After declining steadily from 1991-2005, birth rates for 15- to 19-year-olds increased significantly between 2005 and 2006 for all races and for Hispanics. This increase continued, with both the number of births to teens and teen birth rates rising again between 2006 and 2007 for all groups except for Hispanics. In 2007, 445,045 live births occurred to mothers aged 15-19 years, a birth rate of 42.5 per 1,000 women in this age group (up from 435,427 births and a birth rate of 41.9 in 2006).( 1 ) The Hispanic and non-Hispanic black teen pregnancy rates are three times higher than the non-Hispanic white teen pregnancy rate.( 2 )

The overall teen birth rate increased 4% between 2005 and 2006, and another 1% between 2006 and 2007.( 1 ) Rates increased for all races, including a 12% increase for American Indian/Alaskan Natives and a 6% increase for non-Hispanic blacks. The Hispanic teen birth rate increased 2% between 2005 and 2006, then decreased 2% between 2006 and 2007, for a net of 0% change from 2005 to 2007.

Preliminary birth data from 2008 show a 2% decrease from the 2007 teen birth rate, to 41.5, which is also slightly below the 2006 rate. Rates declined for all race and Hispanic origin groups between 2007 and 2008. The Hispanic teen birth rate fell to 77.4, the lowest rate recorded to date for this group. Reasons for this decline are not yet clear. During this time period, birth rates declined for all age groups except among women age 40 years and older.( 3 )

Underlying causes for the previous increase and subsequent decrease are not yet known, and it is unclear whether the rise will continue. While birth rates for other age groups have also increased during this time, teen birth rates bear concern due to the potential increase in the socioeconomic burden of teen pregnancy and childbearing. In general, factors associated with teen pregnancy and childbearing include:

• Being sexually active ( 4 )
• Lack of access to or poor use of contraception ( 4 )
• Living in poverty ( 5 )
• Having parents with low levels of education ( 5 )
• Poor performance in school ( 5 )
• Growing up in a single-parent family ( 5 )

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 Sources:

1. Hamilton BE, Martin JA, Ventura SJ. Births: Preliminary data for 2007. National vital statistics reports; vol 57 no 12. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2009.
2. Ventura SJ, Abma JC, Mosher WD, Henshaw SK. Estimated pregnancy rates by outcome for the United States, 1990-2005. National vital statistics reports; vol 58 no 4. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2009.
3. Hamilton BE, Martin JA, Ventura SJ. Births: Preliminary data for 2008. National vital statistics reports web release; vol 58 no 16. Hyattsville, Maryland: National Center for Health Statistics. Released April 2010.
4. 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.
5. Singh S, Darroch JE. Adolescent pregnancy and childbearing: levels and trends in developed countries. Family Planning Perspectives 2000;32(1):14-23.

More Information

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