Teen Pregnancies Decline to 1973 Low, Report Says

Teen pregnancy plummeted 17% in the 1990s to the lowest level since 1973, and teen abortion rates were down too, according to newly released statistics. Researchers point to a mix of reasons, including more reliable contraception, fear of AIDS, a new focus on abstinence and even the strong economy.

And there’s fresh evidence that the peer pressure so many parents worry about actually does more good than harm.

The falling rates have some advocates worried that the nation will become complacent about teen pregnancy, but many were celebrating the statistics, which are being announced today.

“We have made real progress--and must do more--to encourage more young people to delay parenthood,” said Vice President Al Gore, who plans a round-table discussion with teenagers today.

Two new reports document the declines. Statistics from the Department of Health and Human Services show that births to teenagers fell 4% in 1997, helping to push the national birthrate for all women to a record low.

And a report from the Alan Guttmacher Institute finds teen pregnancy dropped 4% in 1996, falling 17% from its peak in 1990. The statistics combine the birth data with figures on abortions and estimates for miscarriages.

The HHS report, which looks at a host of birth data, also found a record low number of births to unmarried black women and a continued decline in out-of-wedlock births in 1997. The year saw a record high for women getting early prenatal care and a record low rate of women smoking during pregnancy, down to 13.2%.

Nationwide, there were about 880,000 teen pregnancies in 1996--just under one for every 10 teen females. Sixty-two percent of them were 18- and 19-year-olds; the rest were 15 to 17 years old. The report did not look at teens under 15.

About one in three pregnancies were aborted, as the teen abortion rate dropped 3% in 1996. It fell 31% from 1986.

Most of the decline in pregnancy is due to increased use of birth control, said Jacqueline E. Darroch, a vice president at Guttmacher, a private research group. She noted that 11% of 15- to 19-year-olds now use long-acting, highly effective birth control methods such as Depo-Provera shots.

Condom use also increased as fear of AIDS spread in the ‘90s. And national surveys point to decreased teen sexual activity as well.

Also, for the first time, research suggests positive peer pressure may be stronger than negative pressures.

Hanging out with friends who do well in school and don’t drink or smoke will help a teen avoid pregnancy, researchers found. But contrary to many parents’ fears, hanging out with kids who engage in risky behaviors doesn’t make much difference, said Brad Brown of the University of Wisconsin, who analyzed a federal survey of teens.

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Teen Pregnancy

The number of teenagers becoming pregnant has dropped to a record low since 1976. A look at pregnancy, birth and abortion rates for teens 15 to 19 years old:

(per 1,000 women)

Pregnancy

1976: 101.4

‘96: 98.7

Birth

1976: 52.8

‘96: 54.4

Abortion

1976: 34.3

‘96: 29.2

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Alan Guttmacher Institute