15 States Grappling with High Teen Birth Rates

Teen birth rates in the United States remain a significant public health concern, particularly in certain states where the numbers are alarmingly high. In 2022, Mississippi bore the highest rates, with a staggering 27.9 births per 1,000 women aged 15-19.

Factors like socioeconomic status, education, and access to healthcare intertwine to create environments where teenage pregnancies thrive. Here are the top 15 states grappling with these challenges.

1. Mississippi

Mississippi’s teen birth rate of 26.4 per 1,000 women aged 15-19 in 2022 was the highest in the nation. This figure, while a decrease from 29.1 in 2019, still towers above the national average.^(ref)

The Arkansas-Mississippi Delta area, in particular, exhibits the most elevated birth rates, with a study pointing to community norms and socioeconomic factors like poverty, discrimination, and lack of comprehensive sex education as key contributors to this troubling trend.

2. Arkansas

Arkansas holds the second-highest teen birth rate in the country, with 24.6 births per 1,000 women aged 15-19 in 2022.

As one of the most conservatively religious states, Arkansas has seen a substantial decline in its teen birth rate over the years, dropping from 59.1 in 2005 to 39.5 in 2014 and finally to 30.0 in 2019. However, disparities persist within the state, with some counties experiencing rates as high as 70 births per 1,000 women.

3. Louisiana

Louisiana’s teen birth rate stands at 23.7 per 1,000 women aged 15-19. In an effort to combat these high rates, Louisiana has implemented programs like the Louisiana Adolescent Reproductive Health Program, which focuses on providing education and resources to young people.

4. Kentucky

Kentucky’s teen birth rate of 21.8 per 1,000 women aged 15-19 is the fourth highest in the country. The state must continue to invest in comprehensive sex education and access to healthcare services to make significant strides in reducing its teen birth rate.

5. Oklahoma

Oklahoma’s teen birth rate is 21.2 per 1,000 women aged 15-19. To address teen pregnancies, the state has initiatives like the Oklahoma Pregnancy Prevention Program, which aims to provide education and resources to young people.

6. Tennessee

Tennessee has 21.0 births per 1,000 women aged 15-19 in 2022. This figure, while lower than the state’s 2018 rate of 25.3, still highlights the ongoing challenges Tennessee faces in addressing teen pregnancies.

Rural counties, in particular, exhibit higher teen birth rates compared to urban areas.

7. Alabama

Alabama’s teen birth rate stands at 20.9 per 1,000 women aged 15-19. The state has long grappled with high teen pregnancy rates. Initiatives like the Alabama Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy have been working to address this issue by providing education and resources to young people.

8. Texas

Texas has 20.4 births per 1,000 women aged 15-19. Every year, around 35,000 women in Texas become pregnant before the age of 20.

Access to reproductive services in the state is limited, contributing to the high teen birth rate and the highest rate of repeat teen births in the nation.

9. West Virginia

West Virginia’s teen birth rate stands at 19.8 per 1,000 women aged 15-19, a slight decrease from 2019. Approximately 79% of West Virginia’s teen births are to older teens (age 18-19), and about 19% of teen births are to teens who already have a child.

10. New Mexico

New Mexico has 19.7 births per 1,000 women aged 15-19. In 2022, 55.1% of female teens aged 15-19 in New Mexico were Hispanic, and 81% of the teens who gave birth in 2017 were Hispanic.

The state’s child poverty rate of 25.9% is a significant contributing factor to its high teen pregnancy rates.

11. South Carolina

South Carolina’s teen birth rate stands at 17.3 per 1,000 women aged 15-19. The South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy have been working to address this issue by providing education and resources to young people.

12. Georgia

Georgia has the eleventh-highest teen birth rate in the nation, with 16.6 births per 1,000 women aged 15-19 in 2022. The state has long struggled with high teen pregnancy rates, with factors like poverty, limited access to healthcare, and a lack of comprehensive sex education contributing to this ongoing issue.

13. Arizona

Arizona has a teen birth rate of 15.1 births per 1,000 women aged 15-19.

Efforts to address teen pregnancies in Arizona include programs like the Arizona Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program. However, the state must continue to invest in comprehensive sex education and access to healthcare services to make significant strides in reducing its teen birth rate.

14. North Carolina

North Carolina has a teen birth rate of 15.0 births per 1,000 women aged 15-19. Organizations across the state, such as the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Campaign of North Carolina (APPCNC), are working to support pregnant and parenting teenagers through school-based programs, alternative schools, and community-based organizations that provide comprehensive support services.

APPCNC has set a goal to reduce the state’s teen pregnancy rate by an additional 30% by 2020 through strategies such as providing evidence-based sex education, increasing access to contraception, and promoting youth development programs.

15. Nevada

Nevada’s teen birth rate stands at 14.0 per 1,000 women aged 15-19, placing it fifteenth highest in the country. The state’s high poverty levels and limited access to comprehensive sexual health education contribute to this concerning statistic.

Additionally, Nevada’s diverse population and vast rural areas present unique challenges in providing accessible and culturally sensitive reproductive health services.

As we reflect on the startling reality of teen birth rates in these 15 states, it becomes clear that addressing this complex issue requires a multi-faceted approach. By working together to implement evidence-based solutions and support our young people, we can break the cycle of teen pregnancies and empower the next generation to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.