Recent trends in teen births in the United States

Teenage births and birth rates have dropped steadily during the 1990s. Overall, the teen birth rate declined 15 percent between 1991 and 1997. The trend in the 1990s reverses a period of steep increases from 1986 to 1991. Despite the recent declines, the teen birth rate in 1997 is still higher than rates in the mid 1980s when they were at an all-time low (50-51 per 1,000). In general, teen birth rates have declined more for younger teenagers (15-17 years) than for older teens (18-19 years). Among all race and ethnic groups, black teenagers have experienced the greatest declines in childbearing during the 1990s. From 1991 to 1997, the rate for black teens 15-19 years dropped 23 percent to the lowest level on record. A particularly noteworthy finding is that the birth rate for second births to all teenagers who have had a first birth (repeat childbearing) declined by 21 percent between 1991 and 1996. Despite the recent decline in teen births and birth rates, a growing number and proportion are to unmarried teens. Most teenagers giving birth in the 1990s are not married--78 percent overall in 1997. Teenage childbearing has important social and health consequences for the teenage mother herself and for her baby. Most teen births are unintended, the educational attainment of teen mothers is limited, teen mothers are less likely to receive timely prenatal care, and teens are more likely to smoke during pregnancy than are older women. As a consequence of these and other factors, babies born to teen mothers are at greater risk of preterm delivery and low birthweight. Teen pregnancy prevention has become a major focus of attention over the past several years, contributing to a wide variety of initiatives and strategies at the national, state and community level.