Teen pregnancy in Rhode Island: policies to improve outcomes.

The United States has one of the highest rates of teen pregnancy among industrialized countries, with more than 750,000 pregnancies each year among women less than 20 years of age. Though teen pregnancy rates in the US had declined each year since 1991, the most recent national data show that rates of teen pregnancy, abortion, and birth are on the rise. Rhode Island has 2,430 teen pregnancies per year, the highest prevalence among the New England states. In Rhode Island, 51% of these pregnancies result in live births and 35% in abortion. Rates of teen pregnancy in Rhode Island vary by region: the highest rates from 2003-2007 were seen in Central Falls (95.5 births per 1,000 teens), followed by Woonsocket (65.2 births per 1,000 teens), Pawtucket (58.7 births per 1,000 teens), and Providence (48.0 births per 1,000 teens). 3 Births to teens have long been associated with adverse outcomes, including individual and familial poverty and reduced educational attainment.4,5,6 Children born to adolescent parents experience higher rates of behavioral and developmental disorders, substance abuse, depression, early sexual activity, and teen pregnancy.7 Nationally, about 20% of births to teens are repeat births, which place additional socioeconomic and health pressures on teen parents.8 In Rhode Island, the repeat birth rate in 2004 was 19% for women ages 15-19.8