Report on Birth Rates Among Teen-Agers Is Cautiously Optimistic

When Teens Have Sex: Issues and Trends reports that although the rate of pregnancy among teen-agers has fallen 14 per cent since 1990, the United States still leads the industrialized world in birth rates among that age group. This study from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, in Baltimore, presents data culled from several sources on teen-age pregnancy and gives a state-by-state overview of trends in sexual behavior by teen-agers. After an introduction that discusses the possible reasons for the decline — fear of sexually transmitted diseases, more-responsible attitudes — the report provides state rankings of births per 1,000 females aged 15 to 19: New Hampshire is the state with the fewest, at 29, and the District of Columbia has the most at 102. The report then analyzes information from each state and provides suggestions for lowering birth rates among teen-agers further. Among the recommendations: create additional public-awareness campaigns to warn teen-agers of the dangers of early pregnancies, and promote community-based efforts to make parents more comfortable discussing sex with their children. Appendixes include sources of data for the report and a list of state contacts for groups that work on reducing teen-age pregnancies. The report is also available on the foundation’s World-Wide Web site at http://www.aecf.org. Publisher: Annie E. Casey Foundation, Attn: “Kids Count,” 701 St. Paul Street, Baltimore 21202; (410) 547-6600; fax (410) 547-6624; 158 pages; free.