What’s measured The study looked at births to mothers under the age of 18 as a percent of all births. The years examined were 2000 through 2005 for North Carolina counties in the region and 2000 through 2003 for South Carolina counties in the region. North Carolina State Center for Health Statistics and the South Carolina Office of Research and Statistics provide data on births to mothers under 18. The regional indicator is the un-weighted average of the 14-counties’ teen birth rates, and is calculated only for 2000-2003. Why it’s measured This measure indicates potential stress placed on counties and the region due to challenges associated with teen parenting. It also helps indicate social well-being, economic opportunity and educational attainment of these young parents, both as teenagers and future adults. This indicator can help keep the issues facing teen parents on the agenda, assist agencies in dealing with this issue, and provide a measurement for initiatives that have lowering teen births as a goal. Indicator results The 2003 regional county average of births to teenaged mothers was 4.5%, down from 5.4% in 2000. The regional county rate was higher than the statewide rate for North Carolina (3.9% for 2003), and has remained so for all four years examined. It has fluctuated around the statewide rate for South Carolina (4.6% for 2003). By county, the highest rates of teen births in the region for 2003 were in Chester (7.5%) and Cleveland (5.6%), while the lowest were in Mecklenburg (3.1%), Union and Cabarrus (3.5% each) and Catawba (3.6%). From 2000 to 2003, thirteen of the region’s fourteen counties saw a decline in teen birth rates. The exception was Iredell County, whose teen birth rate increased from 4.4% in 2000 to 4.6% in 2003. Lancaster, Anson and Gaston experienced substantial drops in teen birth rates: Lancaster went from 6.9% to 4.6%, Anson from 7.4% to 5.0%, and Gaston from 5.3% to 3.8%. From 2003 to 2005, the declining trend in teen births among the region’s North Carolina counties appears to be reversing: the 11 counties averaged a 4.5% teen birth rate for 2005, up from 4.0% in 2004 and 4.2% in 2003. Anson, Cleveland, Gaston, Stanly and Union led this trend reversal with increases ranging from one-half to two percentage points (or, 10 to 40 percent of the indicator value). Only Cabarrus, Iredell and Lincoln continued the trend of declines in teen birth rates. Evaluation Some authorities argue that the recent decline in teenage pregnancies can be attributable to the increased use of contraceptives. However, despite data that illustrates that contraception decreases rates of teen pregnancy, there has yet to be a general consensus on whether the decline is attributable to public schools sex-education curricula, contraceptive usage, or a combination of both factors. The apparent increase in teen birth rates from 2003 to 2005 among the region’s North Carolina counties is troubling, and bears monitoring to determine whether the long-term trend is truly reversing, stabilizing, or with this minor aberration, continuing downward, as well as to see what pattern the region’s South Carolina counties follow. On the state and federal level, policy makers need to continue to concentrate on finding ways to sustain recent declines in teenage pregnancy and childbearing. Connections Births to teenaged women can be correlated to multiple social, economic and health- related indicators as a measurement of social well-being. Girls under the age of 18 that become pregnant also are at increased risk for not finishing high school. Without that educational attainment, they erode their earning potential, thus increasing the chance they will live a life of poverty.
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