Analysis of Hispanic birth data for 22 states in 1980 showed the following: (1) The fertility rate for Hispanic women was 95.4 births per 1.000 women aged 15-44; this rate was 53 percent higher than the rate for non-Hispanic Whites and five percent higher than for non-Hispanic Blacks. (2) Age-specific birth rates indicated that the fertility of Hispanic women was higher than that of non-Hispanics at age 20 and older. (3) Mothers of Mexican and Puerto Rican origin were younger than White non-Hispanics and older than Black non-Hispanics. (4) Associated with the high rates of childbearing at relatively young ages was the tendency toward larger families. (5) Nearly one-quarter of all Hispanic births were to unmarried mothers and the rate of childbearing by unmarried Hispanic mothers was nearly twice the rate for unmarried non-Hispanics. (6) Hispanic mothers had generally completed fewer years of schooling than non-Hispanics. (7) Hispanic mothers, except Cubans, began prenatal care at a later state of pregnancy than non-Hispanics. (8) The incidence of low birth weight among babies born to Hispanic mothers was generally comparable to that for babies born to White non-Hispanics. (CMG)