Teen Births Lowest in 70 Years
Teen births in the United States dropped again in 2010, reaching its lowest point in 70 years according to a new government report released Tuesday.
Mississippi had the highest teen birth rate once again with 55 births per 1,000 girls, while New Hampshire had the lowest rate with just under 16. California fell in the middle at number 29, with a teen birth rate of 31.5.
Almost every state saw a decline in teen births from 2007 to 2010, with the largest drop of 29 percent in Arizona. Overall, the national rate fell 9 percent to about 34 per 1,000 girls, which is the lowest since record-keeping started in 1940.
Teen births weren't the only rates to decline, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention also reported that the the number of births by mothers of all ages dropped for the third straight year. Experts think the economy is a factor. However, the CDC report also attributes the decline to an increase in state pregnancy prevention efforts and a rise in contraception use, specifically by teens.
The overall teen birth rate has dropped by 44 percent since 1991, which according to the CDC has prevented 3.4 million babies born to girls by 2010.
