Childbirth during adolescence often is associated with long-term difficulties for both mother and child. Babies born to adolescent mothers—especially younger adolescent mothers—are at higher risk for low birthweight and infant mortality than are babies born to older mothers.^{1, 2, 3} These babies are also more likely to grow up in homes that offer lower than average levels of emotional support and cognitive stimulation, and they are less likely to earn high school diplomas.^{4, 5} For the mothers, giving birth during adolescence is associated with limited educational attainment, which in turn can reduce employment prospects and earning potential.^{4, 5} Although adolescent birth rates for all racial and ethnic groups have been on a long-term decline since the late 1950s, birth rates historically have been higher for Hispanic and Black, non-Hispanic adolescents than for White, non-Hispanic adolescents.^{1, 6}

Indicator FAM2 Birth rates for females ages 15–17 by race and Hispanic origin, 2016–2023

• The birth rate for female adolescents (i.e., those ages 15–17) declined from 9 per 1,000 in 2016 to 6 per 1,000 in 2021 and then remained stable through 2023. In 2023, the birth rate for adolescents was 5 per 1,000, a record low for the United States.
• From 2016 to 2023, birth rates decreased throughout the period for adolescents who were White, non-Hispanic (from 5 per 1,000 to 3 per 1,000); Black, non-Hispanic (from 14 per 1,000 to 9 per 1,000); American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic (from 17 per 1,000 to 9 per 1,000); and Asian, non-Hispanic (from 1.4 per 1,000 to 0.6 per 1,000).
• For Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic adolescents, the birth rate decreased from 11 per 1,000 in 2016 to 8 per 1,000 in 2018 and then remained stable through 2023 (7 per 1,000).
• For Hispanic adolescents, the birth rate decreased from 16 per 1,000 in 2016 to 9 per 1,000 in 2021 and then remained stable through 2023.
• Despite the declines for each race and Hispanic origin group, substantial racial and ethnic disparities persisted. In 2023, adolescents who were American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic; Black, non-Hispanic; and Hispanic had the highest birth rates (9 per 1,000 each), followed by those who were Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic (7 per 1,000); White, non-Hispanic (3 per 1,000); and Asian, non-Hispanic (0.6 per 1,000).

 FAM2 HTML Table