Teen Pregnancy Rate Is On the Rise

The number of teens having babies, as well as the rate in which they are having babies, is on the rise, with the highest teen birth rates being seen in the South and Southeast portions of the country. The decline in teen pregnancy that the U.S. has experienced for fourteen years seems to be over, and there are several factors that may be playing key roles.

A new report, “Births: Final Data for 2006,” issued by the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, provides a state-by-state view of teen births, based on all birth certificates issued in 2006 by the U.S. The report also offers some interesting data on a range of topics such as unmarried mothers, multiple births, smoking while pregnant, Caesarean delivery, preterm births, and low birth weights. Of the 4.3 million births reported in 2006, around 435,000 of the births were to mothers from 15 to 19 years old, an increase of approximately 21,000 more teens having babies than in 2005. Hispanic girls are giving birth at twice the overall rate and Asian and Pacific Islander girls reported teen pregnancies at half of the national average. While Mississippi, New Mexico, and Texas reported the highest teen pregnancy rates, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts reported the lowest rates. Over half of the fifty states reported increases in teen birth rates.

Previous data gathered from 2003 through 2005 resulted in only one state each year reporting significant teen birth rate increases. Mississippi holds the highest rate of teen pregnancy rates for 2006, according to the report, and their rate increased by over 60 percent of the national average, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Texas and New Mexico also reported a significant increase of 50 percent over the national average. Experts believe these high numbers may be attributed to the fact that these three states have larger populations of Hispanics and black teens, the groups that traditionally have higher teen birth rates.

There has been considerable discussion on teen birth rates and the reason for the increase. There are so many possible contributors to teenage sexuality and pregnancy, such as broken and single parent homes, advertisements seen on television and the sexually explicit entertainment industry. Some experts feel the drive for more abstinence-only health education and the lack of education regarding how to use condoms or other forms of birth control, may explain the increase. However, some say that education focused on forms of contraceptives is still occurring, but is just failing. According to the CDC, one in every three American girls will get pregnant prior to her twentieth birthday, and attributes it to the U.S. resisting science-based approaches to prevent teen pregnancies. Based on the report, teenagers seem to have more children with poor health and their children reportedly also have more problems with school, the law, abuse and neglect, and are hospitalized more frequently than the average child. Teenage pregnancies cost the U.S. over $9 billion a year.

With the rise of teen pregnancies, as well as sexually transmitted diseases, it seems the U.S. is failing to educate our children properly about sex, precautions, and consequences. Whether it is from what kids are or aren’t being taught at home, school, or church, it is an issue that the U.S. really needs to address more stringently.