Teen Birth Rates and Educational Outcomes – The Annie E. Casey Foundation

Report on Teen Birth Trends and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Overview of Teen Birth Trends in the United States

Over the past two decades, the United States has experienced a significant decline in teen birth rates. In 2023, there were 140,977 births to females aged 15 to 19, corresponding to a birth rate of 13 births per 1,000 teens, as reported in the 2025 KIDS COUNT® Data Book.

Monitoring teenage pregnancy rates is crucial due to the associated challenges for both mother and child, including:

• Increased risk of preterm birth or low birth weight.
• Reduced family resources.
• Lower academic performance and attainment.
• Higher likelihood of perpetuating the teen parenting cycle.

A 2025 report highlights that adolescent childbearing is linked to significant social, health, and financial risks for teens, their families, and society at large.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

The decline in teen birth rates contributes directly to several SDGs, including:

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being – by reducing health risks associated with teen pregnancies.
• SDG 4: Quality Education – by improving educational outcomes for young women.
• SDG 1: No Poverty – by decreasing economic hardships linked to early childbearing.
• SDG 5: Gender Equality – by empowering young women to make informed reproductive choices.

National Trends in Teen Birth Rates

The national teen birth rate in 2023 was 13 births per 1,000 females aged 15 to 19. Over the last four decades, the rate has sharply declined:

1. 1990: 60 births per 1,000 teens.
2. 2000: 48 births per 1,000 teens.
3. 2010: 34 births per 1,000 teens.
4. 2020: 15 births per 1,000 teens.

Additionally, the total number of teen births dropped by 73% from 521,826 in 1990 to 140,977 in 2023.

Teen Birth Rates by Race and Ethnicity

Teen birth rates vary significantly across racial and ethnic groups (2023 data):

• American Indian or Alaska Native: 16 births per 1,000 teens.
• Asian and Pacific Islander: 3 births per 1,000 teens.
• Black or African American: 20 births per 1,000 teens.
• Hispanic or Latino: 21 births per 1,000 teens.
• Non-Hispanic White: 8 births per 1,000 teens.
• Two or more races: 12 births per 1,000 teens.

Only Asian and Pacific Islander and Non-Hispanic White groups have rates below the national average.

Teen Birth Rates by State

Teen birth rates vary widely by state with clear regional patterns:

• New England States: Generally the lowest rates; New Hampshire reported 5 births per 1,000 teens, Vermont and Massachusetts each reported 6 births per 1,000 teens in 2023.
• Southern States: Highest rates; Mississippi had 25 births per 1,000 teens, Arkansas 24 births per 1,000 teens in 2023.

Impact of Teen Birth Rates on Educational Outcomes

Teen pregnancy adversely affects education, with teen mothers generally achieving lower educational attainment than their peers:

• Teen mothers are significantly less likely to obtain associate’s, bachelor’s, or higher degrees compared to mothers who give birth at older ages.
• High school graduation rates are 90% among females who do not give birth during adolescence, compared to only 50% among teen mothers by age 22.

These educational deficits contribute to long-term economic consequences such as:

• Reduced earning potential.
• Increased reliance on public assistance.
• Missed opportunities to develop employment skills.
• Higher likelihood of living in poverty.

Economic Benefits of Education for Single Mothers

A study by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research found:

• Each additional level of education reduces the likelihood of poverty among single mothers by 32% on average.
• Only 13% of single mothers with a bachelor’s degree live in poverty, compared to 62% with less than a high school diploma.
• Single mothers with a high school diploma are over three times more likely to live in poverty than those with a bachelor’s degree.

Multigenerational Impact of Teen Pregnancy

Research from Stanford University indicates that adolescent childbearing affects early childhood development across multiple generations, impacting not only the child but also the grandchild of the teen mother.

Children born to teen parents are more likely to experience poorer academic outcomes, including lower school readiness scores and lower school performance.

Policy, Prevention, and Support Strategies

Evidence-based interventions can reduce unintended pregnancies and improve teen birth rate trends. These include promoting access to contraceptives and comprehensive sexual health education.

Example: From 2008 to 2016, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment implemented a four-pronged initiative to improve contraceptive access statewide, involving:

1. Increasing access to family-planning services.
2. Increasing access to contraceptive devices.
3. Promoting healthy decisions and planning.
4. Improving public policies and practices.

Results from 2008 to 2019 showed:

• Increase in long-term reversible contraceptive use from 6% to 32% among clients.
• Decline in adolescent birthrate from 11.2 to 3.9 births per 1,000 teens.
• Reduction in adolescent abortion rate from 39.6 to 13.5 abortions per 1,000 teens.
• Decrease in second-order or higher births to adolescents from 1,258 to 290 per year.

Recommended Policy Strategies

• Implement evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs.
• Expand young people’s access to healthcare services, Medicaid family planning, and Title X clinics.
• Utilize mass media campaigns to promote safer sex practices.

Support for Young Parents

Supporting adolescent parents requires collaboration among policymakers, community organizations, and program leaders. Recommendations from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research include:

• Using public funding to incentivize communities and colleges to increase degree attainment among single mothers and monitor progress.
• Expanding state childcare subsidy eligibility to include higher education and training toward work requirements, covering all degree types.
• Strengthening connections between early education and higher education systems to improve access to quality childcare.
• Conducting rigorous evaluations of student parent support and campus childcare programs to identify best practices and their impact on persistence and completion rates.
• Leveraging philanthropy to identify, evaluate, and scale affordable strategies for increasing college success among single mothers.
• Prioritizing family-friendly campuses that create welcoming and supportive environments for students with children.

Case Study: Monroe Community College in Rochester, NY, found that student parents using the on-campus childcare center had more than triple the on-time graduation rate compared to those who did not use the center.

Conclusion

Efforts to reduce teen birth rates and support young parents align with the Sustainable Development Goals by promoting health, education, gender equality, and poverty reduction. Leaders and systems committed to these goals should adopt data-informed, equitable solutions to enable all young people to succeed.

1. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed or Connected

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • The article discusses teen birth rates, adolescent pregnancy, and associated health risks such as preterm birth and low birth weight.
   • Focus on reducing unintended pregnancies and improving access to contraceptives aligns with SDG 3.
2. SDG 4: Quality Education
   • The article highlights the negative impact of teen pregnancy on educational attainment and academic performance.
   • It emphasizes increasing degree attainment among teen mothers and supporting student parents.
3. SDG 1: No Poverty
   • Teen pregnancy is linked to increased poverty risk, reduced earning potential, and reliance on public assistance.
   • Supporting teen parents to improve economic stability aligns with poverty reduction goals.
4. SDG 5: Gender Equality
   • Addressing adolescent childbearing and supporting young mothers promotes gender equality and empowerment.
5. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • The article notes disparities in teen birth rates among racial and ethnic groups, highlighting the need to reduce inequalities.

2. Specific Targets Under Those SDGs Identified

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • Target 3.7: Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including family planning, information and education.
   • Target 3.2: End preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age (linked to risks of preterm and low birth weight babies).
2. SDG 4: Quality Education
   • Target 4.1: Ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education.
   • Target 4.3: Ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education.
3. SDG 1: No Poverty
   • Target 1.2: Reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children living in poverty in all its dimensions.
4. SDG 5: Gender Equality
   • Target 5.6: Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights.
5. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • Target 10.2: Empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, race or ethnicity.

3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied to Measure Progress

1. Teen Birth Rate
   • Number of births per 1,000 females ages 15-19 (explicitly reported for various years, racial/ethnic groups, and states).
2. Educational Attainment
   • Percentage of teen mothers obtaining high school diplomas, associate’s degrees, bachelor’s degrees, or higher education degrees.
   • Graduation rates of student parents using on-campus child care versus those who do not.
3. Contraceptive Use
   • Percentage of contraceptive clients using long-term reversible contraceptives.
4. Adolescent Abortion Rate
   • Number of abortions per 1,000 teens (reported decline in the article).
5. Economic Indicators
   • Rates of poverty among single mothers by education level.
   • Employment and reliance on public assistance (implied through economic consequences discussed).
6. Racial and Ethnic Disparities
   • Teen birth rates disaggregated by race and ethnicity to monitor inequalities.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: aecf.org