Teen births in the U.S. hit a new record low

Teen births in the U.S. hit another record low last year, according to new CDC data. The rate in 2018 among those ages 15-19 was 17.4 births per 1,000 women, down 7% from 2017 and nearly half the 2010 rate of 34.2 births per 1,000 women. The current rate also represents a nearly 60% drop since 2007, the most recent year with high birth rates. Although the new report didn’t look at the reasons behind this trend, other analyses have found that recent drops in teen births can be traced back to funding for family planning programs under Title X and mandates under the Affordable Care Act that expanded access to contraception. The Trump administration, however, has challenged both these measures, and imposed new rules this year that have threatened health providers — including Planned Parenthood — that rely on Title X funding.