Teen birthrate at lowest point in seven decades

Teenagers are giving birth at the lowest rates noted in seven decades of record-keeping, according to statistics from the federal government released Tuesday.

The report doesn’t speculate on why the birthrate has fallen, but two decades of public-health initiatives to curb teenage pregnancy may be paying dividends. The National Center for Health Statistics report shows that the teen birthrate fell to 39.1 births per 1,000 teenagers ages 15 to 19 in 2009. That’s a 6% drop from 2008 and the lowest rate since 1940. In 1991, in contrast, the rate was 61.8 per 1,000.

Birthrates fell for groups that have had the highest rates, including Hispanics, whose rate fell 10% but still stands at 70.1 births per 1,000.

Other birth data:

The overall birthrate for all U.S. women fell for the second straight year. The decline appears to be continuing, based on data for the first half of 2010.

• About 41% of births were to unmarried mothers in 2009, up from 40.6% in 2008.

• The birthrate for women in their early 20s fell 7% and now stands at the lowest rate since 1973.

• The preterm birthrate continued its much-need improvement -- falling for the third straight year.

• The cesearean section rate reached a new high of 32.9%. It has increased every year since 1996, when the rate was 20.7%.

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