May is National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month. During this month, we recognize the progress that has been made to decrease rates of teen pregnancy across the nation as well as the challenges that remain.

Since 1991, the birth rate among teenage girls has dropped 67 percent, and in 2016 the teen birth rate was 20.3 births per 1,000 girls. Although the teen pregnancy rate has steadily decreased over the past several decades, girls in the United States are more likely to become pregnant than in any other industrialized country in the world. Teenage girls in America are two and a half times more likely to give birth compared to teenage girls in Canada, and four times more likely than teenage girls in Germany.

Seventy-seven percent of teen pregnancies are unplanned. Young Latinas and African American girls are twice as likely to become pregnant than non-Hispanic white teens, and teens in foster care are twice as likely to become pregnant compared to non-foster youth. Girls who are not involved in sports or extra-curricular activities, and those living in poverty, are also more likely to experience an unplanned pregnancy.

For nearly 30 years, CWLC has provided education and advocacy for comprehensive reproductive health care options for all girls. We appreciate your ongoing support of our work which provides the resources necessary to continue our advocacy on these critically important issues.

To learn more about teen pregnancy in your state, click here.