CDC Report Shows Disparities In Teen Pregnancy
WASHINGTON - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) has released preliminary 2008 state data on teen births. In addition, NCHS has also released new analysis of state disparities in teen birth rates based on 2007 teen birth data. Some of the primary findings include: State teen birth rates continue to vary widely according to the preliminary 2008 data-from 20 per 1,000 15-19 year-olds in New Hampshire to 66 per 1,000 in Mississippi. It has been widely understood that some of this variation is attributable to state-level differences in the racial/ethnic makeup of the population. "The report is yet another reminder that the problem of teen pregnancy and childbearing in the United States remains deep, wide, and urgent," said Sarah Brown, CEO of The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. "The national declines in too-early pregnancy and parenthood have stalled and racial/ethnic differences in teen pregnancy and childbearing remain profound. The Obama Administration's investment in preventing teen pregnancy has been an important step forward. We now call on other sectors to recognize the challenge at hand and do what they can to help young people avoid unplanned pregnancy." Visit http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db46.pdf for the full NCHS teen birth report. Visit The National Campaign's website--TheNationalCampaign.org--for more information on teen and unplanned pregnancy. About The National Campaign. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy seeks to improve the lives and future prospects of children and families. Our specific strategy is to prevent teen pregnancy and unplanned pregnancy among single, young adults. We support a combination of responsible values and behavior by both men and women and responsible policies in both the public and private sectors. If we are successful, child and family well-being will improve. There will be less poverty, more opportunities for young men and women to complete their education or achieve other life goals, fewer abortions, and a stronger nation.
As a general matter, teen birth rates in 2008 were lowest in the Northeast and upper Midwest and highest in Southern states.
However, NCHS analysis of 2007 birth data (the most recent data with state-level detail by race/ethnicity) show that even within racial/ethnic subgroups, there are great differences across states. For example, some states with lower rates of overall teen births rank among those states with the highest rates for some racial/ethnic groups.
As a general matter, birth rates for non-Hispanic white teens are highest in the Southeast, birth rates for non-Hispanic black teens are highest in the Southeast and upper Midwest, and birth rates for Hispanic teens are highest in the Southeast.
