U.S. Teen Birth Rate Trending Lower — Contraception / Abstinence Working?

The U.S. teen birth rate in 2010 (34.3 per 1000 females) was 44% lower than in 1990. according to a new report published by the Centers for Disease Control  and Prevention (CDC), the rate of teenagers becoming mothers is declining rapidly . The average teen birth rate decreased 9 percent from 2009 to 2010, reaching an all time low of 34.3 births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19.

That's a 44 percent drop from 1991 to 2010. There were less teenage mothers in 2010 than any year since 1946.

The most recent results, when compared with 1995 data, show the following:

• Photo Credit: youthincharge.org

    The proportion of female teens who had never had sex (i.e., vaginal intercourse) increased from 49% to 57%.

    Abstinence rates rose by more in blacks (34% increase) and Latinas (29%) than in whites (15%), negating prior interracial differences.

    Current use of intrauterine and hormonal contraception (IUDs, implants, patches, rings, or oral or injectable contraceptives) was 60%, reflecting an increase of 26%; such use was more common in non-Latina whites (66%) than in non-Latina blacks (46%) or Latinas (54%).

    The proportion of sexually active teens who used no contraception fell by 19% in whites, but rose by 20% in blacks.

The CDC analysis shows that the U.S. teen birth rate is now the lowest it's been in 7 decades. While that is good news, unfortunately this rate still exceeds those in other developed countries.

The CDC's Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System showed that, of teens with unintended pregnancies, half were not using contraception. The CDC points to the following strategies as capable of lowering teen pregnancy rates:

• provision of contraception and evidence-based, culturally sensitive care
• information, and education in sexual health

For an excellent analysis of the CDC studies and valuable resources to combat teen pregnancy, see the CBS News website for April 10, 2012.

In addition, the CDC has been tracking teen pregnancy for decades. The CDC website has a wealth of information available about teen pregnancy:

Data Brief: Birth Rates for U.S. Teenagers Reach Historic Lows for All Age and Ethnic Groups, Brady E. Hamilton, Ph.D., and Stephanie J. Ventura, M.A. [PDF download] This article cites statistics, charts trends, is highly informative.

CDC Faststats Teen Birth

Preventing Teen Pregnancy: 2010 to 2015:  A CDC Overview of what is working and what is not. [PDF download]