America's sharp drop in teen births: 4 explanations

The teen birth rate has plunged 44 percent since 1991. What's behind the decline?

A "16 and Pregnant" star juggles homework and parenting: MTV's less-than-glamorous portrayal of teen parents may be contributing to the recent drop in U.S. teen births.
(Image credit: Facebook/16 and Pregnant)

The teen birth rate in the United States has declined for the third straight year. From 2009 to 2010, the most recent year for which data is available, the U.S. birth rate among women aged 15-19 fell 9 percent, to 34.3 births per 1,000 women, an all-time low since data was first collected in 1946. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the decrease was consistent across all racial and ethnic groups, although birth rates tended to be highest in the South and Southwest and lowest in the Northeast and Upper Midwest. Mississippi had the highest teen birth rate, with 55 births per 1,000 women, while New Hamphsire had the lowest rate at just under 16 per 1,000. Overall, the teen birth rate has fallen 44 percent since 1991. Here, four possible factors:

1. More teens are using more contraceptives

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