The birth rate for U.S. teens aged 15–19 years hit a record low in 2010, according to a report released on November 17, 2011 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Births: Preliminary Data for 2010,” from CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics is based on an analysis of nearly 100 percent of birth records collected in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories.

The birth rate for teenagers aged 15–19 has declined for the last three years and 17 out of the past 19 years, falling to 34.3 births per 1,000 teenagers in 2010 – a 9 percent decline from 2009 and the lowest rate ever recorded in nearly seven decades of collecting data.  Birth rates for younger and older teenagers and for all race/ethnic groups reached historic lows in 2010.

The report also documented the first decline in the rate of cesarean deliveries since 1996.  In 2010, the cesarean section rate was 32.8, down slightly from 32.9 in 2009.

The full report which includes other interesting findings click HERE.

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This is doubly good news, both in the overall drop in teen birth rate and those by c-section. It would be interesting to see the data in a state by state breakdown, to see how states that promote teen contraception education and availability fare against those that don't. EDITOR's NOTE: I'm sure there is some state-by-state data.

I wonder why ... is the education system helping or teen is getting healthier?

I imagine this stat is continually dwindling with as knowledge only grows and contraceptives only become more effective. I wonder though how the bad economy affected it, if at all (as it sank more into lesser economic brackets and thus more likely to end up with a teen pregnancy). Interesting!

ALWAYS encouraging to read an article with this kind of information! As a full time youth speaker, I hear about this issue all the time.