The Number of Teen Moms Has Reached a Record Low in the U.S.

The teen birth rate in the United States of America has been steadily falling, reaching a historic low over time with less than 18 births per 1,000 females aged between 15 and 19.

According to data released by the National Center for Health Statistics, this new birth rate from 2018 is less than half of that from 2008, and more than 5 times less than the peak of teen birth rates from 1957, of which the rate was 96.3 births per 1,000 girls.

According to the Pew Research Center, many factors could be influencing this drop, such as the effect of the Great Recession in 2007, TV shows and educational messages revolving around teenage pregnancy, and the steady rise in sexually active women using effective contraceptive methods and emergency contraception, from 8% in 2002 to 23% in 2011-2015.