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    Celebrating Successes in North Carolina

     

    The number of North Carolinians getting pregnant has slowed in recent years, down 4.2%, but teens in particular are seeing a significant decrease. Pregnancies among those 19 and under have dropped more than 51%. Aug 15, 2022

     


    Teenage birth rates in the US reached historic lows in 2022, CDC report finds

    There were 13.5 births per 1,000 teens between ages 15 and 19. Released June 1, 2023

     

    Celebrating Successes in North Carolina

     

    Teenage birth rates have fallen to their lowest levels ever, new provisional federal data foundTeen birth rates in the United States have declined to the lowest rates seen in seven decades, yet still rank highest among developed countries. Contributing to this decline are increases in the proportion of teens who have never had sex, combined with other factors. 

    The report, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics, showed the birth rate among 15- to 19-year-olds in 2022 was 13.5 per 1,000 females. That's a 3% drop from the rate of 13.9 per 1,000 in 2021 and a record low in the United States.

    Aside from an increase in 2006 and 2007, the teen birth rate in the U.S. has been continuously declining since 1991.  

    "I'm excited the U.S. has made significant progress in reducing pregnancies among young people," Dr. Vincent Guilamo-Ramos, dean of the Duke University School of Nursing and whose research interests include teen sexual and reproductive health, told ABC News. "The all-time low should be an indication that we're continuing to move in the right direction."

    The number of new mothers aged 10 to 14 years in the U.S. hit a low, according to new statistics from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

    The birth rate for females aged 10 to 14 years declined by a third from 2000 to 2003, remained stable through 2008, and declined by 67 percent from 2000 to 2016.

    Certain states have higher rates than others, the data showed. The states with the highest birth rates for girls in this age group are Louisiana, Mississippi, Delaware, and the District of Columbia.   

    The decline in pre-teen motherhood coincides with a similar decline in teen motherhood, defined as girls aged 15 to 19. The birth rate in this age group fell by 57 percent from 2000 to 2016.

    The CDC attributes the decline in pre-teen and teen motherhood to delayed onset of sexual activity and other factors.  Multiple federal, state, and non-profit agencies have assisted in the efforts to reduce the pregnancy rate in women less than 20 years old.

    But some perspective: Despite these improvements, the U.S. birth rate among teenage girls remains one of the highest compared to other industrialized countries, according to a 2015 study in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

    Teen pregnancy and childbearing remains a public health issue because it often leads to significant financial and societal costs.

    Teen mothers continue to have elevated high school dropout rates and the children of teen moms are more likely to have lower school achievement, health problems and eventual unemployment, according to research compiled by the CDC.

    The number of North Carolinians getting pregnant has slowed in recent years, down 4.2%, but teens in particular are seeing a significant decrease. Pregnancies among those 19 and under have dropped more than 51%. Aug 15, 2022

     In 2020, about 7,800 people aged 19 and younger got pregnant, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.  That's a significant decrease from the number a decade prior, when more than 16,000 teens got pregnant.  In 2021 (most recent statistics), there were 120,501 North Carolinians who got pregnant and fewer than 6 percent were teens. A decade ago, more than 10 percent of pregnancies were among those 19 and younger.

     

    A small percentage - less than one percent- of those who get pregnant are 14 or younger. The North Carolina Resident Births for 2021 by Age of Mother and Birth Order for All Women Chart, lists pregnancy data by ages ranging from 11 – 45 and older.  This information was released on February 28, 2023, from the year 2021. 

     

    In 2021, there were 67 pregnancies among girls ages 11 to 14 (middle school).  There were 2,791 girls ages 15-18 (high school), who gave birth in 2021. Source: NC Department of Health & Human Services State Center for Health Statistics.

     

    The Dept. of Health and Human Services' vital statistics data also tracks teens who have had repeated pregnancies. The most recent data shows about one out of every four girls ages 15 to 19 who were pregnant in 2020 had been pregnant before. That's a percentage that has increased in recent years since 2013.

    Teen childbearing is a matter of public health concern due to the elevated health risks for mothers and their infants and the social and economic costs in terms of health care, child welfare, and the potential loss of the mother’s educational and occupational opportunities,” from  a 2020 report from Center of Disease Control.

    There are well-documented links between adolescent childbearing and individual, family, and community characteristics. For example, adolescents who feel connected to school and do well in school are less likely than are other adolescents to have children. At the family level, young people who feel connected to and supported by their families are less likely to have sex and become pregnant.

    While the drop in births to pre-teen mothers in the U.S. represents progress, there is more work to do.

    In 2020, about 7,800 people aged 19 and younger got pregnant, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.  That's a significant decrease from the number a decade prior, when more than 16,000 teens got pregnant.   In 2020, there were more than 142,000 North Carolinians who got pregnant and fewer than 6 percent were teens. A decade ago, more than 10 percent of pregnancies were among those 19 and younger.

     

    A small percentage - less than one percent- of those who get pregnant are 14 or younger. The state groups pregnancy data in age ranges. It shows that, in 2020, there were 106 pregnancies among girls 10 to 14, but none of those were in people aged 10 or 11. Among those 12 to 14 years old, 61 gave birth and one person’s baby passed away.

    The state also tracks teens who have had repeated pregnancies. The most recent data shows about one out of every four people ages 15 to 19 who were pregnant in 2020 had been pregnant before. That's a percentage that has increased in recent years and is at its highest rate since 2013.

    Teen childbearing is a matter of public health concern due to the elevated health risks for mothers and their infants and the social and economic costs in terms of health care, child welfare, and the potential loss of the mother’s educational and occupational opportunities,” from  a 2020 report from Center of Disease Control.

    There are well-documented links between adolescent childbearing and individual, family, and community characteristics. For example, adolescents who feel connected to and do well in school are less likely than are other adolescents to have children. At the family level, young people who feel connected to and supported by their families are less likely to have sex and become pregnant.

    Celebrating Successes in the United States

    The national teen birth rate of 15.4 births per 1,000 women and girls ages 15 to 19 marked another record low. Since 2009, the rate among teens has hit a new low each year, continuing a decades-long trend that has seen the overall rate drop by 75% since 1991.


    By state, declines in teen birth rates in 2020 ranged from 5% in Pennsylvania and  North Carolina to 19% in Montana. Maine was the only state to see an increase in its teen birth rate, which rose from 9.1 per 1,000 in 2019 to 10.6 per 1,000 in 2020.

     

    LogoDescription automatically generatedThe purpose of the “parent signature” requirement on homework assignments in the Reproductive Health and Safety Education class for students in grades 7th and 8th is to remind students that parents are the primary sexuality educators of their children, and the role of the school is to provide support.  Reproductive Health and Safety Education is seen as a partnership between parents/guardians, schools, and the community. The curriculum shall encourage the involvement and acceptance of each. The role of the school is to supplement and assist in the education of the child, encouraging learning essential to the development of strong families, positive relationships, and a healthy community. Students are encouraged to discuss information received in the classroom with parents or guardians at home.

    Parents, “it’s time to talk”! 

    In Grades 7th and 8th , there are “Talk to Parent” communication homework assignments provided to students as an opportunity to “open the door to communicating” with parents / legal guardians.  

    Talking honestly and openly with your kids about sex and relationships is important — and it's never too early to start. Your support can help them make healthy choices and avoid risks as they grow up.

    It may be hard to know where to start, especially if your parents didn’t talk to you about sex when you were growing up.

    Parents are the most important influence on a young person's decisions about relationships — even more important than friends, siblings, or the media. Most young people say that it would be easier to make decisions about dating relationships if they could talk openly and honestly with their parents.

    Young people who talk with their parents about dating relationships are more likely to put off having sex until they're older. They're also more likely to make healthy choices to prevent pregnancy and STDs (sexually transmitted diseases).