The State - News from July 26, 1987

In contrast to many other states, California’s birth rate increased in 1985 for the 12th consecutive year, the state Department of Health Services reported. The state’s live birth rate was 17.9 live births per 1,000 population in 1985, up from 17.3 in 1984. There were 470,816 live births to California residents in 1985, an increase of 23,422 or 5.2% over the previous year. The death rate for 1985 stood at 7.7 deaths per 1,000, up from 7.6% in 1984 and 7.4% in 1983. Heart disease and cancer remained the leading causes of death. On a typical 1985 day, 189 Californians died from heart disease and 125 died from cancer, while three died from AIDS-related diseases.