New
CDC Report Tracks Trends in Teen
Births from 1940 - 2000
For Immediate Release:
September 25, 2001
Contact: NCHS/CDC Public
Affairs
(301) 458-4800
E-mail: nchsquery@cdc.gov
Births to Teenagers
in the United States, 1940-2000. NVSR Volume 49, No. 10. 24 pp. (PHS)
2001-1120. View/download PDF
1.2 MB
A new report from the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tracks teen birth rates
for more than half a century. It also includes the latest analysis of data
by State and shows that rates declined significantly in all States over
the past decade, with declines of 11 to 36 percent reported. Other key
findings of the report by CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics
show:
The
2000 rate (49 births per 1,000 women 15-19) is about half the peak rate
recorded in 1957. The teen birth rate reached a record low in 2000, with
rates steadily declining throughout the 1990s. Birth rates for teenagers
generally declined in the United States since the late 1950s--reflecting
the downturn in fertility for women of all ages--except for a brief, but
steep, upward climb in the late 1980s until 1991.
The
decline in teen birth rates has had a major impact on the number of babies
born to teenage mothers. If the teen birth rate had remained at 1991
levels throughout the 1990s and with the rising number of teenagers in the
United States, there would have been about 550,000 additional births to
teenagers over the decade.
During
the 1990s rate declines were especially large for black teenagers--down 31
percent nationwide and showing declines of at least 40 percent in 7
States. Black teens still have one of the highest rates. Overall, rates
are highest for Hispanic teens and lowest for Asian teens.
Birth
rates have fallen for teens overall in the 1990s as well as for unmarried
teens since mid-decade; however, the proportion of births to teenagers
that are to unmarried teens has continued to rise, from 14 percent in 1940
to 67 percent in 1990 and 79 percent in 2000. This is because very few
teens are marrying today and the birth rate for married teens has dropped
substantially. Nevertheless, teens do not account for the majority of
births to unmarried women, only 28 percent in 2000.
The
U.S. teen birth rate remains the highest among developed countries.
According to the latest data available, the rate is lowest in Japan at
about 4 births per 1,000 women and is below 10 per 1,000 in a number of
countries, including Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the
Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
"Births to
Teenagers in the United States, 1940-2000" is based on birth
certificates filed in State vital statistics offices and reported to CDC.
Copies of the report can be viewed or downloaded from the CDC
home page.
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