Teen Pregnancy and Birth Rates
National Rates
According to the Guttmacher Institute, the teen pregnancy rate in the United States declined between 1992 and 2002 (the most recent year for which data is available). After a rise in the late 1980s, the national rate peaked at 116.9 pregnancies per 1,000 girls aged 15–19 in 1990. A decade later, the rate decreased by 36% to 75.4 pregnancies per 1,000 women aged 15–19 in 2002. Abortion and birth rates have also declined over the past fifteen years.1
Massachusetts Rates
Massachusetts has had consistently lower teen pregnancy and birth rates than the overall United States rates.2
Despite having low teen pregnancy and birth rates relative to most other states, the abortion rate in Massachusetts is higher than the national rate.3
Local Teen Birth Rates
Trends in Teen Birth Rates for Selected Communities, 2008–2009
(Rates per 1000 women, ages 15–19)
| 2009 Rank by Birth Rate | Municipality | Birth Rate 2007 | Birth Rate 2008 | Number of Births 2009 | Birth Rate 2009 | % Change in Rate 08-09 | % Change in Rate 99-09 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STATE TOTAL | 22.0 | 20.1 | 4477 | 19.5 | -3 | -27 | |
| 1 | Holyoke | 95.4 | 115.3 | 146 | 96.8 | -16 | -2 |
| 2 | Lawrence | 76.0 | 80.9 | 239 | 79.0 | -2 | -21 |
| 3 | Chelsea | 82.0 | 97.0 | 76 | 76.0 | -22 | -18 |
| 4 | Springfield | 84.3 | 61.4 | 438 | 72.1 | +17 | -14 |
| 5 | New Bedford | 66.7 | 62.9 | 173 | 58.5 | -7 | -20 |
| 6 | Lynn | 56.7 | 53.2 | 172 | 55.8 | +5 | -11 |
| 7 | Southbridge | 77.1 | 60.9 | 31 | 55.6 | -9 | -25 |
| 8 | Pittsfield | 52.7 | 47.2 | 70 | 55.1 | +17 | +62 |
| 9 | Revere | 45.6 | 50.3 | 56 | 53.2 | +6 | +113 |
| 10 | Lowell | 54.2 | 48.7 | 210 | 53.0 | +9 | -14 |
| 11 | North Adams | 40.7 | 28.3 | 29 | 51.3 | +81 | +25 |
| 12 | Fall River | 59.0 | 56.2 | 129 | 45.6 | -19 | -12 |
| 13 | Taunton | 33.7 | 24.5 | 70 | 42.9 | +75 | -17 |
| 14 | Chicopee | 43.7 | 33.9 | 72 | 41.4 | +22 | +16 |
| 15 | Fitchburg | 45.4 | 38.4 | 64 | 40.9 | +7 | -32 |
| 16 | Brockton | 47.0 | 42.6 | 137 | 37.7 | -12 | -37 |
| 17 | Haverhill | 35.1 | 32.0 | 70 | 36.7 | +15 | -23 |
| 18 | Everett | 40.6 | 40.6 | 37 | 34.9 | -14 | +9 |
| 19 | Attleboro | 30.9 | 26.5 | 39 | 34.4 | +30 | +22 |
| 20 | Leominster | 36.7 | 23.1 | 41 | 32.7 | +42 | -35 |
| 21 | Worcester | 35.7 | 36.4 | 219 | 31.1 | -15 | -31 |
| 22 | Methuen | 29.4 | 22.6 | 40 | 30.1 | +33 | -9 |
| 23 | Boston | 29.7 | 28.6 | 521 | 26.4 | -8 | -29 |
| 24 | Framingham | 20.5 | 27.1 | 50 | 25.6 | -6 | -8 |
| 25 | Somerville | 11.1 | 15.2 | 40 | 18.4 | +21 | -46 |
*Selected communities include the 25 Massachusetts cities and towns with the greatest number of teen births. State teen birth rates were calculated using 2009 population data; however, please note that 2009 community teen birth rates use 2005 population estimates. Population changes since 2005 may impact the final community rates.
Sources: Births (Vital Records). Massachusetts Community Health Information Profile (MassCHIP). Version 3.00r323. Massachusetts Dept. of Public Health. Data downloaded July 25, 2011. O’Keefe, G., Cohen, B., & Nyberg, S. (2011, July). Massachusetts Births 2009. Boston: Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
Download this table of Massachusetts 2009 teen birth rates.
Download the 2006, 2007, or 2008 teen birth data.
International Rates
Despite evidence that teens in the United States have been making healthier decisions in recent years, the U.S. still has teen pregnancy, birth, abortion and STD/HIV rates that exceed many other industrialized countries. For example, the teen pregnancy rate in the United States is nearly eleven times higher than in the Netherlands and nearly five times higher than the rate in France. The teen abortion rate in the U.S. is almost eight times higher than in Germany.
For several years, Advocates for Youth has investigated why these differences exist and what lessons Americans can learn from European approaches to teen pregnancy prevention. Below are some comparisons between European and U.S. teen pregnancy, birth, and abortion rates.4
There are a variety of complex explanations for these striking differences. In particular, it seems that adults and policymakers in these countries provide a level of respect to teenagers not seen in the United States, resulting in increased openness about sexuality and sexual decision-making. As a result, many European teens have easy access to sexual health information and services to help them make healthy decisions.
- 1. Alan Guttmacher Institute (2006). U.S. Teenage Pregnancy Statistics National and State Trends and Trends by Race and Ethnicity. New York
- 2. Massachusetts Department of Public Health. (2009, January). Massachusetts Births 2007. Boston: Author.
- 3. The Alan Guttmacher Institute. (2004). U.S. teenage pregnancy statistics: Overall trends, trends by race and ethnicity and state-by-state information. New York: Author.
- 4. Advocates for Youth. (2003) Adolescent sexual health in Europe and the U.S.—What’s the difference? Washington, DC.