The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) published preliminary reports on births, birth rate trends and maternal and infant health characteristics for the United States in 2006 1. The reports present an alarmingly sharp increase in teenage births after a steady decline over the past fourteen years.
Data in the preliminary statistical reports were based on 99.9 percent of state statistical records for the calendar year of 2006 which were received by July 26, 2007. Comparisons in the preliminary reports for 1995-2005 were confirmed by the final vital statistics for each year.
Statisticians compared birth rates and fertility rates of the entire female population of reproductive age in each year. The population of women was divided by age into groups in the ranges of 10-14, 15-17, 18-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44 & 45-49. Researchers also divided the population into racial groups, described as non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian or Pacific Islander and Hispanic. Many statistical adjustments were made to account for varied reporting practices. The total fertility rate (TFR) is the potential impact of current fertility patterns on reproduction (completed family size) indicating the average number of births per 1000 women, if they experienced the age-specific birth rates throughout their child bearing years. The total fertility rate is essentially the rate at which a given generation can exactly replace itself (generally considered to be 2,100 per 1000).2
There was an overall 3 percent increase (68.5 births per 1000 women) in the general fertility rate of the entire population in 2006, the highest level since 1999. For the first time since 1971, the total fertility rate in the United States is above replacement value for all races.
The preliminary data on teenage birth rates increased dramatically, as well, rising 3 percent (41.9 births per 1000 women from 15-19 years of age) in 2006 after a fourteen year decline in teenage birth rates. From 1991 until 2005, teenage birth rates declined 34 percent.
Young women between the ages of 10-14 maintained a low birth rate, declining slightly from 0.7 per 1,000 women in 2005 to 0.6 per 1,000 women in 2006, which matches a recent low point in 2003. Teenagers from 15-17 years of age had a 3 percent increase to 22.0 births per 1,000 women in 2006, which is about the same as reported in 2004. The most dramatic increase occurred in the 18-19 year old range with an increase of 4 percent to 73.0 births per 1,000 women, which is about the same as reported in 2002.
In the 15-19 year old age bracket, Non-Hispanic black teenagers had a birth rate increase of 5 percent to 63.7 births per 1000. American Indian and Alaskan Native teenagers closely followed with a 4 percent birth rate increase to 54.7 births per 1000. Non-Hispanic white teenagers had a birth rate increase of 3 percent to 26.6 births per 1000. The birth rate for Hispanic teenagers increased 2 percent to 83.0 per 1000 while Asian and Pacific Islander teenagers had a relatively unchanged birth rate. There was a slight increase in the preterm birth rate from 12.7 percent in 2005 to 12.8 percent in 2006. Similarly, infants born at a low birth weight (less then 2,500 grams) increased from 8.2 percent in 2005 to 8.3 percent in 2006 across all ages, a statistic that has been steadily climbing.
Social concerns are raised with the increase in teenage birth rates. Record high levels of unwed mothers are “sharply outpacing” total birth rate increases across all ages and races, reflecting an 8 percent increase to 1,641,700 births in 2006. More than 4 out of 5 teenagers who gave birth in 2006 were not married, so most young mothers are also single parents and are also at a higher risk for living in poverty.
Brady E. Hamilton, Joyce A. Martin & Stephanie J. Ventura, Births: Preliminary Data for 2006, NCHS National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 56, Number 7 (Dec 2007).
NCHS Definitions, http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/datawh/nchsdefs/list.htm (last visited Jan. 23, 2008).
