate continues to decline.

That highlight, just part of the country's Annual Summary of Vital Statistics published in the journal Pediatrics. The teenage birth rate fell to another historic low in 2011- at 31-point-3 births per 1,000 women.

Birth rates also declined for women ages 20 to 29 years. But the rates increased for older moms, aged 35 to 39 and 40 to 44.

When added all together, general fertility rates and the number of births in the U.S. both declined by 1 percent between 2010 and 2011.

On the other end of the spectrum, life expectancy at birth was 78.7 years in 2011, unchanged from 2010.

The data were obtained from birth certificates and death certificates for residents in all US states and the District of Columbia.

I'm Dr. Cindy Haines of HealthDay TV, with news from today that can lead to healthy tomorrows.