Teen pregnancy rate reaches another record low 

As humans we have a natural tendency to focus on bad news, sensational news, news that is sudden and immediate. Long-term trends are boring. Incremental change for the good is the more important route to permanent improvement in our lot, but it’s easily overlooked. Here’s an important example.

When I was growing up, I remember a great emphasis on the problem of teen pregnancy. In the modern world, the vast majority of us agree that teenagers having babies is bad. Everybody was trying to figure out how to fix this, or trying to find ways for these young moms to finish high school. I don’t know how or why the problem has changed, but boy has it ever. (Note that the number of abortions and the abortion rate have also decreased during this period.)

The image above is taken from the newly released CDC report of (provisional) vital statistics for 2019. The rate of teen pregnancies in the US continues to decline. Births among girls ages 15-19 are down 5% just from the previous year, and have reached an all-time low of 16.6 births per 1,000 girls. In 1991, the rate was 61.8. That’s a decrease of over 70%.

The impact of this is profound and long-lasting, as “children born to adolescents are more likely to have poorer educational, behavioral, and health outcomes throughout their lives.” (US Dept. of Health & Human Services) 

Whatever your preferred media source, remember what you’re reading and watching skews heavily toward what is negative. The world is a better place than any news coverage would suggest.

Amy Rogers, MD, PhD, is a Harvard-educated scientist, novelist, journalist, and educator. Learn more about Amy’s science thriller novels, or download a free ebook on the scientific backstory of SARS-CoV-2 and emerging infections, at AmyRogers.com.

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