,/”. ‘ ‘

—

-’\,

.:4 . , ,,,. ,,, ,’ ,%.{:.,

,.,,,, /,

,, .,

\

1

.,

/’-.’

,,. ,

\

,“

.

?-” I

,.,.-

1

‘., ,s- .1’

.— -/

,.

,. –]

.... -)

,,

,. ‘“a,, ‘-~”““-““ - ,>. ,.

f,.’.@ m

P

,.C,G-

.-, —.J

4“, . ‘\,

t

,,’ I

~. /’– —-. ;

\.

,,, .. ‘

-7

.,

,.

..

,,,

:,.:,.-

. .,, .;,. ‘

\. ./ ~ J

~.-.,

,-–-

,_ .– -

.—“__—. 1

. ...

...7. . .

-, ..’

;m $~

we--~ -- -–

Trends in Teenage

Childbearing

United States

1970-81

An analytical review of recent trends and

differentials in childbearing by teenagers.

Data From the National Vital

Statistics System

Series 21, No. 41

DHHS Publication No. (PHS) 84–1919

U.S. Department of Health and Human

Services

Public Health Service

National Center for Health Statistics

Hyattsville, Md.

September 1984
All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be

reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is

appreciated.

Suggaated CRation

National Center for Health Statistics, S,J. Ventura: Trends in twnage

tilldbaaring, United States, 1970-61. Vita/and Hea/fb StaMice. Series 21,

No. 41. DI-WS Pub. No. (PHS) 64-1919. Public Healtn Service.

Washington. U.S. Government Printing Office, Sept. 1984,

Ventura, Stephanie J.

Trends in teenage childbearing, Unitad States,l 970-61.

(Date from the national vital statistics system. series 21; no. 41)

(DHHS publiiatton; no. (PHS) 64-1919)

Bibliography: p.

Supt. of Dote. no.: HE 20.620921/41

1. Adolescent rnothera-llnitad Statee-Statistics. 2, Unmarried mothereUnitad Stateestatiitice, 3. Childbirth-United states-statistics. 1.Title.

Il. series: Vital and health etatistke. Ill. series DHHS publiitkm;

no, (PHS) 64-1919. [DNLM: 1. Pragnaccy in Adoleecenctinitad Stste~

statistics. W2 A N146vu no. 41]

HA211 .A3 no. 41 312.1’73s 6440015a

[HQ759.4] [304.6’3’068055]

ISBN 0-S406+2S4-4

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. (government Printing Otlice, Washington, D.C. 20402
NationalCenter for Health Statistics

Manning Feinleib, M. D., Dr. P. H., Director

Robert A. Israel, Deputy Director

Jacob J. Feldman, Ph. D., Associate Director for Analysis

and Epidemiology

Garrie J. Losee, Associate Director for Data Processing and

Services

Alvan O. Zarate, Ph. D., Assistant Director for international

Statistics

E. Earl Bryant, Associate Director for Interview and

Examination Statistics

Robert L. Quave, Acting Associate Director for

Management

Gail F. Fisher, Ph. D., Associate Director for Program

Planning, Evaluation, and Coordination

Monroe G. Sirken, Ph. D., Associate Director for Research

and Methodology

Peter L. Hurley, Associate Director for Vital and Hea[th

Care Statistics

Alice Haywood, Information Oj?cer

Vital and Health Care Statistics Program

Peter L. Hurley, Associate Director

Gloria Kapantais, Assistant to the Director for Data Policy,

Planning, and Analysis

Division of Vial Statistics

John E. Patterson, Director

James A. Weed, Ph. D., Deputy Director

Robert L. Heuser, M. A., ChieJ NataIity Statistics Branch

Mabel G. Smith, ChieJ Statistical Resources Branch

Joseph D. Farrell, Chief, Computer Applications Staff
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Birthrate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Numbersandproportionsofbirths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Birthratesbymarital status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Numbersandratiosofbirthstounmarried mothers . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Educational attainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Lowbirthweight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Prenatalcare. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Apgarscore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Listofdetailedtables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Appendix. Technical notes . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Sourcesofdata. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Population denominators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Births bymarital statusofmother . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Computation ofpercentdistributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

List of text figures

l. Birth ratesbyageofmother: United States, 1970-81 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

2. Birth rates for women aged 15–17 and 18–19years, byrace ofchild: United States, 1970-81 . . . . . . . . . . . 3

3. Biflhrates forunmamied women, byageof mother: United States, 1970-81 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

4. Birth rates forunmarried women, aged 15–17 and 18–19years, byraceof child: United States, 1970-81 . . . . . . 7

5. Bifihrates formamied women, byageof mothe~ United States, 1970-81 . . . . . . . . . . .+. . . . . . . . . . 7

Symbols

. . . Data not available

. . . Category not applicable

Quantity zero

0.0 Quantity more than zero but less than

0.05

z Quantity more than zero but less than

500 where numbers are rounded to

thousands

*

Figure does not meet standards of

reliability or precision

...

Ill
Trends in Teenage

Childbearing

by Stephanie J. Ventura, A. M., Division of Vital Statistics

Introduction

Teenage childbearing has received considerable attention

in recent years. Interest has focused on the impact of early

childbearing on completed fertility, on the family situation

in which the children are raised, on the socioeconomic characteristics of women who start their childbearing at young

ages, including the impact of their lower educational attainment on their future economic status, and on the health

implications for mother and child. This report describes trends

and differentials in births and birth rates for teenagers since

1970, as well as the demographic characteristics of the mothers

and the health of their newborn children. The following

data detail some of the circumstances that accompany a birth

to a teenager, including higher rates of nonmarital childbearing, lower educational attainment of the mother, higher levels

of low birth weight, less prenatal care, and lower Apgar

scores.

Although teenage childbearing encompasses all births

to women under 20 years of age, this report focuses primarily

on childbearing by teenagers aged 15-19 years. The number

of births and birth rates among girls under 15 years of

age is relatively small: less than one-half of 1 percent of

females aged 10-14 years has given birth in any year since

1970, and fewer than 13,000 births have been to girls under

age 15 years in any year since 1970. The small numbers

and rates do not support the more detailed demographic

analysis that is possible for teenagers aged 15-19 years.

In this report teenagers are also referred to as women under

age 20, and the terms are used interchangeably.
Both the number of births and the birth rates for mothers

under 20 years of age declined during the 1970’s. There

were 537,024 births to teenagers in 1981, 18 percent fewer

than were registered in 1970. The birth rate for young teenagers was 32.1 births per 1,000 women aged 15-17 years

in 1981, 17 percent below the rate for 1970 (38.8). The

rate for older teenagers 18-19 years of age was 81.7 in

1981, a 29-percent reduction from the 1970 rate (114.7).

The decline for young teenagers aged 15-17 years was relatively modest, compared with the trends in birth rates for most

women aged 18 years and older; rates for women aged 18-29

and 35-49 years fell by 23 to 60 percent. Until 1973, the

rates for young teenagers were increasing while those for

older women were declining rapidly.

The recent decline in the number of births to teenagers

is associated with declines both in the birth rates and in

the number of teenage women. This population dropped

4 percent between 1980 and 1981 and will continue to decline

over the next several years as girls born in the low-birth

years of the early 1970’s reach the childbearing ages.

Although teenage birth rates declined over the past decade, the trend between 1978 and 1981 was relatively stable.

It is still too soon to tell if the previous downward course

is shifting or if the rates have leveled off only temporarily.

The decline in the birth rates for teenagers reflects declines

in both the rates for first births and the rates for higher

order births. In other words, there have been similar reductions

in the risk of a teenager giving birth for the first time as

well as having second and higher order births.

Teenage mothers are accounting for a smaller proportion

of all births. In 1981, 15 percent of all births were to mothers

under 20, compared with 18 percent in 1970. This decline

is accounted for by both the reduction in teenage births

and the sizeable increase in births, especially first births,

to mothers in their thirties. There was little change in the

proportions of teenage births occurring to younger and older

teenagers between 1970 and 1981. For example, young teenagers aged 15-17 years accounted for about one-third of

all births to teenagers in both 1970 and 1981.

Although teenage fertility has generally fallen, childbearing by unmarried teenagers has generally risen. In 1981,

there were 267,828 births to unmarried women under 20

years of age, a 34-percent increase over the estimate for

1970 ( 199,900). The birth rate for young unmarried teenagers

increased from 17.1 births per 1,000 unmarried women 15-17

years of age in 1970 to 20.9 in 1981, a rise of 22 percent.

The rate for older teenagers increased 21 percent, from 32.9

births per 1,000 unmarried women 18-19 years of age in

1970 to 39.9 in 1981. As a consequence of the increasing

rates of nonmarital childbearing by teenagers and the generally

falling rates of births to married teenagers, a growing proportion of births to teenagers is occurring to unmarried women.

Among births to teenagers 15-17 years of age, this proportion

increased from 43 percent in 1970 to 63 percent in 1981.

The proportion of births to older unmarried mothers 18-19

years of age increased from 22 percent to 41 percent during

this period.

During the 1970’s the differential in birth rates between

white and black teenagers narrowed considerably as rates

for black teenagers fell more sharply than did rates for white

teenagers. The principal factor accounting for the narrowing

of the racial differential is the contrasting trends in birth

rates observed for white and black unmarried teenagers: rates

for unmarried white women increased by 40 to 65 percent

between 1970 and i981, while rates for unmarried black

women declined by 14 percent.

The educational attainment of teenage mothers is rather

limited, as would be expected. Among teenage mothers 15-17

years of age giving birth in 1981, only 10 percent had

completed high school. Even among eider teenage mothers

18-19 years, just 54 percent had completed at least 12 years

of schooling. By comparison, 65 percent of all wornen of

these ages had completed high school.

The incidence of low-birth weight is much greater among

babies born to teenage mothers than among babies born

to mothers aged 20 years and older. Among births to 15-17

year old mothers in 1981, 11 percent weighed less than

2,500 grams (5 pounds, 8 ounces) at birth, compared with

7 percent for births to mothers aged 20-24 years.

Teenage mothers are more likely than older mothers

to receive delayed or no prenatal care, and less likely to

begin care early in pregnancy. In 1981, 1 in 8 mothers

aged 15-17 years received delayed care (beginning in the

third trimester) or no care, compared with 1 in 18 mothers

aged 20-24 years.

Births to teenage mothers are more likely than births

to older mothers to exhibit some kind of stress or physical

depression at birth. Apgar scores of less than 7 were more

common among births to younger teenagers age 17 years

and under than among births to mothers in their twenties.

2
The birth rate for younger teenage girls was 32.1 births

per 1,000 women aged 15-17 years in 1981, 17 percent

below the 1970 rate of 38.8 (table I). During the 1970’s,

the trend in the rate for this age group was down from

1972 (39.0 ) to 1978 (32.2), and was relatively stable thereafter. The decline was similar but more pronounced for older

teenagers 18-19 years, with the birth rate declining from

114.7 in 1970 to 81.7 in 1981, a 29-percent reduction.

The decline in childbearing rates for younger teenagers begun

in i 973 is generally comparable to that observed for older

teenagers and mothers in their twenties, except that the decline

in rates for mothers aged 18-29 years began earlier

(figure 1).

Between 1966 and 1968, birth rates for teenagers in

the age groups 15-17 and 18-19 years declined. The trends

in the rates for younger and older teenagers began to diverge

in 1968. The rates for teenagers aged 15-17 years generally

increased from 1968 to 1972 and then declined through 1978;

from 1978 to 1981 the rate changed little. The rates for

older teenagers continued to decline steadily through 1976;

since then the rate has generally increased slightly.

The birth rates by race presented in figure 2 show that

300

200

[

\

%

100 . 25-29 years

90 —

80 —

18-19 years

70

60 —

50 — 3C-34 years

10 ~

1970 1972 1974 1978 1978 19801981

Year

0

0

0.

300

r

200 ~%

-- \

~-_

-%\ Black, 18-19 years

--. -we.-

---

100

90 —

Black, 15-17 years 80 —

70 —

White, 18-19 years

60 —

30+

20

t

,oLJJJ—

1970 1972 1974 1978 1978 1980 1981

Year

Figure 1. Birth rates by age of mothen United States, 1970-S1 Fgure 2. Birth rates for women aged 15-17 and 18-19 yeara, by race of

ch~d United States, 197041

3
between 1970 and 1981 the birth rates for black teenagers

fell somewhat more sharply than for white teenagers, particularly the rates for younger teenagers aged 15-17, for whom

the rate declined by 14 percent for white women and

30 percent for black women between 1970 and 1981. As

a result of the relatively greater decline in the birth rate

for black teenagers than for white teenagers aged 15-17 years,

the gap between their rates narrowed somewhat during this

period. The decline in black teenage fertility is associated

with a reduction in nonmarital birth rates for black teenagers.

By comparison, the decline in white teenage fertility has

been reversed in recent years, reflecting the increase in nonmarital fertility among white teenagers.

The first-birth rate for young teenagers declined 17 percent, from 33.8 first births per 1,000 women 15-17 years

of age in 1970 to 28.0 in 1981; the rate for 18-19 year

old teenagers declined by 30 percent, from 84.9 to 59.5

(table 2). These relative declines were similar to those for

second and higher order birth rates for teenagers. The rate

for second and higher order births to teenagers aged 15-17

years declined 18 percent, from 5.0 to 4.1, while this rate

for older teenagers declined 26 percent, from 29.8 to 22.2.

In other words, first-time as well as repeat childbearing by

teenagers declined during the 1970’s.

First-birth rates by race show a smaller racial differential

than birth rates for all other birth orders combined do. Thus,

the overall gap in fertility between white and black teenagers

is partly accounted for by the much higher level of second

and higher order births for black than for white teenagers.
of births

Women under 20 years of age gave birth to 537,024

babies in 1981 (table 3). Of these, 37 percent were to teenagers

aged 17 years and under. Between 1970 and 1981 there

were declines in the number of births to teenagers of all

ages, 18 percent overall, but the declines were somewhat

greater for older teenagers (19 percent) than for younger

teenagers aged 17 and under (16 percent). The number of

births to teenagers 18-19 years of age would have fallen

more if it were not for the 13-percent increase in the number

of women in that age group. By contrast the number of

teenagers aged 15-17 years increased by only 1 percent during

this period, and thus was not a factor in the trend in the

number of births to women in this age group.

Speculation on future trends in the number of births

to teenagers is precarious. However, it is clear that the number

of teenagers aged 15-19 years has begun to decline. Between

1979 and 1980, the decline was I percent, and between

1980 and 1981, the decline was 4 percent. The population

under 15 years of age has also fallen. Therefore, if teenage

birth rates remain at their present levels, a continued decline

in the number of births to teenagers can be anticipated over

the next several years. If birth rates for teenagers turn upward,

the number of births to teenagers might remain at current

levels or increase slightly. Rates would have to increase

sharply for there to be a substantial increase in the number

of births.

Both white and black births to teenagers declined during

the 1970’s through 1981, but the relative declines differed

somewhat by age. Among births to teenagers 15-17 years,

white births fell by 16 percent and black births by 20 percent.

In contrast, declines in births to older teenagers were relatively

greater for white births (22 percent) than for black births

(14 percent).

There was an important shift in the distribution of births

toward older mothers between 1970 and 1981. Births to

teenagers accounted for 18 percent of all births in 1970,

compared with 15 percent in 1981 (table 4). The relative

number of births to mothers aged 20-24 years also declined

during this period; however, births to mothers aged 25 and

older increased from 44 percent of the total in 1970 to

52 percent in 1981. The increased tendency for childbearing

to commence at later ages has been discussed in another

report.’ These changing distributions of births by age of

mother were observed for both white and black births. Teenage

mothers are accounting for fewer births as well as a declining

share of total births.
Birth rates by

marital status

Rates of childbearing by unmarried teenagers increased

steadily during the 1970’s, with increases of 21 to 22 percent

between 1970 and 1981 (table 5). However, figure 3 shows

there has been an important shift in the rates for all unmarried

post-teenagers. Regardless of age among women aged 20

and older there was a decline in the early 1970’s followed

by a steady increase in the birth rates since the middle

to late 1970’s. It appears that childbearing by unmarried

women is becoming a factor of growing importance in the

fertility of all women, although it is still most critical for

teenagers. Nonmarital birth rates are now highest for women

18-19 and 20-24 years of age, while in 1970 the rates were

highest for 20-24 and 25-29 year old women.

The increases in nonmarital birth rates for teenagers were

confined to white women, for whom the rates increased

by 65 percent for the age group 15-17 years and 40 percent

for ages 18-19 years (figure 4). Rates for black women

declined by 14 percent for both younger and older teenagers.

The increases in rates for white teenagers and the reductions

in rates for black teenagers have been fairly steady, especially

since the early 1970’s. The diverging trends in rates for

white and black teenagers are also observed for older women.

Rates for white women increased between [970 and 1981,

except for rates for women aged 30 years and older that

declined by 4 to 10 percent. By contrast, all age-specific

birth rates for unmarried black women declined during this

period; for women aged 20 and older, the declines ranged

from 14 to 44 percent.

As a result of the contrasting trends in nonmarital

childbearing between white and black teenagers, the differential between the racial groups narrowed substantially during

the 1970’s. In 1970. the rate for black women 15-17 years

old was 10 times the rate for white women of the same

age; by 1981, this differential was 5. Similarly the racial

differential for older teenagers aged 18-19 years declined

from 8 to 5 during this period.

Because the increases in birth rates for unmarried teenagers occurred while overall birth rates for teenagers declined,

it is apparent that the rates for married teenagers must have

declined (figure 5). The birth rate for young married teenagers,

aged 15-17 years, declined 41 percent between 1970 and

1981, and the rate for older married teenagers was 18 percent

lower (see also table 5). However, the rates in 1981 are

still very high—427.3 births per 1,000 married women aged

15-17 years and 315.4 births per 1,000 married women aged

18-19 years. Birth rates for older married teenagers, although

100

90

80

70

60

[

50t

40 —

\

30 —

25–29 years “.*

n “. %* $ 20 —

15–17 years ●.. m . .

:

~

a

30-34 years

~

3 —

2 —

1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1981

Yeaf

Fgure 3. Birthrates for unmarriedwomen, by age of mother

United States, 1970-81

6
lower in 1981 than in !970, have increased considerably

in recent years. The rate for 18-19 year olds was at its

lowest point in 1976, at 265.8. Between 1976 and 1981

the rate climbed to315 .4, a 19-percent increase.

The high birth rates for married teenagers reflect the

fact that many of these women were already pregnant at

the time of marriage. Data from the June 1980 Current

Population Survey on the fertility of American women indicate

that about one-third of the teenagers 14-17 years of age

who first married in 1975-79 were already pregnant at the

time of marriage.z

However, the sharply reduced rates for married teenagers

between 1970 and 1981 suggest a declining tendency for

younger teenagers to marry following the discove~ of a

pregnancy. Rather they are choosing to have the baby and

keep the child as an unmarried mother, or to have an abortion.

Estimates of pregnancies by outcome of pregnancy for 1980

showed that 41 percent of pregnancies to teenagers aged

15-19 years were terminated by abortion, compared with

36 percent in 1976.3

300

200

1

-- Black, 16-19 years

--

------~ 44--d-- ---

100 1-

90 — z ___% Black, 15-17 years

$ 80 ~ ---

g ----

0) 70 — -* e-----

-g

“=6 60 —

g

m

c 50 “

.-

C

E

s

40 —

~

: 30 —

~

r-

%a 20 - White, 18-19 years

a)

z

cc

White, 15-17 years

10 —

1970 1972 1974 1978 1978 1980 1961

Year

1000

900

800

F

f’-+

30 —

—

20 —

1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1961

Year

F~ure 4. Birth rates for unmarried women aged 15-17 and 1S-19 years,

by race of child: United States, 1970-S1

Fgure 5. Birth rates for married women, by age of mothefi United States,

1970-s1

7
Numbers and ratios of

births to unmarried mothers

The number of births to unmarried teenagers increased

substantially during the 1970’s. In 1981, 267,828 babies

were born to unmarried mothers under 20 years old; of

these 44 percent were in the age group 15-17 years. The

comparable figures for 1970 were 199,900 births to unmarried

teenagers of whom 48 percent were in the age group 15-17

years (table 6).

Until the mid- 1970’s, the increases in nonmarital births

to younger teenagers were due to two factors: the increasing

rate of childbearing by unmarried teenagers and the continued

growth of the younger teenage population. More recently,

the younger teenage population has stabilized and begun

to decline; therefore, the rising numbers of nonmarital births

are due solely to the increasing birth rates among young

unmarried teenagers.

By contrast, the increase in the number of births to

older unmarned teenagers throughout the 1970’s is associated

with the growing number of unmarried women 18-19 years

of age as well as the rising rate of nonmarital childbearing

among these women.

Both white and black nonmarital births to teenagers generally increased between 1970 and 1981, but the increases

were much greater for white births. White births increased

60 percent for 15-17 year olds and 65 percent for 18-19

year olds, while black births declined 1 percent for young

teenagers and increased 33 percent for older teenagers.

As a consequence of the rising numbers and rates of

nonmarital childbearing and generally declining marital fertility among teenagers, the proportion of all teenage births

occurring to unmarried mothers increased sharply between

1970 and 198 I (table 7). Among younger teenagers, the

proportion increased from 43 percent to 63 percent, while

among older teenagers the increase was from 22 percent

to 41 percent. Overall, half of all babies born to mothers

under 20 years of age in 1981 were to unmarried mothers,

a substantial increase from 1970 (30 percent). Thus, a large

and growing proportion of infants are being born to single

mothers, with the less favorable social, economic, and health

status that tends to be associated with such births.
Educational attainment

Young mothers are much less likely to have completed

high school than are mothers in their twenties. In 1981,

54 percent of 18-19 year old mothers had completed high

school, compared with about four-fifths of mothers in their

twenties (table 8). This indicates that regardless of the support

system that may be available to teenage mothers-to-be in

terms of at least completing high school, relatively few of

them are actually finishing the basic 12-year program. A

comparison of the educational attainment of teenage mothers

with all women the same age clarifies this point: Although

just 54 percent of teenage mothers aged 18-19 years giving

birth in 1981 had completed high school, Current Population

Survey data for 198 I show that 65 percent of all women

in this age group were high school graduates. 4 For 19 year

old women who certainly have had the opportunity to complete

high school, the difference is more striking. Only 61 percent

of 19 year old mothers had completed high school in 1981,

compared with 79 percent of all 19 year old women. The

relationships between age of mother and educational attainment were similar for white and black teenage mothers.

Marital status of the mother is a factor in determining

educational attainment for both younger and older teenage

mothers, but it becomes a more critical factor for mothers

aged 20 and older. In 1981, the proportions of mothers

with at least a high school education were somewhat greater

for married than for unmarried mothers at each age for teenagers. For all ages under 20, within each marital status

category, black mothers were more likely than white mothers

to have a high school diploma. At ages 20 and older, there

is an increasing gap in educational attainment between married

and unmarned mothers of both races. Although unmarried

mothers of both races were about equally likely to have

completed high school, white married mothers were increasingly more likely than black married mothers to have attained

this level of education.

Clearly younger mothers have not had the opportunity

to complete as many years of schooling as have older mothers.

Not only is education critical in determining the mother’s

future economic opportunity, it is also a key factor in determining the extent of low birth weight, even more than when

prenatal care began.5

9
Low birth weight

Because teenage mothers have not reached full physical

maturity in many cases, their babies are less likely to be

fully developed at birth. Low weight babies in turn are

subject to higher rates of infant mortality, mental retardation,

and birth defects. Data on low birth weight shown in

table 9 substantiate the higher-risk status of infants born

to teenage mothers. In 1981, 14 percent of babies born

to mothers under 15 years of age weighed less than

2,500 grams (5 pounds, 8 ounces) at birth, compared with

11 percent of births to mothers aged 15-17 and 9 percent

for babies born to 18-19 year olds, Levels of low birth

weight are most favorable (6 percent) for births to mothers

aged 25-29 and 30-34 years.

The relationship between age of mother and low birth

weight is generally evident for both white and black births

and for births to married and unmarried mothers. Births

to black mothers and unmarried mothers are more likely

to be of low birth weight than births to white mothers and

married mothers, but in virtually every case, the risk of

low birth weight was greatest for younger mothers. In the

case of births to black unmarried mothers the pattern by

age of mother was not as striking. Levels of low birth weight

were high for these births regardless of age of mother.
Prenatal care

Teenage mothers are more likely than older mothers

to delay seeking prenatal care until late in pregnancy or

to receive no care at all. In 1981, 12 percent of 15-17

year old mothers, compared with 6 percent of 20-24 year

old mothers, did not receive prenatal care until the last trimester or received no care at all. Mothers under age 15 years

were more likely than any other age group to receive delayed

or no care, 20 percent in 1981 compared with 10 percent

for 18-19 year old mothers (table 10).

Similarly, very young mothers were least likely to receive

care beginning in the first trimester of pregnancy; only

36 percent of mothers under age 15 and 49 percent of mothers

aged 15-17 years, compared with 74 percent of 20-24 year

old mothers first sought care in the critical first trimester.

The relationships between age of mother and onset of

prenatal care hold for white and black mothers, although

white mothers were more likely to receive early care than

black mothers were.

Although other evidence suggests that the mother’s educational attainment is a more important predictor of low birth

weight than the time when prenatal care was begun,s it

is likely that early establishment of prenatal care can help

mitigate the otherwise negative impact of young motherhood

on pregnancy outcome, in terms of such factors as counseling

on prenatal nutrition and early detection of complications

of pregnancy.
Apgar score

The Apgar score is a summary measure used to evaluate

the newborn infant’s overall physical condition at birth. The

score is a composite evaluation of five factors—the infant’s

heart rate, respiratory effofl, muscle tone, irritability, and

color-each of which is assigned a value from O to 2. The

overall score is the sum of the five values, with a score

of 10 being optimum.

Births to teenage mothers are more likely than births

to older mothers to score in the depressed range (under

7) at either I or 5 minutes after birth (table I I). In 1981,

for example, 15 percent of babies born to mothers under

15 years of age and 13 percent of babies born to 15-17

year old mothers scored less than 7 at 1 minute, compared

with 10 percent of births to 20-24 year old mothers. Scores

in the depressed range were relatively less frequent at

5 minutes after birth but there was still a differential by

age of mothe~ 4 percent of births to the youngest mothers,

compared with 2 percent of births to mothers in their early

twenties received low scores.

The relationships between Apgar scores and age of mother

were similar within each racial group except that scores

for black infants were generally lower at each age, and

were less likely to improve from 1 to 5 minutes than scores

for white infants.
References

‘National Center for Health Statistics, S .J. Ventura: Trends in first

births to older mothers, 1970-79. Monthly Vital Statistics Report.

Vol. 31, No. 2, Supp. 2. DHHS Pub. No. (PHS) 82–1 120. Public

Health Service. Hyattsville, Md., May 1982.

%J.S. Bureau of the Census: Childspacing among birth cohorts of

American women, 1905 to 1959. Current Population Reports.

Series P-20, No. 385. Washington. U.S. Government Printing

Office, Feb. 1984.

‘Unpublished data, Natality Statistics Branch, Division of Vital

Statistics, National Center for Health Statistics.

4U.S. Bureau of the Census: Unpublished data from the 1981

Current Population Survey on educational attainment.

sNational Center for Health Statistics, S. TaffeI: prenatal care>

United States, 1969-75. Vital and Health Statistics. Series 21,

No. 33. DHEW Pub. No. (PHS) 78–1911. Public Health Service.

Washington. U.S. Government Printing Office, Sept. 1978.

6National Center for Health Statistics: Advance report, final

natality statistics, 1980. Monthly Vital Statistics Report. Vol. 31,

No. 8, Supp. DHHS Pub. No. (PHS) 83–1 120. Public Health

Service. Hyattsville, Md., Nov. 1982.

7u s Bureau of the Census: Preliminary estimates of the

popu~ation of the United States, by age, sex, and race, 1970 to

1981. Current Population Reports. Series P-25, No. 917.

Washington. U.S. Government Printing Office, July 1982.

L$U.S. Bureau of the census: Coverage of the national population in

the 1980 census, by age, sex, and race: Preliminary estimates by

demographic analysis. Current Population Reports. Series P–23,

No. 115. Washington. U.S. Government Printing Office,

Feb. 1982.

13
List of detailed tables

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Birth rates for women under 20 years of age, by race

of child: United States, 1970-81 . . . . . . , . . .

Birth rates by live-birth order for women 15–17 and 18–19

years of age, by race of child: United States, 1970-8 I . .

Number of live births to mothers under 20 years of age,

by race of child: United States, 1970-81 . . . . . .

Number of live births by race of child and percent distribution by age of mother, according to race of child: United

States, 197&81 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Birth rates by marital status of mother for women 15-17

and 18–19 years of age, and by race of child for unmarried

women: United States, 1970-81 . . . . . . , . . .

Number of live births to unmarried mothers under 20

years of age, by race of child: United States, 1970-81 .

Ratios of births to unmarried mothers to total births for

15

15

16

17

18

19

8.

9.

10.

Il.

mothers 15–I 7 and 18–19 years of age, by race of child:

United States, 1970-81 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Percent of births to mothers who have completed I:2 or

more years of school, by age and marital status of mother

and race of child: Total of 47 reporting States and the

District of Columbia, 1981 . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Percent of infants of low birth weight by age and marital

status of mother and race of child: United

States, 1981 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Percent distribution of live births by month of pregnancy

prenatal care began, according to age of mother and race

of child: United States, 1981 . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Percent of births with l-minute and 5-minute Apgar scores

less than 7, by age of mother and race of child: Total

of reporting States, 1981 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

14
Table 1. Birth rates for women under 20 yeara of age, by race of child United States, 1970-81

[Rates are live birlhs per 1,000 women in specified group]

Aae of rrroffrerand race of cfrkf 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970

10-14 years

All races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.1

White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.5

Allo!her . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.6

Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.1

15-17 years

All races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32.1

White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25.1

Another . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65.2

Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70.6

18-19 years

All races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81.7

White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71.9

Another . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130.8

Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135.9

1.1

0.6

3.9

4.3

32.5

25.2

68.3

73.6

82.1

72.1

133.2

138.8

1.2 1.2

0.6 0.6

4.1 4.0

4.6 4.4

32.3 32.2

24.7 24.9

70.5 70.4

75.7 75.0

81.3 79.8

71.0 69.4

134.9 134.4

140.4 139.7

1.2 1.2

0.6 0.6

4.3 4.3

4.7 4.7

33.9 34.1

26.1 26.3

74.8 75.5

79.6 80.3

60.9 80.5

70.5 70.2

136.8 137.2

142.9 142.5

1.3 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.1 1.2

0.5 0.5

4.7 4.8

5.1 5.2

38.2 38.8

26.5 29.2

94.0 95.2

99.4 101.4

105.3 114.7

92.3 101.5

185.6 195.4

192.6 204.9

0.6

4.7

5.1

0.6

4.6

5.0

0.6

5.0

5.4

0.5

4.7

5.1

36.1

26.0

80.5

65.6

37.3

26.7

84.9

90.0

38.5

29.2

90.5

96.0

39.0

29.3

93.8

99.5

85.0 88.7 91.2 96.9

84.3

173.3

179.5

74.0

146.1

152.4

77.3

153.1

158.7

79.3

160.9

166.6

Table2. 13irthratea byliie-birthorderforwomen 15-17and l&19yearsofage, by rsceofchild UnitedStste% 1970-81

[Rates are Ne Mhs per 1,000 women in specified group. Figures for k-birth order not stated are distributed]

Age of mother, live-birth order, and race of child 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970

15-17 years

First child

All races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28.5

22.7

57.1

61.3

28.4

22.3

59.1

63.3

28.3 29.8

22.4 23.6

58.6 62.5

62.3 66.2

4.0 4.1

2.4 2.5

11.8 12.3

12.7 13.4

57.7 58.4

52.4 53.1

85.3 86.9

87.6 89.7

22.2 22.5

17.0 17.4

49.1 49.9

52.1 53.2

30.1 32.0

23.9 25.4

63.1 67.6

66.9 71.7

4.0 4.1

2.4 2.5

12.4 12.9

13.5 13.9

58.2 61.8

53.1 56.3

86.5 92.0

88.6 95.1

22.3 23.2

17.1 17.6

50.8 54.0

53.8 57.3

33.0 34.2

26.1 26.8

71.2 75.8

75.3 80.1

4.3 4.3

2.6 2.5

13.7 14.8

14.7 15.9

84.9 67.5

59.3 61.7

96.5 101.5

98.9 103.7

23.8 23.7

18.0 17.6

56.6 59.3

59.8 62.8

34.5 33.3 33.8

26.8 25.8 26.4

78.1 76.6 77.2

82.5 80.8 82.0

28.0

22.5

54.0

58.2

White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

All other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Second child and over

All races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

All other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4.1

2.5

11.2

12.4

4.0

2.5

11.2

12.3

3.9

2.4

11.4

12.4

4.5 4.9 5.0

2.5 2.7 2.7

15.8 17.4 18.0

17.0 ~8.6 19.4

18-19years

First child

All races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59.5 59.7

54.8

84.9

87.3

59.0

53.8

85.9

88.3

71.9 77.6 84.9

65.7 71.7 79.3

109.1 114.2 118.9

111.8 116.9 123.1

White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Another . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

54.7

83.4

85.5

Second child and over

All races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22.3 22.4

17.4

48.3

51.4

22.3 25.0 27.7 29.8

18.5 20.6 272.2

64.2 71.4 76.5

67.8 75.7 81.9

White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Another . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

17.2

47.4

50.5

17.2

49.0

52.1

15
Table3. Number ofhvetiRha tomothera under 20years ofage, byraceofcMld United States, 1970-81

Age of mother and race of chid 1981 ?980 1979 1978 1977 1978 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970

10-14 years

All races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,632 10,169 10,699 10,772 11,455 11,928 12,642 12,529 12,861 12,082 11,S78 11,752

White . . . . . .,, 3,970 4,171 4,402 4,512 4,671 5,054

All other.

5,073 5,053 4,907 4,573 4,1:30

5,662 5,998

4,320

Biack.,..’j:ljljjj,j”.” ::

6,297 6,260 6,784 6,874 7,569 7,476 7,954 7,509

5,425

7,448 7,432

5,793 6,139 6,068 6,582 6,661 7,315 7,291 7,778 7,363 7,264 7,274

15-17 years

All races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187,397 198,222 200,137 202,661 213,788 215,493 227,270 234,177 238,403 236,641 226,298 223,590

White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120,913 127,657 127,970 130,957 138,223 139,901 148,344 152,257 153,416 150,897 143,806 143,646

Another . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66,484 70,565 72,167 71,704 75,565 75,592 76,926 81,920 84,987 85,744 82,492 79,944

Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61,850 65,966 67,728 67,317 71,182 71,429 74,946 77,947 81,158 82,217 79,238 76,882

16-19years

All races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339,995 353,939 349,335 340,746 345,366 343,251 354,968 361,272 365,693 379,639 401,644 421,118

White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249,100 260,401 255,837 249,103 253,960 253,374 261,785 267,895 271,417 283,089 302,920 319,962

Another . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90,895 93,538 93,498 91,643 91,406 89,877 93,163 93,377 94,276 96,550 98,724 101,156

Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81,428 84,367 85,077 83,684 84,008 82,507 86,098 86,483 87,615 90,132 92,446 94,944

16
. . . .

,.. . . . . . . .

,.. . .

,.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

m... .. . . . . . .. . .

.s

:b

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..=

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .

.0

.$.

17
,.

.,.

.,

,.. . . .

,.

., . .

., .

18
.

.,. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

cc- 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

.!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Ii umNm

iim0~

al <.

19

u
(6

bb

ma

mw

oh

Ulw

mm

~q

am

Wr+

qw

mto

cow

qp

IX-J*

Oln

qcy

e“

*II7

COcm

00

corm

OQ

*WI .

.

..

..

....

,.

.

.

..

..

..

..

..

..

..

..

.

..

,.

.

.

,.

.

..

..

..

..

gg

g?%

ma

O*

7CQ

mm

~cy

inn

C.3U5

qm

hr.

mol

‘qCy

ml.

003

u)~

ah

-m

coo

cow

mm

Ulo

pcJ

~N.

.

..

..

.,

.,

.,

.,

.,

.

.

,..

.,

,.

.

,.

g;

.lJX

.

.ln

CyW

$&

?*

z%

y~

mm

.*

mm

~~

030

!2iE

~c.+

gz

qq.

cob

-m

Orn.

,.

,.

,.

.,

.,

.,

.,

.

..

..

.

,.

,,

.,

.

.

,.

.

..

..

..

..

..

..

g-;

aJ~

ma

.3+7

mm

qq

cow

.+y

Q.

~cq

ma

q-i,

*C+

CQlo

-a

rn~

U-)o

mm

k.

~q.

..

.

.,.

.,.

,,

,,

.

..

..

..

.

.,.

.

..

~;

gx

u-l 0

UI 0

-J,

N 
Table 10. Percent d@ributiin of live births by month of pregnancy prenatal care began, according to age of mother and race of child United States,

1981

Age of mother

All Under 15 15-17 18-19 2L?-24 2%29 3&34 35-39 40 years

Month of pregnancy prenatal care began and race of child ages years years years years yeara years years and over

Total . . . . . . . .

lst-2d month

3d month . . . .

4th-6th month. .

7th-9th month. .

No prenatal care

Total . . . . . . . .

lst-2d month .

3d month . . . .

4th-6th month. .

7th-9th month. .

No prenatal care

Total . . . . . . . .

lst-2d month .

3d month . . . .

4th-6th month. .

7th-9th month. .

No prenatal care

All races’

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100.0

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52.0

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24.3

. . . . . . . . . . . . 18.5

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.6

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.4

White

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100.0

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55.0

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24.4

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16.3

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.2

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.1

Black

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100.0

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38.6

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23.9

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28.5

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.2

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.6

100.0

17.2

18.4

44.3

14.6

5.5

100.0

18.0

18.9

41.5

15.7

5.9

100.0

16.9

18.0

46.5

13.4

5.2

100.0

25.4

23.6

38.6

9.1

3.3

100.0

26.8

24.6

37.0

8.7

2.6

100.0

22.7

21.7

41.9

9.6

4.1

100.0

34.1

25.2

31.2

7.2

2.4

100.0

35.9

25.9

29.5

6.6

2.0

100.0

28.8

23.1

36.1

8.4

3.5

100.0

49.4

25.0

19.9

4.2

1.5

100.0

52.1

25.2

17.9

3.6

i .2

100.0

38.0

24.3

28.5

6.4

2.6

100.0

60.2

23.7

12.9

2.4

0.6

100.0

62.5

23.6

11.3

1.9

0.6

100.0

47.0

24.3

22.1

4.3

2.2

100.0

61.1

23.6

12.3

2.2

0.6

100.0

63.1

23.4

11.0

1.9

0.7

100.0

49.6

24.5

20.1

3.8

2.0

100.0

54.2

24.6

16.6

3.2

1.4

100.0

56.2

24.5

15.3

2.9

1.1

100.0

43.4

25.3

23.9

4.5

2.9

100.0

42.1

25.1

24.7

5.7

2.5

100.0

44.0

25.2

23.5

5.2

2.2

100.0

34.7

25.2

30.1

6.4

3.6

‘Includes races other than white and black,

Tablell. Percent oftifihs MhlainMe and%mintie ~rsmres ksst~n7, ~~ofmother andwof Mti Total ofreporting State~ 1981

Aae of mother

All Under 15 15-17 18-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40years

Apgar score and race of child ages years yeare years yeare yeara years yeare andover

1-minute Apgar score’

Allraces2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.8 15.0 12.5 11.4 9.8 8.9 9.1 10.7 13.0

White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.3 14.8 12.1 11.0 9.4 8.5 8.6 1b.o 12.2

Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12.2 15.0 13.3 12.5 11.5 11.6 12.7 14.3 15.9

5-minute Apgar score3

Allraces2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.1 4.2 3.1 2.5 2.1 1.8 1.9 2.4 3.1

White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.8 3.4 2.7 2.2 1.6 1.6 1.6 2.1 2.7

Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.4 4.7 3.9 3.5 3.2 3.3 3.5 4.1 4.3

lTotalof 46 reporting States. Excludes data for California, Delaware, Oistrictof Columbia, Oklahoma, snd Texsa.

21ncludes races other than whte and black.

~otal of 46 reporting Statea and the District of Columbia. Excludes data for California, Delaware, Oklahoma, and Texaa.

21
Appendix

Technical notes

Sources of data

Data shown in this report for the period 1972-8 I are

based on 1.00 percent of the birth certificates from States

participating in the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program and

on a 50-percent sample of births from all other States. Beginning in 1972, States providing data through the cooperative

program were Florida, Maine, Missouri, New Hampshire,

Rhode Island, and Vermont. The following States were added

in subsequent years: Colorado, Michigan, and New York

(excluding New York City) in 1973; Illinois, Iowa, Kansas,

Montana, Nebraska. Oregon, and South Carolina in 1974;

Louisiana, Maryland, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee,

Virginia. and Wisconsin in 1975; Alabama, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nevada, Texas, and West Virginia in 1976; Alaska,

Idaho. Massachusetts, Ohio, and New York City in 1977;

Indiana, Utah, and Washington in 1978; Connecticut, Hawaii,

Mississippi, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Wyoming in

1979; and Arkansas and South Dakota in 1980. Data for

1970-71 are based on a 50-percent sample of births.

Population denominators

Birth rates for 1981 are based on populations estimated

as of July 1, 1981. Rates for 1980, except those by marital

status, are based on populations enumerated as of April 1,

1980. Rates by marital status are estimated as of July 1

for all years. The figures by race in the 1980 census are

affected by changes in the practice of reporting race, particularly on the part of the Hispanic population, and in coding

and classifying racial groups in the 1980 census. In order

to maintain comparability for years prior to 1980, the 1980

census data by race have been redistributed to conform to

the historical categories. Unpublished tabulations of these

modified census counts were obtained from the U.S. Bureau

of the Census and were used for the computation of the

rates for this report.

Birth rates for 1971-79 based on populations estimated

as of July 1, have been revised and therefore may differ

from those pub] ished in Vitul Statistics of the United States,

Volume 1, Natality, for 1979 and earlier years. The revised

rates, which were first published in November 1982,(’ are

based on revised populations for these years which are consistent with the 1980 census levels.’

NOTE. A list of references follows the

.’7

The 1980 census counted

text.

approximately 5.5 million more persons than had earlier been

estimated for April 1, 1980, s

Births by marital status of mother

Beginning with 1980 data, national estimates of births

to unmarried women are derived from two sources. For 41

States and the District of Columbia, marital status of the

mother is reported directly on the birth certificate; for the

remaining 9 States which lack such an item, marital status

is inferred from a comparison of the child’s and parents’

surnames. The previous method assumed that the incidence

of births to unmarried women in States with no direct cpiestion

on marital status was the same as the incidence in reporting

States in the same geographic division. Ratios of births to

unmarried women were computed by race for the reporting

States in each geographic division, applied to all births in

the division, and then summed to obtain national estimates

by race. The figures by race were summed to yield the

totals for the United States.

The new method represents an attempt to use related

information on the birth certificate to improve the quality

of national data on this topic as well as to provide data

for the individual nonreporting States. This method is based

on a comparison of the parents’ and child’s surnames. IBriefly,

a birth is classified as occurring to a married woman if

the parents’ surnames are the same or if the child’s and

father’s surnames are the same and the mother’s current

surname is missing. A birth is classified as occurring to

an unmarried woman if the father’s name is missing, if

the parents’ surnames are different, or if the father’s and

child’s surnames are different and the mother’s current surname is missing.

Computation of percent

distributions

Births of unknown live-birth order, educational attainment

of mother, month of pregnancy that prenatal care began,

birth weight, and Apgar score were subtracted fro]m total

births before percent distributions were computed.

●U.S. GoVEFJM?N’l! EUIWJXG OFFICE: 19@4O-421-161/311
Vital and Health Statistics

series descriptions

SERIES1.

SERIES2.

SERIES 3.

SERIES4.

SERIES5.

SERIES 10.

SERIES1l.

SERIES 12.

SERIES 13.

Programs and Collection Procedures-Reports describing

the general programs of the National Center for Health

Statistics and its offices and divisions and the data COI.

Iection methods used. They also include definitions and

other material necessaryfor understanding the data.

Dat8 Evaluation and Methods Research-Studies of new

statistical methodology including experimental tests of

new survey methods, studies of vital statisticscollection

methods, new analytical techniques, objective evaluations

of reliability of collected data, and contributions to

statistical theory. Studies also include comparison of

U.S. methodology with those of other countries.

Analytical and Epidemiological Studies-Reports presenting analytical or interpretive studies based on vital

and health statistics, carrying the analysis further than

the expository types of reports in the other series.

Documents and Committoa Reports-Final reports of

major committees concerned with vital and health statistics and documents such as recommended model vital

registration laws and revised birth and death certificates.

Comparative International Vital and Health Statistics

Reports-Analytical and descriptive reports comparing

U.S. vital and health statistics with those of other countries.

Data From the National Health Interview Survey-Statistics on illness, accidental injuries, disability, use of hospital, medical, dental, and other services, and other

health-dated topics, all based on data collected in the

continuing national household interview survey.

Data From the National Health Examination Survey and

tho National Health and Nutrition Examination Survay–

Data from direct examination, testing, and measurement

Of national samples of the civilian noninstitutional ized

population provide the basis for (1) estimates of the

medically defined prevalence of specific diseases in the

United States and the distributions of the population

with respect to physical, physiological, and psychological characteristics and (2) analysis of relationships

among the various measurements without reference to

an explicit finite universe of parsons.

Dzta From the Imtitutionaiizad Population Suweys–Discontinued in 1975. Reports from these surveys are included in Series 13.

Data on Heslth Resourcss Utilization–Statistics on the

utilization of health manpower and facilities providing

long-term care, ambulatow’ care, hospital care, and family

planning sewims.

SERIES 14.

SERIES 15.

SERIES 20.

SERIES 21.

SERIES 22.

SERIES 23.

Data on Health Resources: Manpower and FacilitiasStatistics on the numbers, geographic distribution, and

characteristics of health resources including physicians,

dentists, nurses, other health occupations, hospitals,

nursing homes, and outpatient facilities.

Data From Special Survays–Statistics on health and

health-related topics collected in special suweys that

are not a part of the continuing data systems of the

National Center for Health Statistics.

Data on Mortality-Various statistics on mortality other

than as included in regular annual or monthly reporls.

Special analyses by cause of death, age, and other demographic variables; geographic and time series analyses;

and statistics on characteristics of deaths not available

from the vital records based on sample surveys of those

records.

Data on Natality, Marriage, ●nd Divorce-Various statistics on natality, marriage, and divorce other than as

included in regular annual or monthly reports. Special

analyses by demographic variables; geographic and time

series analyses; studies of fertility; and statistics on

characteristics of births not available from the vital

records based on sample surveys of those records.

Data From the National Mortality ●nd Natality Surveys–

Discontinued in 1975. Reports from these sample suweys

based on vital records are included in Series 20 and 21,

respectively.

Data From the National Survey of Family Growth–

Statistics on fertility, family formation and dissolution,

family planning, and related maternal and infant health

topics derived from a periodic survey of a nationwide

probability sample of ever-married women 1544 years

of age.

For a list of titles of reports published in these series, write to:

Scientific and Technical Information Branch

National Center for Health Statistics

Public Health Service

Hyattsville, Md. 20782

or call 301-436-NCHS
U.S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES

Pubhc Health Serwce

Nat!onal Center for Health StatWlcs

3700 East-West Highway

Hyattsville, Maryland 20782

OFFICIAL BUSINESS

PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE, $300

THIRD CLASS MAIL

BULK RATE

POSTAGE & FEES PAID

PHS/NCHS

PERMIT No. G-281

DHHS Pubbcatlon No. (PHS) 84–1919, Series 21, No 41