Teen Pregnancy and Birth Rates

Birth Rates in Teen Girls Ages 15-19, 2006

National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Day is May 7, 2008. In recognition of this health observance, CDC is highlighting recent teen pregnancy data & statistics.

In 2006, 435,427 births occurred to mothers aged 15-19 years, a birth rate of 41.9 per 1,000 women in this age group.(1) The Hispanic and non-Hispanic black teen pregnancy rates are three times higher than the white teen pregnancy rate.(2) The teen birth rate rose between 2005 and 2006 for the first time since 1991.(1)

In 2005, CDC funded a 5-year cooperative agreement with three national organizations, four Title X regional training organizations, and nine state teen pregnancy prevention coalitions to increase the capacity of local organizations to select, implement, and evaluate science-based approaches to prevent teen pregnancy, HIV, and STDs in their communities. For more information on CDC's project, please see Promoting Science-based Approaches to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, HIV and STDs.

Data Source:

1. Hamilton BE, Martin JA, Ventura SJ. Births: Preliminary data for 2006. National vital statistics reports; vol 56 no 7. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2007.

2. Ventura SJ, Abma JC, Mosher WD, Henshaw SK. Estimated pregnancy rates by outcome for the United States, 1990-2004. National vital statistics reports; vol 56 no 15. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2008.

For More Information

• Adolescent Reproductive Health
• CDC Adolescent Health site
• CDC HIV site
• CDC STD site