Latino teen age birth rates; new report, same story
The good news is that overall, the number of births to teen aged mothers in the US is falling. You know what comes next. The down side. Births to Latino teen aged mothers is three times that of white non-latinos.
According to a Reuters report, “Birth rates fell to 41.5 births per 1,000 U.S. teens in 2008 from 42.5 in 2007, spurred by drops in 14 states. That followed an increase in 2005-2007, according to the report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics. ”
There’s really nothing new as far as the stats are concerned: the highest birth rate for teen aged mothers is in southern states. Â And “Teen birth rates are typically higher among blacks and Hispanics, with Hispanic teens giving birth at a rate of nearly three times the rate of whites, and blacks giving birth at nearly two times the rate of white teens in 2007.”
As to the why of it all, again, the Reuters report: “Education and income, sexual activity and contraceptive use, and attitudes among teens toward pregnancy and childbearing are all factors, the CDC researchers said.”
What’s interesting, though, is that the rates of teen births vary from region to region. Apparently some parts of the country have found a workable solution. Â Then again, it could be a fluke. I’m not trying to minimize the problem or the successes, it’s just that there doesn’t seem to be enough information to hang a plan on.
Political operatives should take notice though. Eighteen years from now there will be a three times higher rate of eligible Latino voters., taxpayers, constituents.
