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July 14, 2000 Fact Sheet: National and State-Specific Pregnancy Rates Among TeensThe national pregnancy rate for adolescents aged 15 to 19 decreased from 1995 to 1997, according to a report published today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta. These data signal the continuation of a downward trend in adolescent pregnancy during the 1990s in most states and in the nation as a whole. The report released today presents estimated national and state-specific adolescent pregnancy rates for 1995 to 1997 by age and race.
These findings confirm earlier reports that teen birth and abortion rates have been on the decline in the United States since the early 1990s. The number of pregnancies was estimated by adding the number of live births to the number of legal induced abortions, and estimated fetal losses (i.e., spontaneous abortions and stillbirths) among adolescents 19 or younger. Sexual experience, sexual activity, and effective contraceptive use are important determinants of changes in pregnancy rates. While the rates of sexual experience and sexual activity among adolescents increased during the 1980s, surveys have found that it leveled off from 1988 to 1995. At the same time, the percentage of sexually active teens using condoms and long-acting hormonal contraceptive methods increased. Nevertheless, the United States has the highest adolescent pregnancy rate among developed countries, with over 800 thousand teenagers becoming pregnant each year. Most of these adolescents are not ready for pregnancy, childbearing, or the demands of parenthood. The full report, "National and State-Specific Pregnancy Rates among Adolescents – United States, 1995-1997", will be available online at 4 p.m. EST, July 13, 2000 at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4927a1.htm |
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CDC Home | Search | Health Topics A-Z This page last reviewed Monday, November 13, 2000 |