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New CDC Report on Historic Low in Teen Birth Rate

For Immediate Release: Sept. 6, 2013


Shows Sex Education and Contraception Work, Says Planned Parenthood

A report out today from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that teen birth rates have continued to decline across nearly all ethnic and racial groups, reaching a historic low in 2012 — the lowest teen birth rate since 1940 (the year when teen birth data began being collected). The birth rate in the U.S. for teens 15-19 years old was down six percent in 2012.

Since 2007, the teen birth rate in the U.S. has dropped almost a third (from 41.5 births per 1,000 teenagers 15-19 years to 29.4 births). Since 1991, it has dropped by more than half (from 61.8).

Paula Gianino, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri:

“Each day, Planned Parenthood works diligently to prevent teen pregnancy in Missouri and Illinois and the trend in reducing teen pregnancy throughout the U.S. continues to be welcome news. But the U.S. still has the highest teen birth rate of any developed country, with Missouri and Illinois at the national average of around 25 percent.”

“We must continue to answer the call to provide young people with information and access to services they need to prevent both pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, no matter what.”

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Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri provides sex education programs in schools and communities across Missouri and Illinois. For more information on our education services, please visit us online at www.plannedparenthood.org/stlouis

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