THURSDAY 12/04/2025: More older Kansas moms

The number of women over 40 having babies is increasing nationwide, even as the overall birth rate declines. Plus, a nonprofit food distributor created its own mini free market to tackle hunger across the country. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of moms in their 40s having babies exceeded the number of teenagers giving birth for the first time. This is not the case in Kansas, where teenage birth rates still exceed the national average. But as birth rates in other age categories decline, the Kansas News Service's Bek Shackelford-Nwanganga reports the state is also seeing a rise in older moms.Feeding America is the largest group tackling hunger in the country. The nonprofit distributes billions of pounds of food each year, but with more than 200 food banks in its network, deciding where food goes is a huge undertaking. KBIA's Harshawn Ratanpal reports the answer to the problem is a market economy.Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Suzanne Hogan and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.