Teen Birth Rates

Teenage birth rates in the United States rose in 2007 for the second year in a row. These increases follow a continuous decline between 1991 and 2005. Teenage birth rates in the United States are high, exceeding those in most developed countries.

High teen birth rates are an important concern because teen mothers and their babies face increased risks to their health, and their opportunities to build a future are diminished.

Here are some important facts about teen pregnancy:

More than 10 percent of all U.S. births in 2006 were to mothers under age 20. Most teenage births (about 67 percent) are to girls ages 18 and 19. The pregnancy rate for teenagers fell 40 percent between 1990 and 2005 (from 116.8 to 70.6 per 1,000). However, in 2005, about 725,000 teens ages 15 to 19 became pregnant, and about 415,000 give birth.

About 3 in 10 teenage girls become pregnant at least once before age 20. The teenage birth rate increased in 2006 and 2007. Between 2005 and 2007, the rate rose 5 percent (from 41 to 42.5 per 1,000 women). This increase follows a 14-year decline between 1991 and 2005, when the rate fell by one-third (from 62 to 41 per 1,000 women). In 2007, about 4 in 100 teenage girls had a baby. About 1 in 4 teen mothers under age 18 have a second baby within 2 years after the birth of their first baby.

Teen mothers are more likely than mothers over age 20 to give birth prematurely (before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy). Between 2003 and 2005, preterm birth rates averaged 14.5 percent for women under age 20 compared to 11.9 percent for women ages 20 to 29. Babies born prematurely face an increased risk of newborn health problems, long-term disabilities and even death.

Taken from The March of Dimes