Indicator: Teen Pregnancy
Teen pregnancy places both the young mother and her child at risk for a variety of medical, social, and economic problems. Teen parents typically complete less education, earn less money, and are more likely to be single parents. The overwhelming majority of teens in the United States do not want to become parents as teens.
- Teen Pregnancy
- New Family Stability
- Mother's Educational Attainment
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Why This Is Important
Most teen pregnancies occur between the ages of 15-19 years of age.
Where We Stand
The vast majority of pregnancies occur for females ages 15-19. In 2006, the rate of 36.1 was up slightly from 2005’s 35.1. However, the rate is substantially lower from 1997’s 46.1.
We also look carefully at pregnancies for the 15-17 year-olds, since they are at a higher risk of pregnancies than younger teens because of high school completion and other factors.
Data Source and Context
The data source for this indicator is the Maine Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, Office of Data, Research and Vital Statistics, Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention, Maine Department of Health and Human Services.
Why This is Important
Teen pregnancy places both the young mother and her child at risk for a variety of medical, social, and economic problems. Teen parents typically complete less education, earn less money, and are more likely to be single parents. The overwhelming majority of teens in the United States do not want to become parents as teens.
Where We Stand
Maine saw the sharpest decline in the nation in teen pregnancy rates during the first half of the 1990s, and pregnancy rates continued to decline in Maine and the U.S. from then to 2003. In 2003, the pregnancy rate (per 1,000) for females ages 10-14 was 0.4, for females 15-17 was 18.9 and for females 18-19 was 59.1. Rates since 2003, culminating in the most recent 2006 data, have remained relatively stable. Comparable national data is not available due to the inconsistency of reporting across states. According to the Maine Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, 57.9% of pregnancies of Maine women 19 years of age or younger were unintended in 2005, down from 76.6% in 2004.
Data Source and Context
The data source for this indicator is the Maine Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, Office of Data, Research and Vital Statistics, Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention, Maine Department of Health and Human Services.
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Why This is Important
The age and education of a new mother, plus the official identification of the father, are factors that relate to each other and that are strongly associated with improved child health, healthy development and overall family functioning. If all three factors are present, a new family is more likely to be stable, successful, and able to realize the rewards and responsibilities of raising children.
Where We Stand
Nearly one-third of all live births in Maine are first births to mothers who have completed high school, are age 20 or older, and have recorded the father’s name on the birth certificate. In 2007, this represented 4,559 of the 14,105 total live births. This 32% has risen very slightly from 1998.
Data Source and Context
The data source for this indicator is the Office of Data, Research and Vital Statistics, Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention, Maine Department of Health and Human Services. These data are taken from the Maine birth certificate data file indicating the number of first births to mothers who have completed high school, are age 20 or older, and have the father's name recorded on the birth certificate.
Why This is Important
The age and education of a new mother, plus the official identification of the father, are factors that relate to each other and that are strongly associated with improved child health, healthy development and overall family functioning. If all three factors are present, a new family is more likely to be stable, successful, and able to realize the rewards and responsibilities of raising children.
Where We Stand
In 2007, 32 percent of all live births in Maine (4,559 of 14,105) are first births to mothers who have completed high school, are age 20 or older, and have recorded the father’s name on the birth certificate. This figure has changed only very slightly over the past 10-year period.
In 2007, of all first-time mothers over age 20 who have completed high school and have the father’s name recorded on the birth certificate:
- 29 % had attained 12 years of education
- 8% had attained 13 years of education
- 14% had attained 14 years of education
- 6% had attained 15 years of education
- 25% had attained 16 years of education
- 19 % had attained 17 years of education
This distribution has remained fairly consistent since the mid-1990s. The largest change in this period is represented by the increase in the proportion of these mothers reporting 17 years of education. This figure was 19% in 2007, 12% in 1998 to 19% in 2007.
Data Source and Context
The data source for this indicator is the Office of Data, Research and Vital Statistics, Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention, Maine Department of Health and Human Services. These data are taken from the Maine birth certificate data file indicating the number of first births to mothers who have completed high school, are age 20 or older, and have the father's name recorded on the birth certificate.