State-specific birth rates for teenagers--United States, 1990-1996. 1997


During the late 1980s, birth rates for teenagers in the United States increased sharply. Although rates have declined steadily since 1991 (1,2), age-, race-, ethnicity-, and state-specific rates have varied substantially. Despite recent declines, the U.S. birth rate for teenagers remains high compared with other industrialized countries. In 1996, an estimated 505,514 females aged <20 years gave birth; two thirds of births to teenagers are unintended (3). The adverse consequences of teenage childbearing include increased poverty for both mother and child. This report presents state-specific birth rates for females aged 15-19 years for 1991 and 1995 and compares race/ethnicity-specific birth rates for U.S. females aged <20 years for 1990-1996. These findings indicate that, during 1991-1995, birth rates among teenagers declined significantly in all but five states and the District of Columbia, and declines nationwide during 1991-1996 were especially large for teenagers aged 15-17 years and for black teenagers. Recent declines in abortions and abortion rates forteenagers, coupled with the trends described in this report for birth rates for teenagers, indicate that, since 1991, pregnancy rates for teenagers also have declined.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D011247 Pregnancy The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH. Gestation,Pregnancies
D011253 Pregnancy in Adolescence Pregnancy in human adolescent females under the age of 19. Adolescent Pregnancy,Pregnancy, Adolescent,Pregnancy, Teenage,Preteen Pregnancy,Teenage Pregnancy,Teen Pregnancy,Adolescence, Pregnancy in,Adolescent Pregnancies,Pregnancies, Adolescent,Pregnancies, Preteen,Pregnancies, Teen,Pregnancies, Teenage,Pregnancy, Preteen,Pregnancy, Teen,Preteen Pregnancies,Teen Pregnancies,Teenage Pregnancies
D001723 Birth Rate The number of births in a given population per year or other unit of time. Natality,Age-Specific Birth Rate,Age-Specific Fertility Rate,Fertility Rate,Age Specific Birth Rate,Age Specific Fertility Rate,Age-Specific Birth Rates,Age-Specific Fertility Rates,Birth Rate, Age-Specific,Birth Rates,Fertility Rate, Age-Specific,Fertility Rates,Natalities,Rate, Age-Specific Fertility,Rate, Birth,Rate, Fertility
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293 Adolescent A person 13 to 18 years of age. Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D014481 United States A country in NORTH AMERICA between CANADA and MEXICO.

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