Teen Pregnancy… So what?

1. Teen Pregnancy…So what? An overview of the teen pregnancy problem in America Prepared by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy www.teenpregnancy.org

2. Four in ten girls get pregnant at least once before age 20. Source: National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy analysis of Henshaw, S.K., U.S.. Teenage Pregnancy Statistics, New York: Alan Guttmacher Institute, May, 1996; and Forrest, J.D., Proportion of U.S. Women Ever Pregnant Before Age 20, New York: Alan Guttmacher Institute, 1986, unpublished.

3. We’re number one…unfortunately The United States has much higher pregnancy and birth rates than other fully industrialized countries. US pregnancy rates are nearly twice as high as rates in Canada and England and seven to eight times as high as rates in Japan and the Netherlands. Singh, S., & Darroch, J.E. (2000). Adolescent pregnancy and childbearing: Levels and trends in developed countries. Family Planning Perspectives 32(1), 14-23. Pregnancy rates calculated as the sum of births, abortions, and estimated miscarriages (20 percent of births plus 10 percent of miscarriages).

4. The consequences of teen motherhood are many: • Less likely to complete high school • Dependence on welfare • Single parenthood • More likely to have more children sooner on a limited income • More likely to abuse or neglect the child National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. (1997). Whatever Happened to Childhood? The Problem of Teen Pregnancy in the United States. Washington, DC: Author.

5. Risks to children of teen mothers • growing up without a father • low birthweight and prematurity • school failure • mental retardation • insufficient health care • abuse and neglect • poverty and welfare dependence Source: Maynard, R.A., (ed.), Kids Having Kids: A Robin Hood Foundation Special Report on the Costs of Adolescent Childbearing, New York: Robin Hood Foundation, 1996.

6. Only 32 percent of teen mothers get their high school diploma • Teen mothers: Educational attainment by age 30 68% 32% National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. (1997). Whatever Happened to Childhood? The Problem of Teen Pregnancy in the United States. Washington, DC: Author.

7. The children of teen mothers are at greater risk of abuse and neglect 110 51 29 18 National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. (1997). Whatever Happened to Childhood? The Problem of Teen Pregnancy in the United States. Washington, DC: Author.

8. Taxpayers spend about $6.9 billion ($2,831 per teen parent) on teen childbearing Estimated annual costs to taxpayers of teen childbearing, 1996 dollars in billions $1.0 $1.4 $2.7 $1.7 $0.1 National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. (1997). Whatever Happened to Childhood? The Problem of Teen Pregnancy in the United States. Washington, DC: Author.

9. 100 teen girls get pregnant each hour Nearly 1 million teen pregnancies occurred in 1996. To put it another way, more than 100 U.S. teens become pregnant each hour. Forty percent of these pregnancies were to girls under age 18, and 60 percent were to girls aged 18-19. Total: 905,000 542,640 337,530 24,830 The Alan Guttmacher Institute. (1999). Special report: U.S. teenage pregnancy statistics with comparative statistics for women aged 20-24. New York: Author.

10. Teen pregnancy rates, girls aged 15-19(pregnancies per 1,000 girls) After increasing 23 percent between 1972 and 1990 (including 10 percent between 1987 and 1990), the teen pregnancy rate for girls aged 15-19 decreased 17 percent between 1990 and 1996. The Alan Guttmacher Institute. (1999). Special report: U.S. teenage pregnancy statistics with comparative statistics for women aged 20-24. New York: Author.

11. Teen pregnancy rates, racial/ethnic subgroups(number of pregnancies per 1,000 girls aged 15-19) Teen pregnancy rates vary substantially among the three largest racial/ethnic subgroups. Between 1990 and 1996, the rate for African-American teens declined 20 percent and the rate for non-Hispanic White teens declined 24 percent. The teen pregnancy rate for Hispanics increased between 1990 and 1994, but then declined 6 percent between 1994 and 1996. Non-Hispanic Black Hispanic (any race) Non-Hispanic White Darroch, J.E., & Singh, S. (1999). Why is teenage pregnancy declining? The roles of abstinence, sexual activity and contraceptive use. Occasional Report 1. New York: The Alan Guttmacher Institute.

12. Each year, half a million teens give birth In 1996, just over one-half of teen pregnancies to girls aged 15-19 ended in birth, about one-third ended in abortion, and 14 percent ended in miscarriage. 124,700 491,577 263,890 The Alan Guttmacher Institute. (1999). Special report: U.S. teenage pregnancy statistics with comparative statistics for women aged 20-24. New York: Author.

13. 55 teen girls give birth each hour Nearly one-half million teen births occurred in 1999. To put it another way, more than 55 U.S. teens give birth each hour. Thirty-six percent of these births were to girls under age 18, and 64 percent were to girls aged 18-19. Total: 484,794 312,186 9,049 163,559 * Data for 1999 are preliminary. Curtin, S.C., & Martin, J.A. (2000). Births: Preliminary data for 1999. National Vital Statistics Reports 48(14).

14. State teen pregnancy rates, 1996 (pregnancies per 1,000 girls aged 15-19) 50-62 per 1,000 65-85 per 1,000 86-90 per 1,000 95-106 per 1,000 108-140 per 1,000 Teen pregnancy rates vary widely by state, ranging from 50 per 1,000 in North Dakota to 140 per 1,000 in Nevada. The Alan Guttmacher Institute. (1999). Teenage pregnancy: Overall trends and state-by-state information. New York: Author.

15. Changes in teen pregnancy rates, 1992-96(pregnancies per 1,000 girls aged 15-19) 16.4-31.2% decline 12.2-15.5% decline 9.4-11.5% decline 3.4-9.2% decline No change Teen pregnancy rates declined in every state but New Jersey between 1992 and 1996; declines ranged from 3.4 percent in Nevada to 31.2 percent in Alaska. The Alan Guttmacher Institute. (1999). Teenage pregnancy: Overall trends and state-by-state information. New York: Author.

16. Number of teen births, 1999* Among teens aged 15-19, more births occur to non-Hispanic White teens than to any other racial/ethnic group. * Data for 1999 are preliminary. Curtin, S.C., & Martin, J.A. (2000). Births: Preliminary data for 1999. National Vital Statistics Reports 48(14).

17. Teen birth rates, girls aged 15-19(number of births per 1,000 girls) The teen birth rate declined steadily from 1960 through the mid-1970s, stayed fairly constant for the next decade, then increased 24 percent between 1986 and 1991. Between 1991 and 1999, the teen birth rate decreased 20 percent to a record low. Note: data for 1999 are preliminary. Curtin, S.C., & Martin, J.A. (2000). Births: Preliminary data for 1999. National Vital Statistics Reports 48(14). Ventura, S.J., Mathews, T.J., & Curtin, S.C. (1998). Declines in teenage birth rates, 1991-97: National and state patterns. National Vital Statistics Reports 47(12).

18. Teen birth rates by race/ethnicity, girls aged 15-19(number of births per 1,000 girls) Teen birth rates vary substantially among the largest racial/ethnic subgroups. Between 1991 and 1999, the rate for African-American teens declined 30 percent, the rate for all White teens declined 16 percent and the rate for non-Hispanic White teens declined 21 percent, the rate for Hispanics decreased 13 percent, the rate for Native Americans declined 20 percent, and the rate for Asian/Pacific Islanders declined 17 percent. Hispanic (any race) African American Native American TOTAL White (total) Non-Hispanic White Asian/Pacific Islander Note: data for 1999 are preliminary. Curtin, S.C., & Martin, J.A. (2000). Births: Preliminary data for 1999. National Vital Statistics Reports 48(14). Ventura, S.J., Martin, J.A., Curtin, S.C., Mathews, T.J., & Park, M.M. (2000). Birth: Final data for 1998. National Vital Statistics Reports 48(3).

19. State teen birth rates, 1998(births per 1,000 girls aged 15-19) 24.4-35.8 per 1,000 36.9-42.6 per 1,000 43.1-49.2 per 1,000 51.2-61.6 per 1,000 64.3-73.0 per 1,000 Teen birth rates vary widely by state, ranging from 24.4 per 1,000 in Vermont to 73.0 per 1,000 in Mississippi. Ventura, S.J., Curtin, S.C., & Mathews, T.J. (2000). Variations in teenage birth rates, 1991-98: National and state trends. National Vital Statistics Reports 48(6).

20. Changes in teen birth rates, 1991-98(births per 1,000 girls aged 15-19) 20.6-37.8% decline 17.9-20.5% decline 14.9-17.4% decline 12.7-14.7% decline 9.7-12.6% decline Teen birth rates declined in all 50 state between 1991 and 1998; declines ranged from 9.7 percent in Rhode Island to 37.8 percent in Vermont. Ventura, S.J., Curtin, S.C., & Mathews, T.J. (2000). Variations in teenage birth rates, 1991-98: National and state trends. National Vital Statistics Reports 48(6).

21. Number of teen births by birth order, 1999*(births to girls aged 15-19) Nearly four-fifths of all teen births are first births. Of the other 22 percent, 18 percent are births to teens who already have one child, 3 percent are births to teens who already have two children, less than one percent are fourth or higher-order births, and the final 1 percent of births do not have a birth order stated on the birth certificate. Total: 475,745 (85,455) (14,643) (370,749) (2,148) (2,750) * Data for 1999 are preliminary. Curtin, S.C., & Martin, J.A. (2000). Births: Preliminary data for 1999. National Vital Statistics Reports 48(14).

22. Proportion of teen births to unmarried teens, 1999*(births to teens aged 15-19) Of the one-half million births to teens aged 15-19 in 1999, 78.6 percent were to unmarried teens. 101,814 373,931 * Data for 1999 are preliminary. Ventura, S.J., & Bachrach, C.A. (2000). Nonmarital childbearing in the United States, 1940-99. National Vital Statistics Reports 48(16). Curtin, S.C., & Martin, J.A. (2000). Births: Preliminary data for 1999. National Vital Statistics Reports 48(14).