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Teens
20-Somethings/ Unplanned Pregnancy
Teens
Teen Pregnancy Rates:
- For the first time since 1990, the national teen pregnancy rate increased 3% between 2005 and 2006 (the most recent data available).
- The teen pregnancy rate in 2005 was 69.5 pregnancies per 1,000 teen girls aged 15-19 and increased to 71.5 per 1,000 teen girls in 2006.
- Between 2005 and 2006 the teen pregnancy rate increased for all racial/ethnic groups.
- There were approximately 742,990 pregnancies to teen girls age 15-19 in 2006.
- Despite the recent increase, the teen pregnancy rate in the United States declined 39% between 1990 and 2006 (the most recent data available).
- Since 1990, teen pregnancy rates have declined in all 50 states and among all racial/ethnic groups.
- Click here for more information.
- Ten headlines on teen pregnancy.
Teen Birth Rates:
- The teen birth rate declined 6% between 2008 and 2009, its lowest recorded level.
- The teen birth rate was 39.1 births per 1,000 girls aged 15-19 and 41.5 per 1,000 in 2008.
- There were more than 400,000 births to teen girls in 2009.
- Overall, the teen birth rate in the United States declined 37% between 1991 and 2009.
- Since 1991, teen birth rates have declined in all 50 states and among all racial/ethnic groups.
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- Click here for teen birth data by state
The Bad News:
- Despite the impressive overall decline in the nation’s teen pregnancy rate, it is still the case the three in ten girls in the United States get pregnant by age 20.
- These numbers are even higher in certain segments—among African American teen girls in the U.S., about 51% get pregnant at least once before age 20, among Latina teens it’s about 53%. Among non-Hispanic white teens the rate is about 19% -- or one-fifth.
- At present, there are about 742,000 teen pregnancies and more than 400,000 teen births annually.
- The most recent data on teen sexual activity and contraceptive use (CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2007) suggests that declines in teen sex and increases in teen contraceptive use have essentially come to a standstill.
Pregnancy Resolution:
- 59% of teen pregnancies in the U.S. end in a live birth, 27% end in abortion, and 14% end in miscarriage.
- Of the 57% of teen pregnancies that end in a live birth, fewer than 3% result in adoption.
- Only 17% of abortions occur to women under the age of 20.
How the United States Compares:
- The teen birth rate in the United States is higher than in other Western industrialized countries.
- For example, the teen birth rate in the United States is almost 10 times higher than in the Netherlands, more than two and half times higher Canada, and 1.5 times higher than in the U.K., our closest competitor.
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20-Somethings/ Unplanned Pregnancy
Data on Unplanned Pregnancy Among Single Young Adults
- According to the most recent data available (2002), fully half of all pregnancies in the U.S. are unplanned and three-quarters of unplanned pregnancies are to women 29 and younger.
- Among single women in their 20s, 7 in 10 pregnancies are unplanned.
- The proportion of unplanned pregnancy among unmarried women in their 20s is high across all income levels.
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Why So Many Unplanned Pregnancies?
There are many reasons for the nation’s high rate of unplanned pregnancy—some of these explanations are contained in The National Campaign publication the Fog Zone (arobust, nationally-representative survey of 1,800 single young adults 18-29 we released in December 2009). Among the findings:
Intentions…
- 94% of men and 86% of women believe pregnancy should be planned.
- Regardless of gender, age, or racial/ethnic groups, and regardless of whether they are currently in a cohabiting relationship or not, the overwhelming majority do not want to get pregnant or get someone pregnant at this time in their lives—overall 86% of men and 88% of women say it is important.
…Don’t Match Behavior
Among those unmarried young adults who are currently in a sexual relationship and who are not trying to get pregnancy or cause a pregnancy:
- 19% use NO contraception at all and 24% use contraception inconsistently.
- In other words, only about half are well protected.
- In fact, 17% of women and 19% of men say it is likely they will have unprotected sex in the next few months.
Why the gap between intent and behavior?
- Many are fatalistic about fertility and pregnancy—39% of men and 44% of women believe “it doesn’t matter whether you use birth control or not; when it is your time to get pregnant it will happen.”
- Many are suspicious about the whole birth control enterprise—32% overall (and 44% of non-Hispanic blacks and 46% of Hispanics) agree with the statement, “the government is trying to limit lacks and other minority populations by encouraging the use of birth control.”
- Many unmarried young adults want to be parents but are ambivalent about the timing and circumstances under which to start a family—53% of men and 52% of women say they would like to be parents how “if things in my life were different.”
- Many don’t know much about even the most commonly-used methods of contraception—30% say they know little or nothing about condoms and 63% say they know little or nothing about birth control pills.
- There are many myths and misinformation. For example, among those who have relied on birth control pills, nearly half (44%) incorrectly believe that you should take a break from the pill every few years.
- Many fear the side effects of contraception and these fears reduce their likelihood of using more effective methods—27% of women believe that it is extremely or quite likely that using birth control pills or other hormonal methods of contraception will lead to a serious health problem like cancer.
- 36% say it is likely that the pill will cause them to gain weights, 40% say it will cause severe mood swings and that these concerns reduce the likelihood of their using the pill.
- Many believe they are infertile—although data suggest that about 8.4% of women 15-29 have impaired fecundity, 59% of women and 47% of men say it is at least slightly likely they are infertile.