A new report published by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports teen births and C-sections are on the decline. The report is just a small part of statistics collected each year by the CDC. The analysis for the report comes from a review of nearly all birth records in the United States during 2010. Recently there has been a huge push to reduce C-section rates and teen pregnancies. The efforts appear to be working.

The reports of teen pregnancies in the 15 to 19 year old age group has been falling in recent years, but this year marks the largest drop and lowest rates of pregnancy in about 70 years. The number of teen pregnancies in the 15 to 19 year old age group fell by 9% since the CDC reported in 2009.

Not only are teen pregnancies falling, but also pregnancies in the early 20s. According to the CDC, the rate of pregnancies in the early 20s dropped by 6% with drops also noted in the late 20s and early 30s. Surprisingly, pregnancy rates for women in their 40s increased to 10.2 pregnancies per 1,000 women compared to 2009 when 10 in 1,000 women conceived.

In addition to a new low in teen pregnancies, the CDC also reported a small drop in C-section rates. In 2009, the CDC reported 32.9% of pregnancies ended in C-section. In 2010, the number dropped to 32.8%.

Despite the positive reports, the CDC also revealed a negative change in fertility. For the third year in a row, fertility rates dropped. In 2009, the CDC reported just more than 66 births per 1,000 women. In 2010, that number dropped to just more than 64 births per 1,000 women. Women used for the fertility report fell within the 15 to 44 year old range.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Births: Preliminary Data for 2010.”