What are the current trends in the teen pregnancy and birth rates?
After increasing 23 percent between 1972 and 1990, the teen pregnancy rate for girls aged 15-19 decreased 19 percent from its all time high in 1991 to 94.3 pregnancies per 1,000 girls aged 15-19 in 1997 (the most recent year that national data are available). The teen birth rate increased 24 percent between 1986 and 1991. Since then, the rate has fallen 20 percent to 50 births per 1,000 women aged 15-19 in 1999. • How does the United States compare with other countries? The United States has the highest rates of teen pregnancy and birth – by far – of any comparable country. • Why has the teen pregnancy rate declined? Both less sex and more contraceptive use are making important contributions to the decline in the teen pregnancy rate. That is, teen pregnancy rates have been declining because a smaller proportion of teens were having sex and the pregnancy rate among sexually active teens decreased due to better contraceptive use (and also, perhaps, to less sexual activity among those wit
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- What are the current trends in the teen pregnancy and birth rates?
