Teen births dropped significantly in past 20 years: CDC

Teen births declined 69 percent from 2000 to 2022, according to newly released federal data, but racial and ethnic disparities continue to exist.  

Births declined at similar rates across all races, but Black, Native American and Hispanic teenagers still had higher birth rates in 2022 than white, non-Hispanic teens, according to the data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

The decline in the number of births was lower for Hispanic teenagers than for other teenagers, but the Hispanic female teen population also increased 79 percent from 2000 to 2022, while other populations decreased.  

According to the researchers, the number of Hispanic teenagers who could potentially have a birth grew, while the percentage who actually did declined. 

In 2000, there were more than 475,100 births to teenagers; in 2022, there were just over 145,300 births. During the same time period, the female teen population increased 7 percent.  

Researchers attributed the decline to teenagers being older when they first start having sex, less sexual activity among teen girls, and greater use of effective contraception among sexually active teenagers. 

The largest birth rate decline — a decrease of 79 percent — was among girls between ages 15 and 17. 

There was also an 80 percent decline in the rate of teens with one or more births after their first child. Researchers said the decline was a signal of the success of efforts to prevent or postpone additional births until women are in their twenties. 

Research has shown that a second child to support and care for makes it more difficult for teen mothers to attend high school or college and secure adequate employment. 

Having a second child further increases their and their children’s risk of poverty and is associated with a higher likelihood of adverse outcomes for the children of teen mothers, such as low birthweight, abuse and neglect, and infant homicide, the CDC said.