May 22, 2006 -- Child Trends Cites Data on Teen Childbearing

While teen birth rates have declined continuously since 1991, the downward trend has slowed, giving reason to remain concerned about teen sexual activity and childbearing, according to a summary of recent data released last month by the organization Child Trends. Here are some of the facts reported by Child Trends:

• The U.S. teen birth rate varies greatly by state, ranging from a low of 18 births per 1000 females 15 to 19 years old in New Hampshire to a high of 63 in Texas;
• Between 2003 and 2004, the number of births to teens under age 15 and to teens ages 18-19 increased, as did the number of births to Hispanic teens. In addition, the percentage of teen births that are repeat births increased slightly between 2003 and 2004;
• One-quarter of females and 28 percent of males ages 15-17 have not talked with parents or guardians about saying no to sex or about birth control, condoms, or sexually transmitted diseases;
• The proportion of teen births that occur within marriage decreased from 49 percent in 1982 to 18 percent in 2002, reflecting the decreasing proportion of nonmarital conceptions that result in a marital birth (that is, fewer unmarried pregnant teens are marrying the fathers of their babies);
• Young people between the ages of 15 and 24 account for almost one-half of all newly acquired sexually transmitted diseases in the United States.

Child Trends also reported some positive trends, noting that in 2003, more than half of students in grades 9-12 reported that they had abstained from sex, and two-thirds of students in those grades who were sexually active said they had used a condom the last time they had sex. The publication “Facts at a Glance” is available at www.childtrends.org.