US Teen Birth Rate Higher in US than Any Other Developed Nation

The U.S. teen birth rate increased in 2007 for the second year in a row after a 14-year decline, according to preliminary data from the National Center for Health Statistics. The 2007 rate of 42.5 births per 1,000 females aged 15-19 was 1% higher than in 2006 (41.9) and 5% higher than in 2005 (40.5). Between 2006 and 2007, the teen birth rate increased by less than 1% among teens aged 15-17 and by 1% among teens aged 18-19. Despite the recent increase, the overall 2007 teen birth rate was 31% lower than the recent peak rate of 61.8 in 1991 and 11% lower than the 2000 rate of 47.7. Still, the U.S. teen birth rate remains higher than that of any other developed nation.

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