Teen Pregnancy

Teen births in the US have declined, but still more than 273,000 infants were born to teens ages 15 to 19 in 2013.

CDC Vital Signs links science, policy, and communications with the intent of communicating a call-to-action for the public. CDC Vital Signs provides the most recent, comprehensive data on key indicators of important health topics.

Although teen birth rates have been falling for the last two decades, more than 365,000 teens, ages 15-19, gave birth in 2010. Teen pregnancy and childbearing can carry high health, emotional, social, and financial costs for both teen mothers and their children.

More than 400,000 teen girls, aged 15-19 years, give birth each year in the US. The media often glamorize teens having sexual intercourse and teen parenting, but the reality is starkly different. Having a child during the teen years carries high costs-emotional, physical, and financial-to the mother, father, child, and community.