Births to 10-14 year-old mothers, 1990-2002: trends and health outcomes.

OBJECTIVES This report presents the number and rate of U.S. births for 10-14 year olds, for 1990-2002 by race and Hispanic origin and by State. Pregnancy risk factors and outcomes by selected maternal and infant characteristics are shown. METHODS Tabular and graphical descriptions of births and infant deaths to 10-14 year olds are presented based on information reported on birth and death certificates for the United States and each State. RESULTS 7,315 females aged 10-14 years delivered a live birth in 2002. The rate of births to 10-14 year olds was 0.7 per 1,000 in 2002, half of the rate during 1989-94. This rate peaked in 1989 (1.4 per 1,000). For 1990-94 the rate remained at 1.4, and then began a steady decline to 0.7 per 1,000 in 2002. Large declines in young teenage childbearing were seen among all racial and ethnic subgroups, as well as almost all States. These young mothers were least likely to receive timely prenatal care compared with mothers of older age groups. Compared with infants of mothers aged 20-39 years, infants of the youngest mothers experienced almost twice the rates of preterm delivery (21.3 percent) and low birthweight (12.6 percent). The infant mortality rate (15.4 per 1,000) was two to three times higher than that for infants of mothers aged 20-44 years.