Teens of all ethnicities are having fewer babies than ever, at least in recent recorded history, but Texas is still near the top of the list.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports teen birth rates dropped to its lowest level since they started tracking the statistic more than 70 years ago in 1940.
In 2010, about 34 per 1,000 teens between 15 and 19 years old gave birth. In Texas, that number was much higher at 52.2 births per 1,000 teens.
That number represents a 15 percent decline from 2007's number of 61.7 per.
Birth rates were highest across the Deep South and Southwestern United States, and lowest in New England. Mississippi had the higest rates with 55 births per 1,000 and New Hampshire the lowest with 15.7 per.
All of Texas' border states (New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana) had a birth rate over 50 per 1,000 teens except for Louisiana who had 47.7 per. See how all states fared here.
When broken down by ethnicity, the CDC shows the following per 1,000 teens nationwide in 2010 and the most recent peak in 1991:
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
All Races
1991 61.6 per 1,000 teens
2010 34.4 per 1,000 teens
Non-Hispanic white
1991 43.4 per 1,000 teens
2010 23.5 per 1,000 teens
Non-Hispanic black
1991 118.2 per 1,000 teens
2010 51.5 per 1,000 teens
Hispanic
1991 104.6 per 1,000 teens
2010 55.7 per 1,000 teens
American Indian or Alaska Native
1991 84.1 per 1,000 teens
2010 38.7 per 1,000 teens
Asian or Pacific Islander
1991 27.3 per 1,000 teens
2010 10.9 per 1,000 tens
The CDC said increased use of contraception, as well as teens using dual methods of contraception, may have contributed to the recent decline in teen birth rates.
