Teenage Pregnancy Prevention: Statistics and Programs

Carmen Solomon-Fears
Specialist in Social Policy

In 2007, teen births accounted for 10.5% of all births and 22.6% of all nonmarital births. The birth rate for U.S. teenagers increased in 2006 and 2007 after a steady decline since 1991. This report briefly examines some of the data collected by the National Center for Health Statistics on teenage childbearing, offers potential reasons for high teen pregnancy and birth rates, and provides synopses of select federal programs to prevent teen pregnancy and reduce teen births. This report will be updated as legislative and statistical information warrant.

In 2006, an estimated 743,000 U.S. teenagers became pregnant, approximately 107,000 had miscarriages, and 200,000 had legal abortions (latest available data). 1 The result was that there were 435,000 births to teenagers in 2006. In 2007, 10.5% of all U.S. births were to teens, and 22.6% of all nonmarital births were to teens. In recognition of the negative, long-term consequences associated with teenage pregnancy and births, the prevention of teenage and out-ofwedlock childbearing is a major goal of this nation. Although the birth rate for U.S. teens has dropped in fourteen of the last sixteen years, it remains higher than the teenage birth rate of most industrialized nations.


Date of Report: February 1, 2010
Number of Pages: 10
Order Number: RS20301
Price: $29.95