Data from the Series 21 

NATIONAL VITAL STATISTICSSYSTEM Number ,23 

Teenagers:


Marriages, Divorces,


Parenthood, and Mortality


Analysis of teenage marriage, divorce, parenthood 

(including information on illegitimacy rates and 

ratios), and mortality during the 1960’s. 

DHEW Publication No. (HRA) 74-1901 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE 

Public Health Service 

Health Resources Administration 

National Center for Health Statistics 

Rockville, Md. August 1973 
. . . . 

Vital and Health Statistics-Series 21-No. 23 
NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH STATISTICS 

EDWARD B. PERRIN, Ph.D., Acting Director 

PHILIP S. LAWRENCE, SC.D., Associate Director 

GAIL F. FISHER, Acting Assistant Director for Health Statistics Development 

WALT R. SIMMONS, M.A., Assistant Director for Research and Scientific Development 

JOHN J. HANLON, M.D., MedicalAdvisor /


JAMES E. KELLY, D.D.S., Dental Advisor


EDWARD E. MINTY, Executive Officer


ALICE HAYWOOD, Information Officer


DIVISION OF VITAL STATISTICS 

ROBERT A. ISRAEL, M. S., Director 

JOHN E. PATTERSON, Assistant Director for Demographic Affairs 

ROBERT J. ARMSTRONG, M. S., chief Mortality Statistics Branch 

ROBERT L. HEUSER, M. A., Chiej Natality Statistics Branch 

ALICE M. HETZEL, Chiej Marriage and Divorce Statistics ,Branch 

Vital and Health Statistics-Series 21-No. 23 

DHEW Publication No. (HRA) 74-1901 

Library of Congress Cutalog Card Number 73-600052 
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CONTENTS


In&oduction -------Q


Marriages - . -- ”


The Married Teenage Population -----.-


Teenage Marriages During the 1960’s ---------------------------------


Marriages in the MRA


Geographic Variation in U.S. Marriages


State Marriage Laws


International Comparisons


Divorces


Parenthood ---.--*-


B&h Rates - . . . -- ”


Premarital Conceptions


Illegitimate Btitis


Births by Color -.-----kTrends in Births by “Color -------------------------

Infant Mortalily


Mortality


Leading Causes


Life Expectancy .-


List of Detailed Tables


Appendix


Sources of Data ---------------------


Rate Computations - . -------- ”


. Estimating Procedures


Illegitimate Births --.----

Standard Errors


Page 

1 

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9 

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... 

Ill 
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SYMBOLS 

Data not available 

Category not applicable . . . 

Quantity zero -

Quantity more than O but less than O.05---- 0.0 

Figure doesnot meet standards of * reliabilityor precision 

iv 
TEENAGERS: MARRIAGES, DIVORCES,


PARENTHOOD, AND MORTALITY


Alice M. Hetzel and Marlene Cappetta, Division of Vital Sizztistics 

INTRODUCTIONI 

There are more teenagers in the United 

States today than ever before in the history of 

the country. 

In 1969 there were an estimated 18.6 million 

persons 15 through 19 years of age, the group 

accounting for most of the teenage marriages, 

divorces, parenthood, and mortality. This was 

5.6 million more than in 1959 and nearly 8 

million more than in 1949. The number of teenagers will continue to increase during the 1970’s 

but at a slower pace. After a slight interruption 

during the 1980’s, the upward trend is expected 

to continue. According to current projections the 

teenage population is likely to be in the neighborhood of 25 million by the year 2000 (figure 1). 

...” 

Enumerated population for census ...”” year% July 1 estimates for all j other years ... 

Projections, Series D .... . . . . ... 

... ...” .. 

.. 

... ...”” 

“.+... . 

/“ 

‘“t


o~ 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 

YEAR 

SOURCE U.S. Bum.. oftheCensus, “Pr.j.ctimsof h. P.apulmion of the United Saks 

by Age and Sex: 1970 t. 2020,,, Projection from Current Population Reports, Series P-25 

N.. 470, 

Figure 1. Teenage populat ian 15-19years of age: United


States, 1930-2000.


The tremendous growth in the population 

aged 15-19 is even more impressive when viewed 

against the fact that for more than 25 years 

(from 1930 to 1958) this segment of the population 

stayed within the bounds of 10 and 12.5 million. 

Then in just 11 years it increased almost 50 

percent. 

The proportion of the total population accounted for by teenagers has also changed under 

the influence of varying size cohorts moving 

through the age groups. During the 1930’s the 

proportion of teenagers was relatively stable, 

staying at 9.4 or 9.5 percent, but during the 

1940’s and early fifties it declined steadily. 

By 1952 teenagers aged 15-19 years accounted 

for only 6.7 percent of the total population. 

This proportion remained constant until 1957, 

when a decided upward progression began. Duriqg 

the 1960’s babies born to parents married during 

the post- World War II marriage boom increased 

“the ranks of the teenage population. By 1969 the 

15-19 group accounted for 9.1 percent of the 

population. 

In sheer numbers teenagers account for a 

large share of the marriages and births, especially of illegitimate births. In 1969 about 

one-third of alI brides and 14 percent of gr~oms 

were teenagers; in 1968 17 percent of all births 

and nearly 50 percent of the illegitimate births 

were to teenage mothers. 

On the other hand, the proportion of divorces 

granted to teenagers is small--about 4 percent 

of all divorces for women and 1 percent for men 

in 1969. More significant is the large proportion 

of divorces granted to persons who married in 

1 
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their teens (46 percent for women and 19 percent 

for men). 

The total number of deaths among teenagers 

also is small and the death rate from all causes 

combined is low. Motor vehicle accidents, however, take a heavy toll from the teenage group; 

in 1969 the age group 15-19 years ranked a close 

second to the group aged 20-24 years in having 

more deaths from this cause than any of the other 

5-year age groups throughout the entire life 

span. The death rate for teenagers was among the 

highest of the age-specific fatality rates for 

motor vehicle accidents. 

These and other facts presented in this report on teenagers were derived from the vital 

statistics of the United States and publications of 

the U.S. Bureau of the Census. Figures for 

marriages and divorces were obtained or estimated from data provided by States having the 

necessary information on their marriage and 

divorce records. Discussions of estimating procedures and of reliability of the estimates appear 

in the appendix to this report. 

MARRIAGES 

The Married Teenage Population 

Early marriage is more common now than it 

was at the turn of the century but slightly less 

common than it was 20 years ago. A gradual 

upward trend from 1890 to 1930 and a decline 

in the 1930’s preceded an upsurge in the married 

teenage population right after World War II. 

The increase from 1940 to 1950 was greater 

than any that had taken place in the previous 

half century. According to the census enumerations, in 1950, 31 percent of all women 18-19 

years of age had already married in contrast to 

22 percent in 1940. For men at the same ages 

the increase was from 3.7 to 6.6 percent. Similar 

increases were observed at ages 15-17, but even 

in 1950 only about 7 percent of the females and 

1 percent of the males in this group had married. 

From 1950 to 1960 the proportion married 

declined slightly in the female population 15-17 . 

years old, but for females aged 18-19 and for 

both subgroups of males the proportion married 

continued to increase (table A). In 1970 there was 

a substantial decline from 1960 in the proportion 

married for females in both age groups and a 

slight decline for males 18-19 years of age. 

The proportion married among teenagers, however, was still much lower for males than for 

females. 

Teenage Marriages During the 1960’s 

An increase in the number of teenagers 15-19 

years of age during the period 1960-69 accounted 

Table A. Percent of teenage population ever married, by sex and age: United States, 

1890-1970 

Female Male 

Year 

15-19 15-17 18-19 15-19 15-17 18-19 

years years years years years years 

1970 

1960 

1950 

1940 

1930 

1920 

1910 

1900 

1890 -----------------=--

11.9 

16.1 

17.1 

11.9 

13.1 

12.9 

11.7 

11.2 

9.7 

4.7 23.4 

6.8 32.1 

31.1 

::: 22.2 

5.4 24.6 

5.2 24.6 

4.1 1.4 8.7 

3.9 1.2 8.9 

3.3 6.tj 

1.7 ::: 

1.8 0.3 H 

0.5 4.7 

::; -

1.0 

0.5 

SOURCES: U.S. Bureau of the Census, U.S. Census of Population: 1960, Detailed Characteristics, United States Summary, Final Report PC(l) -lD, tables 1963, 

and U.S. Census of Population: 1970, Marital Status, Subject Report PC(2~4C, t~ble 1, 

1973. Washington, U.S. Government Printing Office. 

2 
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for 50 percent of the”growth in the total unmarried 

population 15 years of age and over. This rapid 

growth of the teenage population had a marked 

effect on the number of marriages performed. 

About one-third of the women and 14 percent 

of the men who married during 1969 were 

teenagers. An estimated 717,000 women and 

311,000 men married at ages under 20 years (table 

1). This was more than for any of the previous 4 

years and an increase over 1960 of 160,000 

women and 110,000 men (table B). The number 

of teenage marriages was up nearly 30 percent 

for women a,nd over 50 percent for men in 1969 

as compared with 1960. 

Annual increases in the number of marriages 

were greatest in the middle and late sixties, when 

the unusually large birth cohorts of the immediate 

post-World War II years were reaching marriageable ages. Even with this tremendous increase 

in the number of teenage marriages, between 

1960 and 1969 the teenage marriage mte actually 

declined for women and increased only slightly 

for men (table B). In other words, the increase 

in the number of teenage marriages did not 

keep pace with the increase in the teenage 

population for women and did not exceed it greatly 

for men. 

If no significant changes occur in the teenage 

marriage rate, the number of teenage marriages 

will continue to increase at a diminishing rate 

until the late seventies. By then the downward 

Table B. Estimated number and rate of marriages for teenagers aged 15-19 years, 

by sex: United States, 1960 and 1965-69 

[See appendix for method of computation. Rates per 1,000 

unmarried population 15-19 years of age] 

Number Rate 

Year


Female Male 

1969 717,000 311,000 87.7 34.6 

1968--- 689,000 294,000 86.2 33.3 

1967--- 663,000 285,000 85.7 33.0 

1966--- 689,000 299,000 89.0 34.5 

1965--- 661,000 252,000 89.8 30.4 

1 

1960--- 557,000 201,000 100.3 31.2 

FEMALES 

Ir 100 

75 

50 

25 

0 

1969 1960 1969 1960 

Figure 2. Estimated marriage rates per 1,OOOunmarried


teenagers aged 15-19 years, by sex: Un ited States,


1960 and 196%


trend in births that began in 1958 and continued 

through the sixties will have ended this postwar 

wave of teenage eligibles. 

In 1969 the teenage marriage rate, computed 

by relating the estimated number of marriages at 

ages under 20 years to the unmarried population 

15-19 years of age, was 88 per 1,000 for women 

and 35 per 1,000 for men. This was 12 percent 

below the rate of 100 per 1,000 observed for 

women in 1960 and 13 percent above the rate of 

31 per 1,000 for men (figure 2). 

The opposite trend in teenage marriage rates 

for brides and for grooms may be part of the 

phenomenon referred to in recent literature as 

the “marriage squeeze. 1rL2A shortage of suitable 

partners was predicted for the large number of 

girls from the post-World War H birth cohorts 

who, because women in the United States customarily marry at younger ages than men, 

reached a marriageable age sooner than boys from 

the same cohorts. 

Even with the large number of teenage 

marriages during the 1960’s, the teenage marriage 

lGlick, P. C., Heer, D. M., and Beresford, J. C.: Family 

formation and family composition, tren~ and prospects, k 

Marvin B. Sussman, cd., Sourcebook in Marriage and the 

Family. New York. Houghton Mifflin Co., 1963. p. 38. 

2 

Akers, Donald S.: On measuring the marriage squeeze. 

Demography 4(2):907-924, 1967. 
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Table C. Estimated number and rate of marriages, by age and sex: United States, 1969 

~ee appendix for method of computation, Rates per 1,000 unmarried population in specified group] 

I 1 

Female Male 

Age 

Number Rate Number Rate 

Total 2,145,000 80.0 2,145,000 98.7 

15-19 years 717,000 87.7 311,000 34.6 

20-24 years 843,000 273.5 985,000 221.1 

25-34 years 311,000 189.7 491,000 234.1 

35-44 years - 129,000 86.0 163,000 123.5 

45-54 years 84,000 38.4 101,000 73.2 

55-64 years 43,000 14.2 56,000 48.7 

65 years and over 19,000 2.7 39,000 16.4 

rate in 1969 was far below the rate for the next 

age group, 20-24. In fact, for males it was the 

lowest marriage rate of any age group under 65, 

and for females it was the lowest underage 35. 

The estimated number ofmarriagesand marriage 

rates by age for women and men in the United 

States during 1969 appear intable C. 

Marriages in the MF?A 

Sample data from the marriage-registration 

area (MRA) are the closest approximation to 

national data on detailed characteristics now 

available. In general, marriage ratesin theMRA 

are considered reasonable estimates for the 

Nation. It has been observed, however, that the 

teenage marriage ratea in the MRA have been 

below those for the entireUniteuatates ,indicating 

that States outside the MRA had high early 

marriage rates. In 1969 the marriage rate forthe 

M&\ was 78.9pex l, OOOunmarried females aged 

15-19 and30.8 per l,OOOunmarried males 15-19, 

as compared with estimated rates of 87.7 and 

34.6 for the United States as a whole. 

In spite of this deficiency, MRA data provide 

marriage information not otherwise available. 

Although the rzunzbev of marriages performed in 

the MRA are not comparable from year to year 

because of the growth of the registration area, 

the marriage ratasoverthese years aremuchless 

affected and are useful indicators of trends. Both 

numbers and rates provide reliable information on 

various relationships for a given year. 

Mm ?JW of muvriages. —To give some information on annual changes in the number of 

teenage marriages during the 1960’s, data from 

the 34 States (and the District of Columbia) that 

have been in the MRA since 1961 are shown in 

table D. By holding the States constant, year-toyear inconsistencies arising from States entering 

the MRA are eliminated. This provides comparable figures on numbers of teenage marriages for 

the years 1961-69, including a breakdown showing 

the early and late teens separately. 

There were far more teenage marriages at 

ages 18 and 19 than at ages under 18. In each of 

the years 1961-69, from 65 to 71 percent of the 

teenage brides and 89 to 91 percent of the teenage 

grooms were 18 or over. 

The year of greatest increase in teenage 

marriages was different for the group under 18 

years than for the group aged 18 and over, varying 

for the most part with the number of persons 

entering the particular age group. For ages under 

18, mostly 16- and 17-year-olds, the largest 

annual increase in marriages occurred in 1964; 

for ages 18 and 19 the greatest increase was in 

1965. These increases tied in with the large increases that had occurred in the 1946, ’47, and 

’48 birth cohorts then reaching those ages. 

4 
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Table D. Number of teenage brides and grooms at specified ages and percent change from 

Precedin$z Year: uniform ~rou~ of 34 marria~e-re~istration States and the District of 

~olumbia~ 1961-69 

[Based onsample
dat~


Bride


==l==F=


Nu 

422,281 129,844 292,437 

:;;

116,677 275,868 

409;565 119,771 289,794 

394,401 124,109 270,292 

366,681 128,986 237,695 

349,121 

349,456 1::;;;;$ 1;;:;;;; 

1-240,020 

,y; 123,794 286,780 

Year 

1969-------------------

i968-------------------

1967-------------------


1966-------------------


1965-------------------


&------------------


1962-------------------


1961-------------------


1969-------------------

i968-------------------

1967-------------------

. 1966-------------------

1965-------------------

:;::-’ 

1962------------------­


ll)ataare estimated.


Marriage Yates.—Teenage 

avaiIable in greater detail 

Groom


II I


Under I Under 

20 years 18 years 

181,893 18,448 

176,274 17,422 

167,995 15,903 

178,407 15,888 

154,353 14,549 

129,164 13,87’0 

125,540 1;; ; ;;; 

18-19 

years 

163,445


158,852


152,092


162,519


139,804


115,294


1;;:;;;;


1108,660


-t-2.9


+4.4


-6.4


+16.2


+21.3


-I-1.9


-2.5


+6.8


127,804 

344,349 1104,329 120,585 111,925 

Percent change from previous year


+1.5 

+2.9 +2.0 +3.2 -1-5.9 

+4.6 Z:: +$: +4.9 +9.6 

-4.2 -5.8 +-0.1 

+3.8 -3:5 +7:2 +15.6 +9.2 

+7.6 -3.8 +13.7 +19.5 

+5.0 +12.3 +1.5 +2.9 +Z:: 

-0.1 +11.6 -5.0 -1.8 +5.5 

-1.3 +2.7 -L+6.0
 -1.9

1 

See appendix for estimating procedure.


marriage rates, 

for the marriageregistration States than for any other areas, are 

shown in tables E and F for age subgroups and 

single yearsof age. 

As was shown by the U.S. estimates, women 

in the age group 15-19 marriedataslightly lower 

rate in 1969 than in1965, while the opposite was 

true for men in the same age group. The highest 

teenage marriage rates during the middle and 

late sixties were in 1965 for women andin 1966 

and 1969 for men. From 1964 through 1969the 

marriage rate for teenage womenwasmuch lower 

than in 1960, but this was not true for men. 

(Comparable rates for 1961-63 are not available.) 

The same general pattern is apparent intherates 

for the 15-17 and18-19 age subgroups. 

Between 1964 and 1969, except at the very 

young ages (14 and 15 years) teenage marriage 

rates by single years of age show a generally 

downward trend for females (table F). The 

reduction was greatest at age 18, where the rate 

for 1969 was 16 percent below the rate for 1964. 

An upward trend was observed for males, with 

the greatest percentage increases in the very 

early ages (16 and17y ears). 

Selected charactwistics.--Most marriages 

involving. teenagers are first marriages; 98percent of teenage brides and 99 percent ofteenage 

grooms inthe MRA during1969were marryingfor 

the first time. This was in sharp contrast to the 

proportion offirst marriagesamong thosemarrying at ages 20 andover (67percentfor brides and 

73 percent for grooms) andwas somewhatgreater 

than for those marrying at ages 20-24(90percent 

for brides and95 percent for grooms). 

From 1960 to1969 the age gap narrowed between teenage brides and&ooms and their mar5 
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Table E. Teenage marriage rates at speci.fied”ages, by sex: marriage-registration area, 

1960 and 1963-69 

~yed on sample data. Rates per 1,000 unmarried population in specified group] 

1 

Female Male 

Year 

15-19 15-17 18-19 15-19 15-17 18-19 

years years years years years years I 

1969------------------- 78.9 35.5 165.5 30.8 77.0 

1968------------------- 78.7 35.0 164.7 30.3 .::; 75.4 

1967------------------- 76.3 33.5 157.3 29.1 4.1 72.1 

1966------------------- 79.8 34.6 163.0 30.8 4.2 73.8 

1965------------------- 81.0 36.6 171.5 27.7, 4.1 70.0 

1964------------------- 78.9 37.7 181.9 24.6 3.8 69.4 

1963------------------- 181.0 68.4 

1960------------------- 95.1 45.3 213.1 28.6 I 4.7 76.6 

Table F. Teenage marriage rates by	 single years of age and sex: marriage-registration 

area, 1964-69 

[Based on sample data. Rates per 1,000 unmarried population in specified group] 

Age 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 

Female I 

14 yearsl 1.6 1.4 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 

15 years 

16 years 3;:: 3;:; 3!:; 3::: 3::: 3::: 

17 years 64.1 61.9 62.0 61.8 66,1 65.8 

18 years 

19 years 

146.8 

188.4 

140:6 

179.8 

140.4 

176.9 

153.3 

173.3 

154.8 

199.1 

174.3 

190.9 

Male 

I 

16 years l---------------- 2.4 1.9


17 years 13.2 1;:2 1!:! 1::; J::


18 years 57.8 54.7 53.6 55.5 49.5 5%;


19 years 98.8 97.9 92.5 93.1 100.5 89.2


lIncludes any marriage under this age. 

riage par@ers, as shown by the median age of 

spouse for teenage brides and grooms at first 

marriage of both partners (table G). For brides 

18 years of age, the median age of groom 

decreased over halfa year, from 21.3 in 1960 

to 20.6 in 1969, and for grooms 18 years old, 

the median age of brides increased, from 17.9 

to 18.1. 

In 1969 a typical teenage bride was18to 19 

years of age, she married a groom close to2% 

years older, both were residents of the Statein 

which the marriage occurred, and the marriage 

was performed in a religious ceremony in a 

summer month. 

More specifically, about 70 percent of the 

teenage brides were 18 or 19 years old. Where 

6 
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Table G. Median age of spouse, by specified age of teenage bride or groom at first 

marriage of both: marriage-registration area, 1960-69 

@ased cm simple dat~ 

Specified age of bride I Specified 

Year 

Under Under 

18 years 

18 years 19 years 18 years 18 

Median age of spouse 

1969--------------------- 19.7 20.6 21.3 17.3 

1968--------------------- 19.7 20.6 21.3 17.3 

1967--------------------- 19.8 20.5 21.3 17.5 

1966--------------------- 19.7 20.5 21.4 17.3 

1965--------------------- 20.0 20.7 21.4 17.7 

1964--------------------- 20.1 21.0 21.5 17.2 

1963--------------------- 20.0 21.0 21.5 17.2 

1962--------------------- 20.0 21.0 21.5 

1961--------------------- 20.2 21.1 21.6 

1960--------------------- .20.2 21.3 21.8 17.2 

age of groom 

years 19 years 

18.1 18.7


18.2 18.7


18.2 18.7


18.2 18.7


18.1 18.6


17.8 18.5


17.9 18.5


18.6


18.6


17.9 18.4


I 

both partners were marrying for the first time, 

themedisn age ofgroomswas 20.6yearsfor those 

marrying HLyear-old brides and 21.3 for those 

niarrying brides aged 19. For those marryingfor 

the first time, approximately 89 percent of the 

teenage brides and 87percentofthegrooms were 

residents of the State where married; 78 percent 

of the brides and76 percent of the grooms were 

married in religious ceremonies; and approximately one-third were married in June, July, or 

August (table H). Close to 90 percent of the 

teenage brides and grooms were white. 

Except for the difference in ageofpwtners, 

which narrowed in the twenties and widened at 

older ages, most of these characteristics were 

similar to those for brides and grooms who 

married at later ages.Teenagebridesandgrooms 

married in a civil ceremony more often than 

first-married brides and grooms aged 20-24,and 

they married a little more randomly throughout 

the year. Teenage brides were also a little more’ 

frequently nonresidents oftheStatewhere married 

than brides aged 20-24, while teenage grooms, 

except for the very young, were less frequently 

nonresidents than older grooms (table H). 

Sex and color d&eventials.—Available data 

show anumber of interesting differences inteenage marriages by sex aqd color. 

The marriage rate is higher forfemales than 

for maIes throughout the teens, butthedifference 

is much greater in the early teens than Iater. 

MRA data for 1969 showed a marriage rate for 

females aged 15-17 that was 7 times the rate 

for males in’the same age group, while atages 

18-19 the rate for females was onlya little over 

twice the rate for males (table E). These ratios 

are lower than those observed earlier in the 

decade. In 1964 the marriage rate for females 

15-17 was about 10 times the rate for malesat 

those ages, and at 18-19 years of age it was 

slightly over 2?4 times the rate for males. This 

change in ratio resulted from the decline in 

marriage rates for female teenagers and the 

increase in rates for males. 

Another difference between the sexes ,though 

slight, was in residency. In first marriages, 

young menwer e somewhatmore inclinedtomarry 

out of their State of residence than women; especially at the very young ages. 

Type of ceremony also varied somewhat by 

sex. Relatively fewer of the teenage grooms than 

brides were married in a religious ceremony, 

especially at the early ages (table H). 

Only minor differences in seasonality were 

noted. Slightly more of the teenage men than 

women married during the winter months and 

7. 
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Table H. Percent	distributions of first-married brides and grooms at specified ages by se­
 lected characteristics: marriage-registration area, 1969


[Based on sample data. Computed on totals excluding figures for not stated] 

II 

II Under 20 years 20 years and over 

Characteristic I I 

20-24 25-29 30 years Total I years Iyears or more 

All marriages------------ LOO.O II100.0 II100001 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 

Color


White--------------------------
 All other----------------------


Resident status


Resident-----------------------
 Nonresident


Type of ceremonyl


Civil-----------------------


Religious


Month of marriage


January------------------------
 February


March--------------------------
 April--------------------------
 May----------------------------


J&e--------------------


July---------------------------
 Aug&t -------------------------
 September


October------------------------
 November-----------------------
 December-----------------------


Color


White--------------------------
 All ‘o.therl


‘Resident status


Resident-----------------------
 Nonresident------------


Type of ceremonyl


Civil---------------------
 Religious----------------------


Month of marriage


January------------------------
 Fetwary -----------------------


April--------------------------
 May----------------------------


Juie---------------------------
 July---------------------------
 Au&st ---------------------
 September


October------------------------
 November-------------------
 December-----------------------


1’1965data.


Bride


87.7 88.5 86.7’ 89.4 87.1 89.3 81.4 71.4


12.3 11.5 13.3 10.6 12.9 10.7 18.6 28.6


90.1 89.2 88.5 89.5 90.7 91.5 88.,5 86.0


9.9 10.8 11.5 10.5 9.3 8.5 11.5 14.0


19.4 22.0 27.7 19.6 17.1 14.3 22.8 32.5


80.6 78.0 72.3 80.4 82.9 85.7 77.2 67.5


6.0 6.6 5.8 5.1 4.9 

2:? 6.8 6.9 6.7 2:: ::; 6.3 6.9 6.6 n R 5.8 

6.7 6.8 H 6.8 6.7 6.6 ::: ;:: 9.4 

1%; 1;:: 1;:; 1;:: 1::; 1;:: 13.2 9.9 

1;:: 1::? 1::: 1;:: 1!:; 1::; 1;:: 1;:: 

8.7 8.5 8.0 8.7 8.8 9.0 8.0 

7.2 6.9 H 8.9 

n ;:; ;:: n 8.5 8.9. 

8.2 8.2 8.3 8.2 ;:: ;:: 8.9 8.5 

Groom


87.9 88,5 90.2 88.2 87.8 89.4 86.6 77.8


12.1 11.5 9.8 11.8 12.2 10.6 13.4 22.2


;;.; ;;,; 79.7 87.9 83.8 ::.; 82.9 82.2


. . 20.3 12.1 16.2 . 17.1 17.8


20.0 24.5 36.7 ;:.; 19.1 17.0 18.3 31.6


80.0 75.5 63.3 . 80.9 83.0 81.7 68.4


5.5 6.3 6.1 5.3 5.3 :.; 5.6 

6.2 7.2 u 7.3 6.0 5.8 6.6 

6.3 7.2 6.2 :.; 5:9 7.4 

6.7 2:; 6.3 ::; . 7.1 7.3 

;:; J:: J:; 1::: 1;:; 14.0 J:; 1::2 1;:: 

8’.3 

12.9 1::; 1::; 1?:: 1$: 1%? 1;:; 11:6 

8.6 8.4 8.5 8.4 8.7 8.6 7.6 

7:3 7.1 n ::: ::! u ;:$ ;:: 

8.2 8.4 7.8 8.4 ;:: ;:; 8.4 8.3 

8

------------- ---------

-------------

---------

-----

-------

Table J. Teenage marriage rates for 

females and males, by color and age: 

marriage-registration area, 1960 

Age in years 

Sex and color 

18-19 m 15-17 

Female 

White 97.8 44.0 ;;; . ; 

All other 83.7 56.2 . 

Male 

White 29.0 4.7 77.7 

All other 26.8 6.3 67.4 

fewer marriedduring thesummer.For bothbrides 

and grooms the June and August seasonal pea.ks 

were a little less decided for those marrying at 

ages under 18 than for those 18 and over. 

Teenage marriage rates by raceor colorfor 

the MRA in intercensal years are not computed 

because population bases are not available. The 

most recent rates are those computed for all 

marriages, including remarriages, in the MRA 

in1960 and shown intable J. 

At ages 18-19 marriage rates, especially 

those for females, were higher for white persons, 

Table K. Percent distribution of first 

marriages for brides and grooms by age, 

according to color: marriage-registration area, 1969 

[~ased on simpledata] 

1“ I 

I Bride I Groom 

Age All White o~~~r I

White other 

All ages- 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 

, 

Under 20 

years 44.5 41.3 19.5 18.5 

Under 18 

years 14.0 15.4 

18-19 years-- 30.5 25.9 1;:: 1::; 

20 years and over-- 55.5 58.7 80.5 I 81.5 

than for persons of all other races, but the 

former hadlower rates at ages under 18. 

Although total marriage rates are not available for 1969, a simikrr elationshipby age and 

color is indicated by the age distributions of 

first marriages during that year. Teenagers 

accounted for slightly more of the white brides 

and grooms than of another brides and grooms, 

but there was a difference between younger and 

older teenage brides. At ages 18-19 there were 

-relatively more white brides than all other 

brides, but thereverse was true atthevery early 

ages. Percentagedistributionsforfirstmarriages 

in the MRA during 1969 areas shown intable K. 

Geographic Variation in U.S. Marriages 

During the sixties the number of teenage 

marriages was growing in all regions of the 

country, but the rate of growth was nonuniform. 

Numerical increases in the four regions were 

greatest in the South and West, moderate inthe 

North Central, and smallest in the Northeast 

(table L). This reflects differences in the size 

and age composition ofthe population andvariation in the rate of teenage marriage throughout 

the Nation. 

Marked variation in teenage marriage rates 

was observed in 1960 among the four regions. 

Rates per 1,000 unmarried population agedl 5-19 

were highest in the South and West, lower in the 

North Central, and lowest in the Northeast. The 

South and West exhibited similar rates that were 

substantially above the national rates. The Northeast, on the other hand, had rates about one-half 

those in the South and West and appreciably 

below the U.S. rates. The North Central Region 

had rates closest to the national rates. Marriage 

rates per 1,000 unmarried population aged 15-19 

by region in 1960 were as shown in table M. 

Data are not availabIe for computing corn- “ 

parable rates for 1969. However, regional data 

for the MRA in 1969 showed similar relationships 

in the proportions of total marriages involving 

teenagers (table N). The highest proportion of 

teenage marriages occurred in the South, which 

was followed by the North Central and West with 

intermediate proportions and the Northeast with 

the smallest proportion. 

In the South, one-half of all first marriages 

involved women under 20, and nearly one-fifth 

9 
------------

----------------------

------------------

--------------------------

---------------------------

-----

-------------------

--------------------

-----------

---------------

Table L. Estimated number of teenage brides and grooms, with percent change: United


States and each geographic region, 1960 and 1969


[3y area of occurrence. See appendix for method of computation] 

Bride Groom


Region 

1969 1960 Percent 1969 1960 Percent 

change change 

United States 717,000 557,000 .—+28.7 311,000 201,000 +54.7 

Northeast 102,000 92,000 +10.9 38,000 29,000 +31.0 

North Central 185,000 152,000 +21.7 83,000 58,000 +43.1 

South 291,000 214,000 +36.0 131,000 77,000 +70.1 

West 140,000 99,000 +41.4 59,000 38,000 +55.3 

involved women under 18. In the Northeast, however, less than one-third of all first marriages 

were to women under 20, and a much smaller 

proportion were to women under 18. 

Over one-fifth of all grooms in the South 

marrying for the first time were under 20, 

twice the proportion in the Northeast, and very 

early marriage, at ages under 18, was most 

predominant inthe South (figure 3). 

The majority of States observed the pattern 

occurring in their region. Rankingswereassigned 

to 44 States and the District of Columbia ona 

scale from highest to lowest for proportions of 

total marriages in 1969 involving teenagers 

(figure 4). Most States with high rankings (where 

Table M. Teenage marriage rates, by sex: United States and each geographic region, 1960 

[By areaof occurrence. ItatBs per 1,000 unmarried pqJ.­

lation in specified group. See appendix for method of computation] 

Region Female Male


United States 100.3 31.2


south 121.6 35.2 

West 120.6 37.5 

North Central 95.8 32.6 

Northeast 66.2 19.5 

1 

40 percent or more of all brides hereunder age 

20) were located in the South. An exception was 

Utah, in the West. Most States with low rankings 

(30 percent and less) were situated in the Northeast. 

It is interesting that the States with the highestandlowest values were inthe sarneregion. In 

the South, Kentucky had the highest proportion of 

BRIDES GROOMS 

50 

Under 18 

40 = year, 

m 1S-19 years 

I 

North. North North- North South West South West east Central east Central 

REGION 

:igure 3, Percent of first marriages involving teen-


age brides and grooms, by age: marriage-registration


area States grouped by geographic reg ion, 1969.


10

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

GRoOMS 

PERCENT 

RANK STATE ‘YH%-Fi STATE RANK 

Kentucky Kentucky 1


Alabama North Carolina 2


North Carolim South Carolina 2


South Carolina Missouri 4


Arkansas Alabama 5


We5t Virginia Utah 6


Utah Arkansas 7


Mississippi Tennessse 8


Louisiana Mississippi 9


Missouri Indiana 10


Kansas Texas 11


Tennessee West Vkgi”ia 11


Indiana Louisiana 13


Iowa Michigan 14


Texas Iowa 15


Montana Kansas 16


16 Oregon Oregon 17


18 Maine Georgia 18


19 Maryland Ohio 19


20 Vermont South Dakota 20


21 Michigm Delaware 21


22 North Dakota Maine 22


23 South Dakota Nebraska 22


24 Georgia Idaho 24


25 Nebraska Virginia 24


26 California California 26


27 Wyoming Wyoming 27


28 Virginia Montana 28


29 Idaho Vermont 29


30 Ohio Maryland 30


31 Alaska Pennsylvania 31


31 Oelaware Minnesota 32


33 Wisconsin North Dakota 32


34 Minnesota Illinois 34


35 Florida Florida 35


36 Illinois Wisconsin 35


37 New Hampshire Massachusetts 37


38 Pennsylvania Rhode Island 38


39 Hawaii Alaska 39


40 Massachusetts New Hampshire 39


41 Rhode Island Hawaii 41


42 New Jersey New J0rsJ2y 41


43 New York New York 43


44 Connecticut Connecticut 44


45 District of Columbia District of Columbia 45


Under 18 years Under 20 years 

Figure 4. State rankings by percent of al 1 marr iages involving teenage brides and grooms, by age: w reporting


States and the District of Columbia, 1969.


11

--------

------

Table N. Percent distr~butlon of brides and grooms atspecified ages ~6arriage or­
 der: marriage-registrationarea and each geographic region,


[Byamaof C)CCUW31)CX3. Based on iwnple data] 

Region


Marriage-


Sex and age registration
 area


Bride


All marriages 100.0


Under 20 years--------- 32.6


Under 18 years-------------
 18-19 years---------------- 2;::


20 years and over------ 67.4


First marriages 100.0


Under 20 years--------- 41.4


Under 18 years------------- 12.5


18-19 years---------------- 28.9


20 years and over------ 58.6 r Groom I 

All marriages-------- 100.0


Under 20 years--------- 13.9


Under 18 years-------------
 18-19 years---------------- 1;:2


20 years and over------ 86.1


k


First marriages------ 100.0


Under 20 years--------- 18.0


Under 18 years-------------
 18-19 years---------------- 1::;


20 years and over------ 82.0


lExcludesMinnesota and North Dakota.


North
 ortheast Centrall


100.0 100.0 

24.5 33.7


1::: 2::;


75.6 66.3


100.0 100.0


29.0	 43.3


12.0


2!;: 31.3


71.0 56.7


100.0 100.0


9.2 15,2


1.2


1$;


9::: 84.8


100.0 100.0


11.0 19.8


1.4


1;::


8;:; 80.2


T 

100.0 I 100.0 

37.8 33.3 

13.5 

24.3 2!:: 

62.2 66.7 

100.0 100.0 

49.9 43.1 

18.1 12.3 

31.8 30.8 

50.1 ‘ 56.9


100.0 I 100.0 

16.7 13.7 

1;:: J:: 

83.3 86.3 

100.0 100.0


22.3 17.8
 Y’ 1::2 1:::


77.7
 82.2

2Excludes Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas,-and South Carolina.


3Excludes Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and Washington.


teenagemarriages,47 percentforbridesand25


percentforgrooms,whilethe
DistrictofColumbia


had thelowest,19.percentforbridesand6
 percent


forgrooms.


State Marriage Laws 

A number of factorsaffecttheincidenceof


teenagemarriageina particular
 Stateandvaria­


tionbetweenStateswithinthe same geographic


divisionand region.Among them are State


marriagelawsandpopulation
 compositionbyage,


race,sex,andmaritalstatus.


Laws regardingage at marriage are es­


tablished bya Stateformarriages
 thatoccurwith­


in.itsjurisdiction.
 In most Statesmarriage is


permittedwithparental
consentifthegroomisat


least18yearsoldandthebrideatleast16years.


In 1969,15 Stateshad legalminimum age with


consentformales below thisstandard;
no State


had a higherminimum; and one Statehad no


provisionin itslaw.The age forfemaleswas


lower than 16 in 11 Statesand higherintwo.


Generally,the legalminimum age without


parentalconsentis 21 for males and 18 for


12 
females. This age requirement was lower for 

males in nine States and higher for females in 14 

States; no State had a higher requirement for males 

nor a lower requirement for females. Practically 

all States have established procedures whereby 

younger parties may obtain licenses to marry in 

case of special circumstances such as pregnancy 

or parenthood. 

To some extent teenage marriage occurs 

more frequently in States which are permissive 

in their standards regarding age at marriage. Of 

the States for which data on age at marriage were 

available in 1969, 20 had a relatively low legal 

minimum age for at least one partner. Of these 

20 States, 12 had proportions of teenage marriages 

above the U.S. average of 33.4 for brides and 14.5 

for grooms. These States are Kentucky,, Alabama, 

North Carolina, South Carolina, Utah, Mississippi, 

Missouri: Tennessee, Texas, Oregon, Michigan, 

and Georgia. Seven of the 12 States are located in 

the South. All but three of the 12 States allowed 

females under 16 years, males under 18, or both 

to marry with parental consent. 

Legislation regarding age at marriage was 

revised or enacted in several States during the 

sixties. A review of the nature of these revisions 

showed three distinct trends: (1) more uniformity 

brought about by States raising or lowering their 

legal minimum age to the standard limits, (2) a 

legal minimum age corresponding to the legal 

voting age, and (3) lessening of the gap in age 

requirements by sex. 

Changes in marriage laws may affect yearto-year differences in the number of teenagers 

married in the State where the change is enacted and also in adjacent States. 

Following a change in the Iowa marriage law 

that raised the legal minimum age with parental 

consent, the number of teenagers married in tliat 

State fell from 15,020 in 1960 to 10,740 in 1962, 

the first full year after the change+ 29-percent 

decline. 

A change of even greater magnitude occurred 

in Idaho in 1967 after the law was revised to 

raise the legal minimum age with and without 

consent and to establish a 3-day waiting period. 

The number of teenagers married declined from 

12,665 in 1966 to 5,020 in 1968, a 60-percent drop. 

Increases, although small, occurred in the adjoining States of Montana, Oregon, Utah, and 

Wyoming. Counts of marriages by age were not 

available for the adjoining States .of Nevada and 

Washington. 

In addition, decreases were observed in 

Montana between 1960 and 1962 after a 5-day 

waiting period before issuance of license was 

instituted, in Rhode Island between 1961 and 1962 

after Massachusetts reduced its waiting period 

from 5 to 3 days, and in the District of Columbia 

between 1966 and 1967 after a blood test for 

venereal disease became mandatory. 

The opposite effect was producedin Kentucky 

when limits were relaxed for both partners in 

marriage without parental consent. The number of 

teenagers marrying rose from 18,030 in 1967 to 

26,190 in 1969, the first full year after the 

change+ 45-percent increase. 

Effective in 1969, Texas lowered the age at 

which consent for males is required and dropped 

the 3-day waiting period before issuance of a 

license. The number of brides and grooms under 

20 marrying in Texas increased tiom 62,135 in 

1968 to 79,863 in 1969 (an increase of 29 percent). 

In Hawaii, which had large numbers of 

servicemen on rest and rehabilitation programs, a 

lower age requirement for females and the 

abolition of a 3-day w&ingperiodbefore issuance 

of a license raised the number of teenagers 

marrying from 2,592 in 1968 to 3,194 in 1969+ 

23-percent increase after the law had been in 

effect for only 6 months. 

International Comparisons 

The United States has a relatively high teenage marriage rate compared with other industrialized nations. Rates for selected countries, as 

published in the United Nations Demographic 

Yewbook, 1968, are shown in table O. For men, 

the United States had the highest teenage marriage rate of any country for which comparative 

data were available; its teenage marriage rate 

for women was exceeded only in Romania, Bulgaria, Australia, and Hungary. 

Marriage rates for ,teenage women in the 

United States were closest to those for Hungary, 

New Zealand, and Austialia and considerably 

higher than those for the British Isles and Western Europe. The rate for teenage males in the 

United States was twice the rates for most of the 

13 
-------------------------------- ------------------------------

----------------------------

--------------------------- ------- --------------------------------

---------------------------------

------------------------------- ---------------------------------

---------------------------------

------------------------ ---

------------------------------

-----------------------------

---

---

---

----

---

---

Table O. Teenage �arriage rates, by sex: United States and selected countries, 1960 

and 1966 

[Rates based on number of marriages in which the bride and groom were under 20 years of age, per 1,000 unmarried female and 

male population aged 15-19 years enumerated that year. Data are formal marriages, the legality of which may be established by 

civil, religious, or other means recognized by the law of the country. Populations used in computing rates were from oensus 

data, postcensal estimates, or results ofa sample surve~ 

1966 1960


Country


Female Male Female Male 

Romania.-----.---------------------------


BulEari.al


Australia3~4


Hungary----------------------------------
 United States


New Zealand7-----------------------------


Czechoslovakia


England and WalesS----------------,


Scotland3


Austrial


East Germany (incl. E. Berlin)-----------


West Germany (excl. W. Berlin)-----------


Canada-----------------------------------
 Denmark-----------------------,-----------


Luxembourg


Finlandg


Portugal


FranceIO---------------------------------
 Sweden -----.--


Northern Ireland3------------------------


Netherlands


1reland3---..


JapanI-----------------------------------


110.9


2$)9-5 

9894 556.8 510.5 

6;;:; 

96.3 

100.3 

15.4 

31.3 

83.4 576.6 513.4 

71.9 578.4 58.1 

66.2 57.7 11.7 

65,2 

64.0 5:;:; 

L4.1 

58.3 

60.6 

858.2 4.4 

56.8 5:::; 512.2 

52.5 45.1 5.7 

41.5 

2:;:: 39.5 1~:~ 

43;7 34.0 

41.5 34.6 5:3 

40.0 3.7 

36.3 53:; 57.6 

36.0 25.0


14.2 51O*5 5$;


25.1 6.3 005


lExcludingmarriages of aliens temporarily in area.
 2Data for 1965.


3Data tabulated by year OF registration rather than year Of occurrence.


4Excluding full-blooded aborigine population.


5Data for 1961.


6Computed on estimated number of teenage uiarriages.


7Computed on population aged 16-19 years.


provisional data.


9Based on marrf-ages for which bride was domiciled in COU121Xy.


10Includingarmed forces stationed outside country.


SOURCE: United Nations Demographic Yearbook, 1968. New York. United Nations, 1969.


Table 28.


English-speaking
 countriesand 3or4 timesthe


rates in many European countries.
Canada had


earlymarriageratesclosertothoseobservedin


Europeancountries thantothoseofthe
 neighboring


UnitedStates. InIreland,
where latemarriageis


customary,theteenagemarriagerateforwomen


was one-sixththe rateqn theUnitedStates,
and


the rate for men was one-tenththe U.S.rate.


Japan, theonlynon-Westerncountryfor which


reasonablycomparable dataare available,
 re­


ported extremelylow teenagemarriage rates.


Early marriage may be more common in


countriesfor which dataare lackingor tooin­


complete for inclusion
here,e.g.,thosein Af­


rica, Asia, and Latin America. Common law


unions,i.e.,coupleslivingtogetherwithouta


14

-------------

-------------------

-------------------

-----------------

-------------------

--------------------- ----------- ---------------- --------------------

Table P* Ratio of teenage marriage rate 

for females to rate for males: United 

States and selected countries, 1966 

[Ratios
 computed from rates shown in table 0] 

Ratio of 

Country teenage � ar­ riage rate 

female/male 

Romania-------------------- 9.2 

Bulgarial’2----------------- 6.7 

Australia3----------------- 6.6 

Hungary-------------------- 7.6 

United States4-------------

New Zealand5--------------- ::: 

Czechoslovakia 6.9 

England and Wales---------- Scotland 

AustriaI 

East Germany (incl. 

E. Berlin)---------------- 6.3 

West Germany (excl. 

W. Berlin)6---------------


Canada---------------------
 Denmark--------------------
 Luxembourg


Finland%?------------------


Portugal


Frances--------------------
 Sweden


Northern Ireland


Netherlands


Ireland


Japanl~2-------------------­


lExcluding �arriages of aliens temporarily in area. 2Data for 1965. 

3Excluding full-blooded aborigine population. 

4Computed on estimated number of teenage marriages. 

5Computed on population aged 16-19 

years.
 6provisional data.


7Based .on marriages for which bride
 was domiciled in country.


‘Including armed forces stationed out­


side country.


formal or recognizedmarriage, are believed


to be prevalentin theseareas.Census enumer-


ationsin thesecountrieshave shown highpro­


portionsmarried among the teenagepopulation,


whilethevitalstatistics
 show few teenagemar­


riages.


During the sixties the general trend inU.S. 

teenage marriage rates has been downward for 

females and slightly upward for males, while 

rates in most European countries have increased for both females and males. Of the 

countries listed in tableO, onlyHungary, Czechoslovakia, Canada, and Japan did not show increases. 

In all countries shown, the teenage marriage rate was much higher for women than for 

men. The difference was less in the UnitedStates 

than in any of the other countries. The greatest 

difference between the teenage marriage rates 

for men and for women was observed in West 

Germany and Japan, where the rate for women 

was 10 times the rate for men (table P).Next 

to the United States, where the rate for women 

was only about 2% times the rate for men, the 

smallest differences were in Scotland and Northern Ireland. 

DIVORCES 

Concern over teenage marriage focuses on 

the stability ofthese unions and whether they are 

more likely to end in divorce than marriages 

contracted at older ages. In 1969 an estimated 

28,000 teenage women and 6,000 teenage men 

were granted divorces. Expressed as divorce 

rates, approximately 28 of every 1,000 teenage 

wives and 19 of every 1,000 teenage husbands 

were granted a divorce during that year. For 

women thLs teenage divorce rate was a little 

lower than for those aged 20-24 buthigher than 

for any other age group. For men the divorce 

rate was lower than the rates not only for those 

aged 20-24 but also for those aged 25-29 and 

30-34 (table Q). 

Annual age-specific divorce rates, relating 

the number of divorces grsntedduring ayear by 

age at divorce to the married population at the 

same ages, do not adequately reflect theinstabilityofteenage marriages.Amajor consideration 

is the very short time a marriage is at riskof 

ending in divorce during teenage years. A person 

who marries at age 19 scarcely hastimetoobtain a divorce while still a teenager. Since in 

most States the legal requirements alone result 

in lapses of at least several months, many relatively quick breakups of teenage marriages do 

15

------ ---

---

---

------

------

------

------

------

------

------------

---

---

---

Table Q. Estimated number and rate of divorces, 

by age at time of decree and sex: United 

States, 1969 

[See appendix formethodof computation. Rates per 1,000 

married population in specified groupj 

Female Male 

Age 

Number Rate Rate 

All ages--- 639,000 13.4 639,000 13.8 

Under20 years--- 27,900 28.2 5,800 19.0 

20-24years 153,700 30.7 102,000 34.0 

25-29 years 136,200 24.3 139,800 27.7 

30-34 years 89%800 17.8 102,700 21.8 

35-44 years 136,900 13.1 154,900 15.5 

45-54 years 68,800 90,600 

55-64 years 20,200 ;:; 32,100 ::: 65 years and 

over 5,500 1.4 11,200 1.9 

not show up in the teenagedivorcerate.The


effectof thistime factoris even greaterfor


men thanforwomenbecausemostteenagegrooms


areattheupperendoftheagegroupand areex­


posed to the r,isk
of divorceonlya veryshort


timebeforeleavingtheteenagegroup.


Althoughdataarenotavailablefor
 computing


divorceratesby age atmarriage,othermethods


have been used to demonstratethe relative
in-


stability
 ofteenagemarriages.Oneoftheseis a


comparisonoftheproportion
 ofbridesandgrooms


under 20 years of agewiththeproportionof
di-


vorcingpersonswhohadrnarriedwhen under20.


Thiswas donefortheyears1957-65forauniform


group of 15 States
.3 The percentageofteenage


marriages was considerablyhigheramong di­


vorcingpersonsthanamong thosewho married,


indicating
 thatteenagemarriagesaremorelikely


to end in divorcethanmarriagesoccurringat


otherages.This was trueforbothsexesforall


yearsincludedinthestudy.


For thepresentreport,a comparisonwas


made of 21 selected
Statesintheyears1960-69,


and similarresultswere obtained(tableR and


3 

National Center for Heakh Statistics: Divorce statistics 

analysis, United States, 1964 and 1965. Vitdmd Heukh Statistics. PHSPub. No. 1000-Series 21-No. 17.Public Health 

Service. Washington. U.S. Government Printing Office, Oct. 

1969. pp.6and 31. 

Table R. Percent of brides and grooms and


of divorced husbands and wives married


when teenagers: 21 selected registra­


tion States,l 1960-69


[Based on sample data. Com@ed ontot~ls excluding figuces 

for age not statedJ 

I 

Di- Di- Year Bride vorced Xoorn vorced 

wife husband 

1969------ 34.1 48.7 14.9 21.1 

1968------ 34.3 49.2 15.1 20.7 

1967------ 35.5 48.4 15.5 20.9 

1966------ 38.1 48.0 17.2 19.5 

1965------ 37.9 48.0 15.1 19.2 

y#---- 36.8 48.0 13.2 19.7 

36.9 46.2 13.5 18.8 

1962------ 38.9 14.5 

1961------ 39.2 14.0 

1960------ 38.8 13.4 

lAlabama, Alaska, Georgia, Hawai,LIda­


ho, Iowa, Kansa~ Maryland, Michigan, Mon­


tana, Nebraska, Ohio, OregOn, Pennsylva­


nia, Rhode Island,South Dakota,Tennessee,


Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.


figure5).Thesefindingsarecompatible
 withthose


from anothersource.In itsrecentpublication


“Socialand Economic Variations
in Marriage,


Divorce,and Remarriage:1967,”SeriesP-20.


100 

75 

50 

25 

0 

Wives Husbands 

divorced divorced 

Figure 5. Percent of husbands and wives divorced in


1969 who had married as teenagers: 21 reporting


States.


16

----------------------------

-------- -------- --------

--------

-------------------------- ----

------- ------- -------------- ----- ------------------------ -----

------------------------

-------- -----------------

-------------------------------- -------------------

--------------------------------

-------- --------

---------------------------------

-------------------

-------------- -------------------

--------------------------------

------------------------

---------------- ---------

-------------------------------------

-------------------- ---------

----------------- -------

-------- -------- ---------------- ---

Table S. Percentof divorced husbands and wives who were teenagers at time ofdecree and


percent married when teenagers: divorce-registration area and 20 reporting States,


grouped by region, 1969


[Based on sample data. By place of OCCU,lWICt?. Computed ontotals excluding figures
 foragenotstated]

Divorced husbands Divorced wives 

who were teenagers who were teenagers 

Region and State at time of: at time of: 

I I 

Decree Marriage Decree Marriage 

Divorce-registration area$---------


Northeast


Vermont ......----


Rhode Island ......---------------


Connecticut


New York


Pennsylvania


North Central


Illinois --q-----


Wisconsin


Iowa-----z--- -------m-


Missouri


Nebraska ----s--- -----m-- -


Kansas--------------------------.----m---


South


Virginia-- ------.-----


Kentucky


Tennessee


West ----=S-- -


Montana -S.-----m


Idaho


Oregon ---.-”


California ------m-


Alaska 

Hawaii ...........................--.-m---


Percent


0.9 19.2 4.4 45.8 

“0.5 17.7 2.8 45.8 

19.5 51.4 

16.3 ;:: 44.8 

15.2 1.9 42.1 

15.3 43.6 

20.6 ::; 48.9 

19.4 5.3 47.0 

0.8 17.6 4.5 45.1 

0.3 16.9 ;:.; 

1.8 22.9 ::; 

22.0 6.7 48:1 

M 17.3 5.6 46.2 

1.7 21.8 7.3 49.5 

1.6 25.1 7.1 52.5 

0.5 24.1 52.3 

25.7 M 52.4 

R 25.5 8.8 52.7 

0,6 16.2 2.9 40.8 

12.7 41.2 

14.5 41.0 

16.9 44.0 

16.4 40.7 

13.5 41.5 

13.2 34.7 

lIncludes cases for Alabama, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, South Dakota, Utah,


and Wyoming, which are not shown separately.


No. 223 of the Cuvvent Po@dutionRepo?%s, on 

page 1, the U.S. Bureau of the Census reported 

that “27 percent ofthe”women with teenage marriages were known to have been divorced within 

20 or more years, as compared with 14 percent 

ofthose who entered first marriage aftertheyhad 

reached their twenties.” The same comparison 

was not made for teenage men, but ’’28percentof 

those who married beforetheage of22years were 

known tohave been divorced, ascompared with13 

percent of those who married for the first time 

after they had reached 22years of age.” (These 

17

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figures are based onanationwide survey conducted 

for the Office of Economic Opportunity in the early 

months of 1967.) In other words, divorce was twice 

as likely for early marriages as for those contracted at later ages. 

Persons who married before age 20 account 

for varying proportion; of divorces from State to 

State, and regional differences are apparent in the 

available figures (table S). In 1969 the highest proportion of such dfvorces was shown by the South 

(based on data for only three States of that region). 

The North Central and Northeast Regions ranked 

second and third, and in the West persons who had 

married in their teens accounted for the smallest 

proportion of divorces granted during the year, 

giving that region a rank of fourth. 

As observed earlier, the South also accounted 

for the greatest proportion of teenage marriages. 

However, comparisons that may be made between 

marriage and divorce data by region are limited 

because data on divorces are not available for all 

States reporting marriage data. 

PARENTHOOD 

In 1968, the latest year for which natality 

statistics were available for inclusion in this report, there were 600,816 births to teenage 

mothers. This comprised 17 percent of all births 

in the United States during that year. Of these 

births, 591,312 (98 percent) were to mothers 

15-19 years of age, and 9,504 (2 percent) ‘were to 

mothers under 15 years of age. In terms of birth 

order, it was a first child in 77 percent of these 

births, a second child in 18 percent, and a third 

or higher order child in 4 percent. 

Birth Rates 

Birth rates, in which all live births to women 15-19 years of age are related to the total 

married and unmarried female population of 

those ages, show that 6.6 percent of teenage women 15-19 years of age gave birth to a child 

during 1968, the lowest birth rate of any age 

group between ages 15 and 35 (table T). 

Un the other hand, birth rates fox married 

women, in which legitimate live births are related 

to the population of married women, indfcate that 

almost half (46 percent) of the married women 

Table T. Birth rates by age of mother, 

with percent change: United States, 1960 

and 1968 

[Rates we live births per 1,000 women in specified group] 

Age 1968 1960 Percent 

change 

15-44 yearsl 85.7 118.0 -27.4 

10-14 years +25 .0 

15-19 years 6;:!? 8;:!/ -25.8 

20-24 years 167.4 258.1 -35.2 

25-29 years 140.3 197.4 -28.9 

30-34 years 74.9 112.7 -33.6 

35-39 years 35.6 56.2 -36.7 

40-44 years 15.5 -38.1 

45-49 years M 0.9 -33.3 

l~tes conmut ed by relathz total 

births, regardless of Lge of motker, to 

women aged 15-44 years. 

at ages 15-19 gave birth to a child in 1968. Thfs 

was hfgher by far than the birth rate for any 

other age group of married women. Only about 

one-fourth of the married women aged 20-24, the 

group with the next highest birth rate, gave birth 

to a child in that year (table U). 

The birth rate for all women aged 15-19 declined steadily during the sixties—from 89 per 

1,000 in 19@ to 66 per 1,000 in 1968 (table W). 

This happened during a period when birth rates 

were declining rapidly for women at other ages. 

In fact, as shown in table T, the group aged 15-19 

showed the least reduction of any age group except the 10-14 group, where the rate, though very 

small, was actually higher in 1968 than in 1960. 

The birth rate for married women aged 15-19 

was slightly lower in 1968 than in 1960, but when 

legitimate live births were related to the population of married women at specific ages, the teenage group was the only age group that did not show 

a consistent downward trend through the sixties 

(table U). 

Premarital Conceptions 

Over one-iourth of the births to teenage women in. 1968 were illegitimate. This figure probably understates considerably the extent of premarital conceptions among teenagers. Such a 

18 
Table U. Estimated birth rates for mam&d6~men, by age of mother: united States, 

[Rates are legitimate live births per 1,000 married women in specified group. Legitimate births em estimated for the United States 

from data for registration areas in which legitimacy is reported] 

I 

25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 

Year
 =11=1= years years years years

1968----------------- 117.9 455.2 

1967----------------- 119.0 432.6 

1966----------------- 123.7 455.6 

1965----------------- 131.1 452.9 

1964----------------- 140.9 376.1 

1963----------------- 146.3 490.1 

1962----------------- 152.1 475.5 

1961----------------- 156.5 538.1 

1960----------------- 156.3 483.5 

Table W. Birth rates for women 15-19 years of age: United States, 1960-68 

[Rates are live births per 1,000 women in age group] 

Year Rate 

1968---------------- 66.1 

1967---------------- 67.9 

1966---------------- 70.6 

1965---------------- 70.4 

1964---------------- 72.8 

1963---------------- 76.4 

1962---------------- 81.2 

1961---------------- 88.0 

1960---------------- 89.1 

count would include conceptions that didnotterminate in a live birth (for which no estimates are 

available) and births that were legitimized by 

marriage between the time of conception and 

birth, as well as illegitimate births. 

Marriage because ofpregnancyis notuncommon among teenagers. According todatafromthe 

1964-66 National Natality Survey, 42 percentof 

the women 15-19 years forwhomtheintervalfrom 

first marriage to legitimate first birth wasreported had been married for lessthan8months} 

4National ~nter for He&h Statistics: Interval between 

fwst marriage and legitimate first birth, United States, 1964-

66. Monthly Vital Statistics Report, Vol. 18, No. 12, Supplement. Rockville, Md. Public Health Service, Mar. 27, 1970. 

248.9 156.5 80.8 38.4 11.3 

246.6 158.5 85.1 41.5 11.6 

255.5 166.1 92.1 45.1 12.8 

279.7 178.9 101:1 50.1 14.1 

310.4 197.9 109,2 54.6 15.4 

325.5 205.7 114.2 55.5 15.4 

335.4 213.8 120.3 58.4 16.5 

349.1 221.2 124.6 60.9 17.1 

354.4 222.3 123.3 61.7 17.4 

If these approximations held in 1968, and assuming that most of the first births tabulated as 

being within 8months of firstmarriage werepremarital conceptions, somewhere in the neighborhood of 60 percent of the infants bornto teenage 

mothers that year were conceived out ofwedlock. 

Illegitimate Births 

In 1968, while accounting for 14 percentof 

legitimate births in the United States, teenage 

women accounted for 49 percent of illegitimate 

births (figure 6). The estimated 165,700 illegitilW 

75 

Bwths tomothers at ,ge,20 and over 

— 

I_egit imate llleg&m:te 

births 

Figure 6. Percent of births to teenage mothers by


est imatad Ieg it imacy status: Un ited States, 1966.


19

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mate births to teenage mothers that year were 

almost as many as were recorded for all other 

age groups of women combined.This count was 

about 80 percent above the number in 1960, a 

much greater increase than occurred in illegitimate births to women at all other ages (31 percent). In contrast, legitimate births to teenagers 

were 13 percent fewer than in 1960, a smaller 

decrease than the older women experienced (23 

percent). 

Illegitimacy ratio. - Illegitimate births accounted for a larger proportion of all births for 

teenage women than for women in any other age 

group. In 1968, an estimated 276 of every 1,000 

births to women under 20 years of age were illegitimate, and the younger the teenage mother, 

the greater the likelihood of illegitimacy. At ages 

under 15 years an estimated 810 of every 1,000 

births were illegitimate, at ages 15-17 the ratio 

was 404 per 1,000, and at ages 18-19 it was 201 

per 1,000 (table Y). 

A more detailed analysis of the illegitimacy 

ratios shows the same decline with increasing 

single years of age—the highest proportion of 

illegitimate births were at age 15 (625 per 1,000) 

and the proportion diminished at each single year 

thereafter, reaching 176 per 1,000 at age 19 

(table 2). 

The proportion of illegitimate live births increased for teenage mothers throughout the sixties 

(figure 7). From 1960 to 1968 the increase in the 

proportion of illegitimate births was greater for 

teenage mothers than for mothers in any other 

1960 1%1 1962 1%3 1%4 1%5 1%6 1967 1968 

YEAR 

Figure7. Estimatedillegitimacyratiosper 1,0001ive


birthsforbirthsto mothersaged15-19:UnitedStates,


1960-68.


Table Y. Estimated number and ratio of illegitimate births, by age of mother and color: 

United States, 1968 

[Due to rounding estimates to the nearest hundred, figures by color m_ay not add t-a totals. Ratioe per 1,000 total live births in 

specified group] 

I 

I Number Ratio 

Age 

Total 

Under 15 years 

15-19 years 

15-17 years 

18-19 years 

20-24 years 

25-29 years 

30-34 years 

35-39 years 

40 years and over 

All All Total White other Total I White other 

I 

339,200 155,200 183,900 96.9 I 53.3 312.0 

I 

,700 1,900 5,800 810.2 610.1 907.7 

15; ,000 67,400 90,600 267.2 158.0 549.7 

77 ,900 28.400 49,400 403.7 :;;.; 688.0 

,100 39;000 41,200 201.1 443.0 

,900 56,800 51,100 82.6 51:0 264.0 

,200 16,100 19,100 38.9 20.4 168.0 

,200 7,300 10,000 41.0 20.5 155.3 

,700 4,200 5,500 47.1 24.5 157.2 

,300 1,500 1,800 51.4 28.4 156.5 

J 

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age group. The increase for teenagers was least 

at age 15 and more for each subsequent single 

year of age, being greatest at age 19, where the 

proportion almost doubled. 

Illegitimacy vate. —Another measure of illegitimacy, the illegitimacy rate, relates the number of illegitimate live births to the unmarried 

females in specified age groups. In spite of the 

high proportion of illegitimate births to teenagers and the large proportion of the births to 

teenage mothers that were illegitimate, this 

measure shows that illegitimate births occurred 

less frequently among unmarried teenage women 

than among the unmarried women of any other 

age group under 35 years. In 1968 there were 20 

illegitimate births per 1,000 unmarried females 

at ages 15-19. This rate was scarcely over half 

the rate for the next age group, 37 per 1,000 for 

women 20-24 years oId. 

The illegitimacy rate for teenage women increased during the sixties, more rapidly in the 

second half of the decade than in the first. In 1968 

the illegitimacy rate was lower or only slightly 

higher than in 1960 for women in every age group 

except the group aged 15-19 years, whose rate 

increased nearly 30 percent, from 15.3 per 1,000 

unmarried women in 1960, to 16.7 in 1965, to 

19.8 in 1968 (table 3). 

To summarize, the converse relationships of 

teenage women having the lowest birth rate of all 

women under 35 but the highest birth rate of married women reflect the following conditions: 

There were a relatively large number of women in the age group 15-19 as compared with 

older age groups. 

In the age group 15-19 the proportion of 

married women was much smaller than the 

proportion married at older ages. 

The number of births to women 15-19 years 

was large relative to the number of married women in that group but small relative 

to the total number of women in the age 

group. 

Similarly, teenage women had the “highest illegitimacy ratio” but one of the “lowest illegitimacy rates” because: 

A large proportion of the births to women 

aged 15-19 were illegitimate. 

Although the number of illegitimate births to 

women 15-19 years was larger than for those 

in any other age group, it was small relative 

to the large population of unmarried women 

in that group. 

These relationships are evident when the population figures and numbef of births for women 

in the age group 15-19 are compared with those 

for the 20-24 group. The comparison for 1968 is 

shown in table Z. 

Table Z. Marital status of populat icm and 

legitimacy status of births for females 

at ages 15-19 And 20-24: United States, 

1968 

I


I Age of females


Status 

15-19 20-24 

years years 

Population 

Total 

L 

Merried 952,000 4,818,000 

Unmarried 7,997,000 2,991,000 

Births 

I I 

Total 

~ 

Legit~mate ;;;,;:; 1,198,972 

lllegitf.mate 1 107,900 

I 1 

Births by Color 

Of the births to teenage women in 1968, 

429,616 (72 percent) were to white mothers and 

171,200 (28 percent) were to mothers of all other 

races. The birth rate for teenage women of all 

other races was much higher than that for white 

women and this difference was far greater for 

teenagers than for any other age group. The comparison for 1968 is shown in table AA. 

13irtlz ordsr, —The proportion of births to 

teenage women of all other races increased as 

birth order increased. Women of all other races 

accounted for one-fourth of the births of a first 

21 
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Table AA. Birth rates, by age of mother 

and color: United States, 1968 

~ates are live births per 1,000 women i. specified group] 

All 

other 

15-44 yearsl 85.7 81.5 114.9 

1==== —, 

10-14 years 

15-19 years 

20-24 years 

25-29 years 

30-34 years 

35-39 years 

40-44 years 

‘Rates computed 

births, regardless 

6;;; 5;:: 13$: 

167.4 162.6 200.8 

140.3 139.7 144.8 

74.9 72.5 91.2 

35.6 33.8 48.6 

9.6 8.9 15.0 

by relating total 

of age of mother, to 

women aged 15-44 years. 

child to teenage mothers, a little over one-third 

of the births of a second child, slightly above 

one-half for the third child, andnearlytwo-thirds 

for the fourth child. The distribution of births to 

teenage mothers by color and birth order for 

1968 is shownin table BB. 

Similarly, the birth ratesby live-birthorder 

for teenage women show increasing differences 

between white women and all other women as 

birth order increases. In 1968 approximately45 

per 1,000 white women at ages 15-19 gave birth 

to a first child and 11 per l,OOOgavebirth toa 

second or higher order child. The correspondingrates for all other women at ages 15-19 were 

Table BB. Percent distribution of births 

to teenagers by color, according to 

live-birth order: United States, 1968 

II I 

Live-birth order I Total I White o~~~r 

All births-- 100.O 

+++= 

First child 100.0 74.7 25.3 

Second child 100.0 63.8 36.2 

Third child 100.0 48.3 51.7 

Fourth child 100.0 36.7 63.3 

Fifth child and 

over 100.0 31.0 69.0 

90per l,OOOfor afirst child and43 per 1,000 for 

a secondor higherorderchild. Inother words, the 

rate for first births to all other womenwas about 

twice that for those to white women, but for second and higher order births it was about4 times 

the rate of births to white women (table CC). 

Illegitimate bivths . —Of the illegitimate 

births to teenage women in 1968,69,300 (42percent) were to white mothers, and 96,400 (58percent) were to mothers inthe another group. The 

proportion of illegitimate births accounted for 

by all other mothers varied markedly by age of 

mother. They accounted for75 percent oftheillegitimate births togirls atages under 15 years, 

63 percent at ages 15-17, and51 percentat ages 

18-19 (table Y). 

Table CC. Births and birth rates for women 15-19 years of age, by live-birth 

order and color: United States, 1968 

[Live-birth order refers to number of children born alive tQ 

mother. For birth rates, figures for bkth order not stated 

are distributed. Birth rates are live births oer 1,000 

womenin speoified group] 

Color and 

live-birth order Number Rate 

Total 591,312 66.1 

First child 455,006 50.9 

Second child 110,744 12.4 

Third child 20,942 

Fourth child 3,:;; ;::


Fifth child and over-- 0.1


Not stated 414 .*.


White----------- 426,502 55.3


First child 3:;,;;; 44.6 

Second child 9.2 

Third child 10;122 

Fourth child 1,296 ;:; 

Fifth child and over-- 208 O.O 

Not stated 282 ... 

All other 164,810 133.3 

First child 111,234 90.1 

Second child 39,922 32.3 

Third child 10,820 8.8 

Fourth child 2,240 

Fifth child and over-- 462 ::! 

Not stated 132 .** 

22 
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The illegitimacy ratio was considerably 

higher for births to all other mothers than for 

those to white mothers, and the difference was 

proportionately greater at the older ages. 11-

legitimate births per 1,000 live births to mothers 

in specified teenage color groups for 1968 are 

shown in table Y. 

The illegitimacy rate for the all other group 

of teenage women 15-19 years in 1968 was over 8 

times the rate for white teenage women. The rate 

was 9.8 illegitimate births per 1,000 unmarried 

white women and 82.8 illegitimate births per 1,000 

unmarried women in the all other group. 

Trends in Births by Color 

Natality statistics for the 1960’s show a number of differences in trends among teenage women 

grouped by color. 

Birth vate. —The decline from 1960 to 1968 in 

the birth rate for white teenagers 15-19 years was 

twice that for all other races, 30 percent compared with 16 percent. In 1960 the birth rate for 

all other women aged 15-19 was double the rate 

for white women at the same ages, and by 1968 it 

was 2Z times the rate for white (table DD). 

Ille,@tinmcy mtio,— From 1960 to 1968 the 

ratio of illegitimate births to total births for white 

teenage women remained well below that for all 

other teenage women but it showed a much greater 

increase, narrowing the difference between the 

ratios for the two groups. At ages 15-19 the illegitimacy ratio more than doubled for white women and increased only 30 percent for all other 

women in the same age group. For all other women the increase from 1960 to 1968 was about 

the same at single ages 17, 18, and 19, but for 

white women the percent increase was greater 

for each successive age, and at age 19 the 1968 

illegitimacy ratio was 2M times the 1960 ratio 

(table 2). This phenomenon was not restricted to 

teenagers. In every age group the percent increase in the illegitimacy ratio from 1960 to 1968 

was far greater for white women than for all 

other women (table EE). 

Illegitimacy vates.—This difference between color groups in the trend of illegitimacy 

is evident in the illegitimacy rates. From 1960 

to 1968 the illegitimacy rate increased nearly 50 

(48.5) percent for white women 15-19 years and 

only 8 percent for all other women in the same 

age group. In fact, for all other women the age 

group 15-19 years was the only age group showing 

an increase in illegitimacy rates; substantial declines were noted for all other age groups. Increases occurred for all age groups of white 

women, but the greatest was for teenagers (table 

3). 

Table DD. Birth rates, by age of mother and color, with percent change: United States, 

1960 and 1968 

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

White All other

1 I 

1968 1960	 Percent 

change 

55:3 79.4 -30.4 

162.6 252.8 -35.7 

139.7 194.9 -28.3 

72.5 109.6 -33*9 

33.8 54.0 -37.4 

8.9 14.7 -39.5 

0.5 0.8 -37.5 

Age 

15-44 yearsl 

10-14 years 

15-19 years 

20-24 years 

25-29 years 

30-34 years 

35-39 years 

40-44 years 

45-49 years 

1968 

114.9 

4.4 

133.3 

200,8 

144.8 

91.2 

48.6 

15.0 

1.2 

1 

1960	 Percent 

change 

I 

++%+ 

158;2 -15.7 

294.2 -31.7 

214.6 -32.5 

135.6 -32.7 

74.2 -34.5 

22.0 -31.8 

1.7 -29.4 

I 

l~ates comPUted by relating total births , regardless of 

15-44 years. 

age of mother, to women aged 

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—— — 

Table EE. Estimated illegitimacy ratios, by age of mother and color, with percent


change: United States, 1960 and 1968


[Ratios per 1,000 total live births in specified group] 

Total White All other


1 

Age Per- Per- Per1968 1960 I cent 1968 1960 cent 1968 1960 cent 

change change change


Total------- 96.9 52.7 -I-83.9 53.3 22.9 +132.8 312.0 215.8 +44.6 

Under 15 years---- 810.2 678.5 -I-19.4 610.1 475.4 i-28.3 907.7 822.4 +10 .4 

15-19 years 267.2 1;; .; +80.1 158.0 71.6 +120 .7 549.7 .421.5 -!-30.4 

20-24 years 82.6 -f-73.2 51.0 21.9 -I-132.9 264.0 199.6 +32.3 

25-29 years 38.9 29:4 +32.3 20.4 11.4 +78 .9 168.0 141.3 ‘+18.9 

30-34 years 41.0 27.5 +49.1 20.5 10.2 +101.0 155.3 129.9 +19 .6 

35-39 years 47.1 29.5 -1-59.7 24.5 12.7 +92 .9 157.2 127.7 +23.1 

40 years and over- 51.4 31.0 +65.8 28.4 15.8 +79.7 156.6 116.8 +34.1 

Infant Mortality 

Infants
borntoteenagemothersfacegreater


risksof deathor deformitythaninfants
bornto


women atolderages.


The infant mortality
rateintheUnitedStates,


whichhas notbeenbroughtdown tothelowlevels


attained by a number of economically
andmed­


ically advancedWesternEuropeancountries,
 has


been lookedupon withconcernin recentyears.


In the search for possiblecausesithas been


noted thatriskof deathis greatestforinfants


physicallyunderdevelopedat time of birthand


thatthepercentageof birthsinthiscategoryis


greatestfor birthsto very young mothers.


Table FF. Percent of live births with birth weight of 2,500 grams or less, by age of


mother and color: United States, January-March 1950 and the year 1967


Total White All other 

Age Jan.- Jan.- Jan.-

March 1967 March 1967 March 1967 

19501 19501 19501 

All ages 7.4 8.2 7.0 7.1 9.7 13.6 

Under 15 years---------------------- 15.1 17.2 15.9 14.7 19.5 

15-19 years 9.0 10.5 8.0 1$.: 15.7 

20-24 years 7.7 6.9 13.2 

1’ 25-29 years ;;; 7.2 6.5 8:4 11.8 

30-34 years 7.0 12.6 

35-39 years ;:; ;:? 7.5 13.3 

40-44 years 12.2 

45 years and over ::; u ;:; 10.8 

lExcludes all live births recorded in Massachusetts. 

SOURCE: Vital and Health Statistics, Series 3, No. 15, p. 18.


24


~ 
t 

In the United States, therisk ofdeath in the 

first year of life among infants who weighed 

2,500 grams or less at birth was found to be 17 

times the risk among infants weighing more. In 

addition to the greater risk of death, there was 

greater prevalence among infants with low birth 

weight of such conditions as cerebral palsy,. epilepsy, mental retardation, congenital anomalies, 

deafness, and blindness.5 Infants born to teenage mothers are more likely to be of low birth 

weight than infants born to older mothers. 

The proportion of infants weighing 2,500 

grams or less at birth was highest among mothers 

at the youngest ages. The change in the incidence 

of infants with low birth weight by age of mother 

is shown in table FF. 

MORTALITY 

The number of deaths among teenagers is 

small and the death rate from all causes combined is low. In 1969, 21,141 teenagers 15-19 

years of age lost their lives, accounting for approximately 1 percent of the total deaths in the 

United States that year. 

Differences in teenage mortality for all 

causes were o“bserved among the sex-color 

groups. Teenage death rates were higher for 

males than for females and lower for white persons 

than for all other persons. 

In both color groups the teenage death rate 

for males was about 2.5 times the rate for females. For both sexes the death rate for the all 

other group was about 1.5 times the rate for the 

white group. 

From 1960 to 1969 the mortality rate for 

teenagers 15-19 years of age increased 25 percent, from 92 to 115 per 100,000 population. The 

increase was greater for all other males than 

for any of the other three color-sex groups, 42 

percent as- compared with increases of 23 percent for white males, 18 percent for all other” females, and 17 percent for white females. 

5Nationd Center for Health Statistics: Trends in “prematurity:’ United States, 1950-67. Vital ad Health Statistics. 

Series 3-No. 15. DHEW Pub. No. (HSM)72-103O. Health Services and Mental Health Administration. Washington. U.S. Government Printing Office, Jan. 1972. pp. 1 and 2. 

Leading Causes 

Accidents led all causes of death for teenagers 15-19 years of age. Sixty percent of the 

teenage deaths in 1969 were due to accidents; 

40 percent were due to motor vehicle accidents 

alone. Homicide ranked second, and malignant 

neoplasms and suicide ranked third and fourth. 

These rankings varied by color-sex group. 

Accidents ranked first for afi four groups. Homicide was second for all other maIes and females. 

Malignant neoplasms ranked second for white 

teenagers, both male and female, and suicide 

ranked third. Neoplasms ranked third for all 

others. The fourth ranking cause “was homicide 

for white males, influenza and pneumonia for 

white females, suicide for all other males, and 

diseases of heart for all other females (table 4). 

Another difference in rank was for complications of pregnancy and childbirth, which was 

the fifth leading cause of death for all other women but tenth for white women. 

The rise in teenage mortality during the 

sixties was due primarily to deaths from violent 

causes—accidents, homicide, and suicide. Death 

rates for the major nonviolent causes declined. 

The mortality data by cause for 1968 and 

1969 are not strictly comparable with those for 

prior years because of changes in classification 

and coding procedures that result from the decennial revision of The International Lists of 

Causes of Death. However, the trends in specific 

causes referred to in this report were not greatiy 

affected by these changes. 

Wlotor vehicle accidents. -In 1969 there were 

more deaths from motor vehicle accidents in the 

15- 19-year group than in any other 5-year age 

group except the 20-24 group. The death rate for 

teenagers, 47 per 100,000 in the age group 15-19 

years, was among the highest of the age specific 

fatality rates for this cause (table GG). Motor 

vehicle accidents took a far greater toll among 

males than among females and more among white 

than all other (figure 8). The motor vehicle accident death rate for males 15-19 years of age 

was nearly 3 times the rate for females, and for 

white teenagers it was 1?4 times the rate for all 

other teenagers (table 5). 

This death rate for teenagers was nearly 

40 percent higher in 1969 than in 1960. The in25 
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Table GG. Death rates for �otor vehicle 

accidents, by age of person 

United States, 1969 

[Rate per 100,000 population] 

Age 

All ages 

Under 5 years

5-9 years 

10-11 

15-19 

20-24 

25-29 

30-34 

35-39 

40-44 

45-49 

50-54 

55-59 

60-64 

65-69 

70-74 

75-79 

80-84 

years 

years 

years 

years 

years 

years 

years 

years 

years 

years 

years 

years 

years 

years 

Veals 

85 yea~s and over 

injured: 

Rate 

27.6 

11.6 

10.3 

4%? 

55.5 

35.9 

28.2 

26.6 

25.0 

24.3 

26.4 

27.9 

28.9 

32.9 

38.3 

42.2 

:;.; 

0 

crease from 1960to 1969 wasgreaterforfemales 

than for males (an increaseof 52percentascompared with 35 percent). The rate increased more 

for all other males than for white males (40percent versus 35 percent) and moreforallother females than for white females(about 70and50 percent, respectively). 

Othev accidents.—Deaths due to other accidents, including drowning, firearm accidents, 

poisoning, and falls, also accounted for alarge 

proportion of teenage deaths. In 1969 the death 

rate from these and other accidents was 20.7 

per 100,000. Like motor vehicle accidents, they 

produced higher death rates for malesthanforfemales and for all others than for whites. Also, 

the rate increased from 1960 to1969. 

Homicide. —The homicide rate atages 15-19 

was 7.8 per 100,000in 1969. Homicide occurred 

much more frequently among all other teenagers 

than among white teenagers andmorefrequently 

among males than among females. In 1969 the 

homicide rate for the all other group was 10 

times the rate for white teenagers and the rate 

for males was 4 times the rate for females. 

80 — 

- White males 

n#tt, tWhite females 

rr~All other males 

. . . All other females 

70 — 

60 — 

50 — ,/;//---

40 — /’ 

*e_@&/P+J 

‘“t


,,,.,7,,,,,,,,,,,,,*8**1’’’””* 

,,.. 20 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,1 !ll, !$’’’” 

tl#,,,,,r,,,,a@ ,4~+, _, 

10 -*-.—,-* /*R ‘*

o~ 

I

1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 

YEAR 

Figure 8. Dsath rates per 100,000 population for motor


vehicle accidents for teenagers ”aqed 15-19, by color


and sex: Un ited States, 1960-69. -


From 1960 to 1969 the homicide rate among 

teenagers almost doubled. It more than doubled 

for all other males and the increases for all 

other females and white males and females 

ranged from 53 to 58 percent. 

Malignant neoplasms.—In 1969, 7.2 per 

100,000 teenagers 15-19 years of age died as 

a result of malignant neoplasms. The death 

rate for this cause was higher for white males 

than for all other males, but for females it 

was lower for the white group than for the all 

other. 

The death rate for malignant neoplasms 

decreased from 1960 to1969 for allofthe colorsex groups except all other females. Although 

the number of deaths involved was small, for 

this group the rate increased 40 percent, from 

4.3 to 6.0 per 100,000. In 1960, 35deaths ofall 

other females were assigned this cause, while 

in 1969 there were 77 deaths in this category. 

Suicide. -In 1969, 5.7 per 100,000 teenagers 15-19 years of age committed suicide. 

26 
The rate was higher for ma~es than for females, with a greater difference between sexes 

for white than for all other. The suicide rate 

was greater” for white males (9.0) than for all 

other males (5.8) but lower for white females 

(2.6) than for all other females (3.2). 

Suicide among teenagers increased from 1960 

to 1969—relatively more for females than for 

males and more for all other than for white. 

Othw cau.ses.-Declines for all four colorsex groups were observed for the following 

causes: major cardiovascular-renal diseases 

(the broad category that includes diseases of 

heart, acute rheumatic fever and chronic rheumatic heart disease, and cerebrovascular dis000 

eases), influenza and pneumonia. Deaths from 

deliveries and complications of pregnancy and 

childbirth declined. The death rate for congenital 

anomalies declined for white teenagers but iricreased for all others. 

Life Expectancy 

Teenagers who lost their lives in 1969 had 

lived only about one-fourth as long as “might 

reasonably have been expected at birth. According to life table values for 1969, males entering the age group 15-19 had an average life 

expectancy of 54 years and females a life expectancy of 61 years. 

27 ‘ 
LIST OF DETAILED TABLES 

Page


Table 1. Number of teenage brides and grooms: United States, each region, division, and


State, 1960-69----------------..----.-----..---------.--------------------------- 29


2.	 Estimated illegitimacy ratios for teenage mothers, by age of mother and color:


United States, l96O-68----------------------------------------------------------- 31


3. Estimated illegitimacy rates, by age of mother and color: United States, 1960-68- 32


4.	 Ten leading causes of death among teenagers 15-19 years of age, by color and sex:
 United States, 1969-------------------------------- ‘----d----d------------------- 33


5.	 Death rates for selected causes of death among teenagers 15-19 years of age, by


color and sex: United States, l96O-69-------------------------------------------- 35


28

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‘l!able
1. Number of teenage brides and grooms: United States, each region, division, and State, 1960-69


[3yp1ace ofocc.rrence. Basedonsampl. dntaunless otherwise notsd. Seeappendix forestimating pracoduces farnumbers
 afbridesand@o0ms


!mder20years ofagefor tbeUnitsd States andeacbregion,
 1965-69]


Region, division, 1969 1968 1967 i966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960
 and State


Bride


United Statesl- 17,000 ;89, 000 663,000 689,000 661,000 557,000 

Region:1 Northeast---------- 02,000 L02,000 97,000 100,000 99,000 92,000 

~~~ Central------ 85,000 L82,000 171,000 180,000 173,000 152,000 

91,000 ?73,000 266,000 272,000 261,000 214,000


West 40,000 1.33,000 130,000 137,000 128,000 99,000


New England; 

Maine
 3>814 3,896 3,714 3,872 3,686 3>318 3,468 3,660 3,640 3,450


New Hampshire------ 2,894 2,764 2,904 3,022 2,978 2,590 2,576 2,670 2,590 2,740


Vermont------------ 1,575 1,564 1,477 1,582 1,469 1,346 1,330 1,300 1,379 1,434


Massachusetts------ 11,330 11,040 10,680 11,450 10,490 9,380 10,120 .10,580 10,120


Rhode Island------- 1,760 1,718 1,542 1,684 1,744 L,628 1,552 1,580 1,910 1,840


Connecticut-------- 5,100 5,010 4>835 5,235 4,940 4,380 4,255 4,800 4,660 4,560


Middle Atlantic: New York----------- 36,420 ;;,;:: 35,260 36,060 36,580 220,840 ~,;:: 218,100 ?22,000 218,300 

New Jersey--------- Pennsylvania-------

12,740 

25,860 25;300 11,390 

24,560 

12,520 

24,680 

12,510 

24,620 

12,200 

20,840 20;325 12,400 

22,100 

11,440 

19,500 

11,200 

21,600 

East North Central: Ohio--------------- 28,400 29,080 26,900 29,320 26,820 25,000 22,525 22,900 22,200 21,500 

Indiana------------ 22,340 21,640 20,990 22,400 20,960 18,970 18,140 17,000 16,600 

IllinOis 33,220 32,440 30,940 32,840 33,320 30,280 

Michigan3---------- 32,760 32,460 32,240 33,940 ;;,:%: 26,540 25,650 25,400 26>600 24,800


Wisconsin---------- 10,480 10,150 9,430 9,700 > 8,960 7,950 8,780 8,740 9,560


West North entral:
 !?
 Minnesota --------- 9,562 9,200 8,607 8,944 8,868 ._:


IOwa--------------- 9,425 9,215 2,412: ~~~ 2,41;; 8,265 7,570 7,700 9,140 10,720


Missouri----------- 19,880 19,150 :;; 2,41~; $:


8outh Dakota------- 3,708 3,592 3,158 3,238 3,274 3,182 2,846 2,900 2,760 2,610 

NebraSka----------- Kansas-------------

4,980 

8,690 

4,395 

8,350 

4,335 

8,255 

4,295 

8,645 

4,335 

8,185 

4,215 

7,700 

4,380 

7,870 

4,000 

7,520 

4,320 

7,580 

4,600 

7,580 

8outh Atlantic: Delaware----------- 1,238 1,155 1,106 1,108 1,093 1,051 990 934 909 

North Dakota4------ 1,890 1,767 1,842 1,934 1,962 1,903 1,866 1,794 1,868 1,760


West 

Maryland----------- 18,740 17,660 17,050 18,140 18,620 17,750 15,970 16,740 16,800 16,520 

District of Columbia---------- 1,490 1,620 1,688 2,272 2,016 2,136 2,534 2,840 2,54a 

Virginia----------- 17,030 17,320 16,930 16,680 16,380 15,310 15,380 14,600 14,340 12,860 

Virginia------ 6,610 6,595 6,24C 6,585 6,245


North Carolina----- 22,330 21,370 20,49C 21,490 19,890 17,310


South Carolina4---- 25,127 24,622 23,97C 24,159 23,963 20,912 19,995 20,116 19,485 18,997


Georgia------------ 21,580 21,100 20,40C 20,300 21,040 24,900 22,880 22,800 21,700 20,700


Florida------------ 19,32C 18,680 17,19C 17;870 16,690 14,400 13,750 13,080 13,84C 13,480


East South Central:
 Kentucky----------- 17,21C 15,00C 12,33C 12,950 12,470 11,960 11,830 10,720 10,4OC 9,900


Tennessee---------- 17,25C 17,030 16,69C 17,060 17,660 15,530 15,000 13,780 13,68C 13,580


Alabama------------ 21,58C 20,53C 20,19C 20,430 19,470 17,960 16,840 16,620 16,50C 14,980


Mississippi-------- 10,55C 10,390 9,85C 10,365 10,045 9,825 9,375 9,880 9,72C 9>580


West South Central: Arkansas4---------- Louisiana---------- 10,094 

13,87C 

9,899 

.13,660 

8,711 

12,81C 

10,026 

13,200 

10,071 

12,355 11,300 10,945 11,160 10,54C 10,600 

0klahoma5---------- ...- .-. 

Texas4------------- 54,445 44,123 47,935 47,098 

Mountain: NOnns 2,39~ 2,286 2,12t 2,004 1,976 1,930 1,984 1,880 2,25C 2,350 

3,545 3,49C 5,19C 8,250 7,450 6,575 6,100 6,020 5,56C 5,160 

wyOming------------ 1,387 1,342 1,167 1,215 1,251 1,200 1,149 1,149 1,237 1,228 

Colorado~ 

New Mexico~--------


Arizona5


utah--------------- 4,81C 4,17C 4,196 3,848 3,676 3,430 3,660 3,730 3,56C 3,690


Nevada5------------


Pacific:


Washingtons-------- --.


OregOn------------- 6,26! 5,635 5,41( 5,415 5,300 4,765 4,765 4,800 5,16C 4,860


CalifOrnia 54,78( 53,72[ 50,64( 52,000 48,480 46,080 42,120 41,:;; 40,40[ 42.,
;):
 .
 Alaska------------- 98C 93& 774 755 677 644 734


Hawaii------------- 2,39C 1>964 i,% 1,356 1,398 1,388 1,508 1,390 1,30C 1,500


See footnotes at end of table.


29 

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Table 1. Number of teenage brides and grooms: United States, each region, division, and State, 1960-69-Con.


[Byplace
of o.cumnm. Based m sample	 data unless .4hewiw nctad. See ymndix fm ostimat,i.g ixmedqes for numbm of brides and gems under 20 ynms of age for the United tntws and each region, 1965-69 

Region, division, 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960
 and state


United Statesl-


Region:1
 Ncmtheast----------
 North Central------
 South


West---------------


New England:


Maine--------------
 New Hampshire------
 VennOnt------------
 Massachusetts------
 Rhode Island
 Connecticut


Middle Atlantic:
 New York-----------
 New .lersey


Pennsylvania-------


East North Central:


Ohio---------------
 Indiana------------
 Illinois


MiChigans----------
 WiscOnsin----------


West North Central:
 Minnes0ta4---------
 IOwa---------------
 Missouri-----------
 North Dakota4------
 South Dakota-------
 Nebraska-----------


Kansas


South Atlantic:
 Delaware-----------
 Maryland-----------
 District of
 Columbia


Virginia-----------
 West Virginia------
 North Carolina-----
 South Carolina4----


Georgia------------
 Florida------------


East South Central:
 Kentucky-----------
 Tennessee----------
 Alabama------------


Mississippi--------


West South Central:
 Arkansas4----------
 Louisiana----------
 0klahoma5----------
 Texas4-------------


Mountain:
 Montana------------
 Idaho-------------­
 wyOming------------
 Colorado5----------


New Mexico5--------
 Arizona5-----------


Utah--“.--.---------
 Ne”ada.------------


Pacific:


Washingt0n5--------
 OregOn-------------
 California---------


Alaska-------------
 Hawaii------------­


lEstimated.


%ncomplete.


Groom


311,000 294,000 285,000 299,000 252,000 201,000


-

38,000 38,000 ;;,ml: ::,133: 33,000 29,000 

83,000 81,000 67,000 58,000 

131,000 119,000 119:000 124;000 103,000 ..- 77,000 

59,000 55,000 55,000 58,000 49,000 ..- 38,000 

1,458 1,416 1,480 1>484 1,376 1,206 i,162 1,370 1,480 1,170 914 822 852 804 748 488 526 590 580 630 583 581 537 588 509 410 451 489 499 441 4,300 4,370 3,790 4,;;; 3,:;; 2>;:: 3>270 3,360 3,100 .-. 

682 594 544 522 540 520 620 1>845 1,875 1,775 2,015 1,580 1,300 1,235 1,600 1,100 1,440 

12,320 12,120 12,100 12,080 10,580 %, 280 25,720 25,400 26,400 2’5,400 

4,500 4,080 3,870 4,440 3,760 3,720 3,290 3,520 3,180 3,260 

11,460 11,500 11,400 12,400 10,560 7,740 7,125 9,300 7,200 7,700 

13,320 13,400 11,820 13,340 10,760 S,620 8,150 S,600 7,400 7,600 

10,480 10,330 9,760 10,260 9,210 7,060 6,S30 7,000 6,100 

12,920 11,920 11,740 12,760 10,920 9,220 

16,160 16,240 1:,;!: 1:,:5: 14,460 9,540 10,200 9,500 8,900 

3,780 3,860 , > 3,360 2,320 2,260 2,560 2,700 

3,603 3,447 3,147 3,111 2,674 .-. 

4,210 

10,250 

4,150 

9,520 2,4; ;$;; 3,970 2,46,675 2,43;;; 2,830 2,830 3,040 3,460 4,300 

611 518 583 582 539 487 481 546 502 420 1,580 1,484 1,256 1,244 1,114 1,028 S82 750 820 720 2,115 2,005 1,795 1,635 1,790 1,215 1,550 1,500 1,720 1,400 

‘3,680 3,920 3,595 3,650 3,435 3,025 3,025 3,040 2,880 2,580 

563 494 447 463 438 376 370 326 300 281 6,820 6,910 6,060 7,240 6,300 5,980 4,980 5,920 5,260 4,780 

490 574 562 700 522 538 612 520 700 7,220 6,860 6,380 6,860 5,630 5,010 5,610 5,040 4,840 4,140 

2,775 2,560 2,530 2,775 2,280 

11,080 10,980 10,660 11,600 9,030 7,620 

12,653 12,262 12,233 12>357 10,261 9,065 8,696 8,939 8,420 7,795 

9,640 9,280 9,080 9,160 8,480 10,360 9,180 8,900 7,600 7,900 

7,270 7,450 6,760 6,840 6,070 4,620 4,490 4,340 4,060 4,240 

8,980 7,390 5,700 6,140 5,430 4,810 4,580 4,460 4,160 3,500 

8,260 7,740 8,210 8,580 7,660 6,550 6,070 5,520 5,340 5,300 

9,270 8,540 8,420 8,940 7,160 5>-810 5,550 5,340 5,580 ;,;:: 4,750 4>745 4,570 4,675 4,180 3,810 3,530 3,600 3,420 , 

4,451 4,198 4,176 4,361 4,034 

6,115 6>140 5,700 6,130 5,125 4,135 4,170 4,880 4,120 4,220 

25,414 18,012 21,698 21,586


842 724 744 680 586 534 522 520 640 610
 1,505 1,530 2,650 4>415 3>525 2,810 2,::: 2,900 2,140 2,220


562 539 470 487 447 412 430 420 ,435


2,246 1,932 2,062 1,714 1,570 1,494 1,464 1,570 1,510 1,420
 -..


2,570 2,390 2,155 2,110 1,925 1,610 1,685 1,540 1,620 1,720 

22,640 21,520 21,220 21,280 18,700 15,620 15,600 14,600 14,300 16,700 285 261 231 207 177 147 1.55 159. 156 147 

798 628 540 514 448 470 458 480 440 480 

3!(Secretmarriages“ included in sample after 1964.
 ‘iAct”al~Ount as published in State report or available through State Office.


5State does not have age on marriage form or does not have central file of marriage


30 
Table 2. Estimated illegitimacy ratios for teenage mothers, by age of mother and color: United 

States, 1960-68 

@atiosper 1,000 total live bicthsin specified group. Seeappendix forestimatirrg prm+dums] 

Under 15-19 Color and year 15 years years 

15 years 16 years 17 years 18 years 19 years 

Total 

1968--------------------- 810.2 267.2 624.5 452.8 326.6 235.9 176.3 

1967--------------------- 803.0 242.1 597.0 425.7 302.9 213.6 156.3 

1966--------------------- 762.8 218.5 577*9 406.1 278.4 191.9 139.0 

1965--------------------- 785.3 208.3 563.6 374.1 257.5 175.5 132.9 

1964--------------------- 742.1 190.2 529.9 349.2 232.4 160.6 117.5 

1963--------------------- 711.1 173.6 501.8 315.4 216.4 152.7 106.3 

1962--------------------- 694.8’ 157.3 469.5 306.1 204.6 138.2 96.2 

1961--------------------- 696.9 154.9 465.9 291.8 194.4 136.1 96.7 

1960--------------------- 678.5 148.4 443.9 281.3 182.4 129.2 91.6 

White 

1968--------------------- 610.1 158.0 387.1 271.9 192.3 144.3 116.0 

1967-:------------------- 615.7 138.5 355.4 236.8 176.7 129.0 100.6 

1966--------------------- 525.1 123.6 341.2 227.1 160.2 112.7 89.8 

1965--------------------- 572.8 114.3 321.6 201.1 141.0 104.4 80.5 

1964--------------------- 523.2 101.7 300.3 184.3 132.9 88.7 67.8 

1963--------------------- 487.4 89.9 294.9 171.9 112.8 81.4 59.8 

1962--------------------- 480.1 78.2 256.2 152.1 1o3.5 72.4 51.8 

1961--------------------- 498.6 76.5 260.1 145.6 96.1 71.3 51.5 

1960--------------------- 475.4 71.6 238.7 140.2 89.9 65.7 46.2 

All other 

1968--------------------- 907.7 549.7 836.3 722.3 611.7 492.2 398.6 

1967--------------------- 891.6 521.1 800.3 699.9 574.1 464.3 376.3 

1966--------------------- 878.8 500.9 790.0 681.9 548.1 443.8 361.3 

1965--------------------- 864.0 492.0 781.5 659.7 545.2 429.4 349.4 

1964--------------------- 856.0 468.3 759.1 651.8 517.2 404.5 331.5 

1963--------------------- 852.4 455.6 740.1 607.5 502.3 409.4 ‘ 326.8 

1962--------------------- 842.0 439.3 724.3 607.8 490.9 390.6 316.9 

1961--------------------- 816.5 439.2 716.4 592.2 489.1 396.5 319.5 

1960--------------------- 822.4 421.5 700.7 577.8 469.3 376.2 306.2 

31 
Table 3. Estimated illegitimacy rates, by age of mother and color: United States, 1960-68


[Rates
areillegitimate live births per 1,000 unmarried women in specified group. Figures forage ofmother notstated are distributed] 

15-44 15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44
 Color and year yearsl years years years years yearsz years2


Tota1 

1968--------------------- 24.4 19.8 37.3 38.6 28.2 J4.9 3.8 

1967--------------------- 23.9 18.6 38.3 41.4 29.2 15.4 4.0 

1966--------------------- 23.4 17.5 39.1 45.6 33.0 16.4 4.1 

1965--------------------- 23.5 16.7 39.9 49.3 37.5 17.4 4.5 

1964--------------------- 23.0 15.8 39.9 50.2 37.2 16.3 4.4 

1963--------------------- 22.5 15.2 40.3 49.0 33.2 16.1 4.3 

1962--------------------- 21.9 14.8 40.9 46.7 29.7 15.6 4.0 

1961--------------------- 22.7 15.9 41.7 46.5 28.3 15.4 3.9 

1960--------------------- 21.6 15.3 39.7 45.1 27.8 14.1 3.6 

White ~’

1968--------------------- 13.2 9.8 23.1 22.1 15.1 4*7 

1967--------------------- 12.5 9.0 23.1 22.7 14.0 4.7 

1966--------------------- 12.0 8.5 22.5 23.5 15.7 4.9 

1965--------------------- 11.6 7*9 22.1 24.3 16.6 4.9 

1964--------------------- 11.O 7.3 21.2 24.1 15.9 4.8 

1963--------------------- 10.5 7.0 20.8 22.0 14.2 4.6 

1962--------------------- 9.8 6.5 20.0 19.8 12.6 4.3 

1961--------------------- 10.O 7.0 19.7 19.4 11.3 4.2 

1960--------------------- 9.2 6.6 18.2 18.2 10.8 3.9 

All other 

1968--------------------- 86.6 82.8 118.3 104.4 80.6 25.2 

1967--------------------- 89.5 80.2 128.2 118.4 97.2 28.9 

1966--------------------- 92.8 76;9 139.4 143.8 119.4 33.8 

1965--------------------- 97.6 75.8 152.6 164.7 137.8 39.0 

1964--------------------- 97.2 74.0 164.2 168.7 132.3 34.5 

1963--------------------- 97.1 73.8 161.8 171.5 124.3 34.4 

1962--------------------- 97.5 74.1 163.6 172.7 115.2 35.5 

1961--------------------- 10008 77.6 169.6 172.7 112.0 37.4 

1960--------------------- 98.3 76.5 166.5 171.8 104.0 35.6 

lRates computed by relating total illegitimate birtha, regardless of age of mother, to unmar­


ried women 15-44 years.


2Total illegitimacy rates computed by relating illegitimate births to women aged 40 and over 

to unmarried women aged 40-44 years; rates by color computed by relating illegitimate births to 

�others aged 35 and over to unmarried women aged 35-44 years. 

32

---------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------

Table 4. Ten leading causes of death among teenagers 15-19 years of age, bv . color and sex: United


states, 1969


Number
 Rank Cause of death (EighthRevision, InternationalClassificationof Diseasea, of
 order Adapted, 1965), color, and sex deaths


. . . Total, both sexes—all causes 21,141 

1 Accidents--------------------------------------------------------E8OO-E949 12,505


..0 Motor vehicle accidents----------------------------------------E8lO-E82:8;691 

. . . Accidentalpoisontig-------------------------------------------E85O-E87J;;; . . . Accidentalfalls-----------------------------------------------E88O-E887 . . . Accidentaldrowning and submersion----------------------------------E9lC1,& 

..0 Accident caused by firearm missile----------------------------------E922 

2 Homicide---------------------------------------------------------E?6O;E978 1,435


3 Malignant neoplasms, includingneoplasms of lymphaticand hematopo~etxc


tissues---------------------------------------:-------------------l4O-2O~
 1,336
 ; Suicide----------------------------------------------------------E95O-E95~
 1,045 

Diseases of heart----------------------------------39O-398,4O2,4O4,4lO-425448 

6 Influenzaand pneumonia------------------------------------47O-474,48O-48C 427 

Congenitalanomalies-----------------------------------------------74O-75~392 ; Cerebrovasculardiseases-------------------------------------------43O-43~245 

Nephritis and nephrosis--------------------------------------------58O-584 155 

J Complicationsof pregnancy,childbirth,and the puerperium---------63O-67Z 103 � .. All other causes--------------------------------------------------Residu13,050 

... White, male-all causes 12,352


1 Accidents--------------------------------------------------------E8OO-E949
 8,396


.** Motor vehicle accidents----------------------------------------E8lO-E823
 5,858


.*O Accidentalpoisoning-------------------------------------------E85O-E877 311


... Accidental falls-----------------------------------------------E88O-E887150


... Accidentaldrowning and submersion----------------------------------E91O 777


� OO Accident caused by firearm missile----------------------------------E922 334 

2 Malignant neoplasms, includingneoplasms of lymphaticand hematopoietic 

tissues-----------------------------------------------------T-----l4O-2O9 -
 757

Suicide----------------------------------------------------------E95O-E959
723


i Homicide--.------------------------------------------------------E96O-E978395


5 Diseases of heart----------------------------------39O-398,4O2,4O4,4lO-429 205


6 Congenitalanomalies-----------------------------------------------74o-759 191


Influenzaand pneumonia------------------------------------47O-474,48O-486 183


i Cerebrovasculardiseases-------------------------------------------43O-438 105


Nephritis and nephrosis--.-----------------------------------------58O-584 61


1: Meningococcalinfections--------------------------------------------:~-O36


... All other causes--------------------------------------------------Res~dual
 1,2:2


..* White, female-all causes 4,615


1 Accidents--------------------------------------------------------E8OO-E949
 2,413


... Motor vehicle accidents----------------------------------------E8lO-E823
1,::: ... Accidentalpoisontig-------------------------------------------E85O-E877 

� .. Accidentalfalls-----------------------------------------------E88O-E887 

� .* Accidental drowning and submersion----------------------------------E91O % 

..* Accident caused by firearm missile----------------------------------E922 30 

2 Malignant neoplasms, includingneoplasms of lymphaticand hematopoietic 

tissues&----------------------------------------------------------l4O-2O9$3;


Suicide----------------------------------------------------------E95o-E959


: Influenzaand pneumonia------------------------------------47O-474,48O-486 153


5 Homicide---------------------------------------------------------E96O-E978149


6 Congenitalanomalies-----------------------------------------------74o-759 137


Diseases of heart----------------------------------39•
 -398,4O2,4O4,4lO-429 105
 : Cerebrovasculardiseases-------------------------------------------43O-438


Nephritis and nephrosis--------------------------------------------58O-584 ::
 1: Complicationsof pregnancy,childbirth,and the puerperium---------63O-678


.*. All other causes--------------------------------------------------Residwl 8%


33

Table 4. Ten leading causes of death amonE teenagers 15-19 years of age, by color and sex: United


Rank


order


..0 

1 

. . . 

� . . 

. . . 

.00 

. . . 

2


3


4


5


6


;


1;


...


� .. 

1


.0.


...


.0.


0..


..*


2


3


4


:


i


1; 

� *. 

St~tes, lg69-Con. -

Cauae of death (Eighth Revision, International Classification of Diseases,


Adapted; 1965), color, and sex


All other, male-all causes-----------------------------------------


Accidents--------------------------------------------------------E8OO-E949


Motor vehicle accidenta----------------------------------------E8lO-E823


Accidental poisoning-------------------------------------------E85O-E877


Accidental falls-----------------------------------------------E88O-E887


Accidental drowning and submersion----------------------------------E9lO


Accident caused by firearm missile----------------------------------E922


Homicide ---------------------------------------------------------E96O-E978


Malignant neoplaams, including neoplasms of lymphatic and hematopoietic


tissues-----------------------------------------------------------l4O-2O9


Suicide----------------------------------------------------------E95o-E959


Diseases of heart----------------------------------39O-398,4O2,4O4,4lO-429


Influenza and pneumonia------------------------------------47O-474,48O-486


Congenital anomalies-----------------------------------------------74O-759


Cerebrovascular diaeases---------
-------------------------------&--430-438


Nephritis and nephrosis--------------------------------------------58O-584


Meningococcal infections-----------------------------------------------O36


All other cauaes--------------------------------------------------Residual


All other, female-all causes---------------------------------------


Accidents--------------------------------------------------------E8OO-E949


Motor vehicle accidents----------------------------------------E8lO-E823


Accidental poisoning-------------------------------------------E85O-E877


Accidental falla-----------------------------------------------E88O-E887


Accidental drowning and submers'ion----------------------------------E9lO


Accident cauaed by firearm missile----------------------------------E922


Homicide---------------------------------------------------------E96O-E978


Malignant neoplasms, including neoplasms of lymphatic and hematopoietic


tissuea-----------------------------------------------------------l4O-2O9


Diseases of heart----------------------------------39O-398,4O2,4O4,4lO-429


Complications of pregnancy, childbirth, and the puerperium---------63O-678


Suicide----------------------------------------------------------E95o-E959


Influenza and pnewonia------------------------------------47O-474,48O-486


Congenital anomalies-----------------------------------------------74O-759


Cerebrovascular diseasea-------------------------------------------43O-438


Nephritis and nephrosia--------------------------------------------58O-584


All other causes--------------------------------------------------Reaidual


Number


of


deaths


2,964


1,330


611


69


3:;


100


750


95


;:


51


34


32


25


4%


1,210


366


234


38


1


::


141


77


;:


41


40 

30 

24 

3:: 

34

Table 5. Death rates for selected causes Of death among WSn%ers 15-19 Yeara Of age, by color and sex:
 United States, 1960-69


Cause of death and year


All causes


1969----------------------


1968----------------------


1967----------------------


1966----------------------


1965----------------------


1964----------------------


1963----------------------


1962----------------------


1961----------------------


1960----------------------


Motor vehicle-accidents


1969----------------------


1968----------------------


1967----------------------


1966----------------------


1965----------------------


1964----------------------


1963----------------------


1962----------------------


1961----------------------


1960----------------------


Other accidents


1969----------------------


1968----------------------


1967----------------------


1966----------------------


1965----------------------


1964----------------------


1963----------------------


1962----------------------


1961----------------------


1960----------------------


Homicide


1969----------------------


1968----------------------


1967----------------------


1966----------------------


1965----------------------


1964----------------------


1963----------------------


1962----------------------


1961----------------------


1960----------------------


Malia-nantneoplasms,


including neoplasms of


lymphatic and hemato­


poletic tisauea


1969----------------------


1968----------------------


1967----------------------


1966----------------------


1965----------------------


1964----------------------


1963----------------------


1962----------------------


1961----------------------


1960----------------------


[Rates per100,000 population inspecified
 growj


Total White


Total Male Female Total Male Female 

114.7 164.8 63.7 106.7 153.7 58.7 

108.8 155.9 60.7 m).; 146.8 57.4 

102.7 146.4 58.3 140.2 54.9 

102.3 145 � 3 58.7 98:3 140.0 55.6 

95.1 135.6 53.8 91.0 130.8 50.1 

93.5 131.8 54.6 89.7 127.7 50.9 

90.2 125.4 54s4 86.6 U;.:, 50.8 

87.5 122.2 52.4 83.9 48.6 

87.6 123.1 51.7 83.4 118:8 47.7 

All other


?otal Male


164.7 235.8


147.6 214.6


133.4 187.8


129.8 180.9


123.7 168.9


119.9 160.6


119.7 159.0


117.7 155.2


117.2 154.9


92.2 130.1 54.0 87.9 125.2: 50.3. 122.7 165.8


47.1 69.6 24.3 49.3 72.9” 25.3 33.3 48.6 

45.3 66.4 23.7 47.4 69.0- 25.2 32.1 49.8 

44.6 66.7 22.2 46.7 69.7 23.4 30.7 46.9 

45.4 67.3 23.1 47.5 70.4 24.1 31.2 45.8 

40.2 61.0 19.1 41.9 63.5 19.8 28.7 43.2 

:$: 54.3 18.3 38.4 57.1 19.4 23.0 35.0 

52.0 17.3 36.8 54.8 18.4 23.9 37.5 

33:3 50.1 16.4 35.2 52.9 17.3 21.8 ;:.; 

32.0 48.8 15.2 33.4 50.8 - 15.7 22.4 

33.9 51.7 16.0 35.5 54.0 16.8 22.6 34:8 

20.7 35.0 6.1 18.6 31.6 5.4 33.6 57.2 

19.7 34.0 5.2 18.0 30.9 4.8 30.5 53.8 

17.8 30.1 16.7 28.1 5.0 25.0 43.5 

18.0 30.8 ::; 16.7 28.5 4.6 26.6 46.8 

16.5 28.4 4.4 15.5 26.6 4.1 23.8 ;:.: 

16.8 29.1 4.4 15.4 26.7 26.5 

16.6 27.9 15.3 25.8 H 26.4 44:6 

15.4’ 26.7 2:: 14.3 24.7 25.2 44.1 

16.4 28.2 4.5 15.3 26.4 2:: 24.3 :;.: 

16.8 29.2 4.3 15.5 27.0 4.0 25.8 m 

12.3 3.2 3.4 4.9 ;$; 59.7 

U 11.0 ;.; 5.0 ::: 49.6 

;.; N 4.3 1.6 26:4 43.8 

M � 2.4 2:5 3.4 1.6 22.9 38.0 

2.1 2.2 3.0: 18.9 30.8 

$:: H 2.2 ::2 19.1 30.8 

5.5 ::; 2.0 ::; 1.0 ;:.: 25.0 

3:7 5.4 1.9 2.6 1.3 27.0 

5.5 1:7 1.9 2.7 1.1 15:5 25.4 

M 6.1 1.9 2.2 3.2 1.2 17.2 27.6 

7.2 5.3 7.3 9.4 ;.; 6.8 

7.5 ;:$ 5.7 7.5 9.3 U 

7.6 ;.; 5.7 7.8 9.6 6:0 ::; 8.4 

7.7 6.2 7.8 9,5 6.2 6.7 

7.6 9:3 5.8 7.5 9.3 ::; 

7.7 6.3 7.9 9.3 ;:: ::; 7.1 

7.6 ::: 6.3 7.6 8.9 6.3 7.2 

7.7 9.1 6.3 7.7 9.1 6.3 ;:; 

7.7 9.1 6.3 7.9 9.3 6.4 ;:; 

7.7 9.6 5.8 7.9 9.7 6.0 6.8 N 

Female


94.7


81.3


79.8


79.2


78.8


79.8


81.0


80.7


80.3


80.4


.


.““.


18.3


14.6


14.6


16.6


14.3


11.2


10.5


10.6


11.3


10.7


10.3


7.5


::;


6.6


U


6.7


;::


11.0


9.5


9.3


7.9


7.1


7.7


6.2


6.3


5.9


7.0


6.0


M


6.3


6.6


5.6


6.4


6.0


5.2


4.3


35 
---------

-------------

----------------------

� 

� 

� 

Table 5. Death rates for selected causes of death among teenagers 15-19 yeara of age, by color and sex: United States, 1960-69-Con. 

[Rates per 100,000 pwuIatioII i.specified group] 

Cause of death and year


Suicide


1969----------------------


1968----------------------


1967----------------------


1966----------------------


1965----------------------


1964----------------------


1963----------------------


1962----------------------


1961----------------------


1960----------------------


Major cardiovascular-


rena1 dlseasea


1969----------------------


1968----------------------


1967----------------------


1966----------------------


1965----------------------


1964----------------------


1963----------------------


1962----------------------


1961----------------------


1960----------------------


Complications of 

pregnancy, chlldbm th, 

and the puerperium 

1969----------------------


1968----------------------


;%;----------------------
 .----------.-


1965----------------------


1964----------------------


;;:;----------------------
 ----.----


1961----------------------


1960----------------------


Influenza and pneumonia


1969----------------------


1968----------------------


1967----------------------


1966----------------------


1965----------------------


1964----------------------


1963----------------------


1962----------------------


1961----------------------


1960----------------------


Congenital anomalies


1969----------------------


1968----------------------


1967----------------------


1966----------------------


1965----------------------


1964----------------------


N%;----------------------


1961----------------------


1960----------------------


Total White


Total Male Female Tots1 Male ?emale


::; 8.6 

;:; R 9.0 

8.3 ;:; 

4.7 ;:: 2.4 4.9 2.2 

2.1 4.4 ;:; 2.1 

::; ::: 1.9 4.1 6.3 

4.0 6.3 :.; 4.2 6.6 ;:: 4.0 6.0 ;.; :.: 1.9 

3.7 2:0 :.: ;:; 1.5 3:5 5:5 ::: 

� � 1.6 3.8 5.9 1.6 

4.1 3.4 4.2 

3.8 2:! ::: 3.7 n 

4.8 5.0 4.6 M 4.4 3.6 

4.6 4.8 

;:$ 2:; 4.9 ::; 5.0 ::; 

5.7 6.1 5.2 

5.6 5.6 5.6 :$ H ::; 

5.7 5.0 4.5 

2:: 7.1 5.7 5.6 2:: ::? 

6.2 6.9 5.6 5.4 6.1 4.7 

... 1.1 0.3 .0. 0.6 M .*. ... 0.6 

0.7 � .. ::: M ... 0.9 

� 0. 1.1 0.3 ... 0.5 

$; � *. 1.4 ... 0.7 � *. %: .0. w 0.8 .0. ;:j 0.5 ... 1.0 

0.8 ... ... 0.8 

0.8 ... 1:6 ;:2 .*. 1.0 

1.0 .*. 1.9 0.6 ... 1.1 

2.5 2.1 1.9 ::: $:; 2.3 % N 1.9 ::; ;:; 2.6 M 2.1 ;:; 1.7 

2.1 2.3 1.8 2.1 1.6 

2.1 2.2 ::; 2.1 1.6 

2.4 2.7 H 2.2 2.4 2.0 

2.4 2.8 2.0 2.2 2.6 1.8 

2.4 1.7 2.3 1.3 R 3.0 2.6 ;:; 2.7 2.2 

2.1 2.4 1.8 2.1 2.4 :.; 2.5 2.2 2.5 

;:$ R 2.3 2.8 1:7 

2.3 ;:; 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.1 

2.5 2.9 2.1 2.5 2.1 

2.6 ::: 2.2 

2.7 ;:!/ ::: N 3.0 2.1 

2.8 3.3 2.3 3.4 2.2 

3.2 3,5 2.9 n 3.5 2.8 

2.8 3.3 2.4 2.9 3.4 2.5 

All other


rotal Male


4.5 5.8


3.5 ;.7s


3.7


3.6 4:8


3.8


2.9 2::


2.9 3.7


;:: ::;
 2.4 3.4


8.2 8.6


;:; ;::


9.9 10.6


10.5


1;::


12.1 1;::


10.8


11.9 R’
 12.2 1.2.8


2.3, � .. � .. ;:; � ** 

..* ;:: � ,. 

.0. 

$: .0. 

3.6 � ., 3.3 ... 3.8 ... 

4.1


$! 5.6


4.4


3:3 3;5


3.4 3.7


3.6


3.7 :::


3.7
 N


5.4 2::


2.5 2.7


::: $:;


2.6 2.8


2.8 3.2


:::	 2.5


2.7


3.1


3.2 :::
 1.9 2.5


Female


3.2


M


2.4


;::


*


::;


1.5


;::


10.6


u


12.9


13.5


12.4


12.2


11.7


;.:


:::


;::


6.6


~:;


3.1


3.0


2.8


3.1


$;


M


5.5


2.3


1.6


2.0


2.4


2.4


H


3.1


3.3


1.4


36 
--------------------------

--------------------------

--------------------------

-------------------------- ------- ---- -------------------------

--------------------------

--------------------------

--------------------------

--------------------------

APPENDIX 

The data presented in this report were derived primsrily from the official vital statistics of the United 

States. These statistics are published annually by the 

National Center for Health Statistics in vitul Statistics 

of the United Stutes. Also included in this report are 

population data and various other estimates obtained, 

as indicated in the text, from publications of the U.S. 

Bureau of the Census. 

A complete discussion of the technical aspects of 

the marriage, divorce, natality, and mortality data appears in the annual vital statistics volumes. Similar 

technical discussions and explanations accompany the 

population enumerations and estimates published by the 

U.S. Bureau of the Census. Selected notes pertaining to 

the statistics excerpted for inclusion in this report are 

preaented here. 

Sourcesof Data


Vital statistics for the United States (the 50 States 

and the District of Columbla) are limited to events occurring within the United States during the calendar 

year, including those occurring to nonresidents of the 

United States. Events occurring to members of the 

Armed Forces or other U.S. nationals outside the United 

States are excluded. 

Figures not designated as based on sample data 

were obtained from a complete microfilm file of records submitted by States and local areas. Birth data 

were obtained from a 50-percent sample of birth records for all years shown except 1967, when a 20- to 

50-percent sample was used. Mortality data were obtained from the complete microfilm file. Figures for 

marriages and divorces are based on data tabulated 

from probability samples of records selected in the 

National Center for Health Statistics from copies of 

marriage and divorce certificates sent in by States 

participating in the marriage-registration area (MRA) 

and the divorce-registration area (DRA). During the 

1960’s both these areas expanded-the MRA from 33 

States in 1960 to 39 States and the District of Columbia 

in 1968-70 (figure I) and the DRA from 18 States in 

1960 to 28 States in 1969 and 1970 (figure H). 

The sampling rates for marriage and divorce records varied by State from a 5-percent sample to inclusion of all records, depending on the number of events 

occurring in the State. A sampling rate that would 

Table I. Total number of marriages and number and 

reported and total number of d?vorces and number 

reported: United States, ,1960-69 

Marriages 

yield at least 2,500 records for marriages and 1,000 

records for divorces was designated for each State. 

Nationwide marriage figures were obtained for 

1960. Marriages in the MRA represented about 62 percent of the national total in 1961, but with added MRA 

States they represented between 70 and 80 percent of the 

national total during the 1964-69 period. Divorces in the 

DRA accounted for only 24 percent of all divorces in 

1960, but by 1968 and 1969 they accounted for 54 and 59 

percent, respectively. Numbers and percents of marriages for which age of bride is known and numbers and 

percents of divorces for which age of wife is known appear in table I. They are an indicator of the volume of 

Percent of marriages where age of bride was &d percent of di~orces where-age of wife was 

Divorces 

Year Age reportedl Age reportedz 

All All 

oarriages Number Percent .tdivorces Number Percent 

1969 2,145,000 1,919,361 89.5 639,000 287>741 45.0 

1968 2,069,000 1,849,902 89.4 584,000 233,798 40.0 

1967 1,927,000 1,718,700 89.2 523,000 120,759 23.1 

1966 1,857,000 1,657,313 89.2 499,000 110,374 22.1 

;;::-------- .------ 1,800,000 1,497,946 83.2 479,000 102,645 21.4 - 1,725,000 1,222,397 70.9 450,000 94,157 20.9 

1963 1,654,000 1,033,950 62.5 428,000 82,302 19.2 

1962 1,577,000 978,769 62.1 413,000 82.971 20.1 

1961 1,548,000 962,124 62.2 ;;:,;(); 79;548 19.2 

1960 1,523,000 1,497,077 98.3 * 55,690 14.2 

1

For 1960, nationwide data excludf.ng cases with age of bride not stated; for 1961-64,marriageregistrationarea data; for 1965-69,MRJIdata combinedwith data for non-MRA States reporting age.
 %Di~or~e-registration
area data excluding cases with age of wife not stated. 

37 
V4


“.!.,!1


‘*


PARTICIPATING IN THE MARRIAGE-REGISTRATION AREA 

CENTRAL FI ~ 

I I NO CENTRAL FILES 

Figure 1. Marriage-registration area status, 1968-70.


Figure Il. Divorce-registration area status, 1969-70.


38

cases from which information about teenage marriage 

and divorce were obtained. 

Rate Computations 

Rates for census years are based on populations 

enumerated as of April 1 of that year. All other rates 

are based on estimates of the population present in the 

area as of July 1, including Armed Forces stationed in 

the area but excluding Armed Forces abroad. The population estimates were prepared by the U.S. Bureau of 

the Census. 

Estimating Procedures 

National estimates of mam!ages. —The number of 

marriages in the United States during 1969 by age and 

sex were estimated from sample data for the MRA (39 

States and the District of Columbia) combined with 

data from five other States reporting marriages by age 

(Arkansas, Mimesota, South Carolina, North Dakota, 

and Texas). It was assumed that brides and grooms 

marrying in the 6 States where age was not reported 

(Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, 

and Washington) had the same distribution by age as 

brides ,md grooms marrying where age at marriage 

was known. National totals of marriages by age were 

obtained by applying the percent distribution by age in 

the reporting area to the U.S. total of marriages. National marriage rates were computed by relating the 

estimated totals to the unmarried resident population 

of the U.S. by age and sex. 

Similar estimates were made for 1966-68 using 

data from the same reporting States. (Missouri was not 

in the MRA until 1968 but was included as a non-MRA 

State reporting marriages by age for the 1965-67 estimates.) The 1965 estimates were based on data excluding Texas. For 1960, U.S. data by age were obtained 

horn a nationwide sample, but State figures were compiled only for States in the MRA. 

Rep”onal estimates of marY@qes.-Regional estimates of teenage marriages (table 1) were made by computing separate estimates for each nonreporting State 

and summarizing State totals for each of the four regions. Teenage marriage totals were available for all 

States in the Northeast and North Central Regions beginning with. 1965 data. For the South Region estimates 

were prepared for Texas in 1965 and for Oklahoma in 

1965-69. Estimates for the West were prepared for 

five States (Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, 

and Washington) for all years 1965-69. 

Estimates of teenage brides and gvooms at specified 

ayes. —The uniform group of States for which data are 

shown in table D are those comprising the MRA in 1961, 

excluding New York. Because data for New York State 

excluded New York City until 1965, they are eliminated 

for all~esrs for the purpose of comparability. 

For 1961 and 1962 the number of marriages at ages 

under 18 and 18-19 are available for the MRA as a 

whole, but data were not tabulated in such detail for each 

State. Estimates were made for New York State by assuming the same age distribution of brides and grooms 

under age 20 in the State as for those in the entire MRA 

including New York State. The resulting State estimates 

were subtracted from the MRA totals in each of the two 

age groups to obtain estimates for the 34 States and the 

District of. Columbia for 1961 and 1962. 

National estimates of divorces. —National estimates of divorces by age and sex for 1969 (table Q) were 

prepared by aproceduresimilsr to that used for national 

estimates of marriages. Sample data on age at decree 

and age at marriage,’ reported by the 28 States in the 

DRA, were used as the basis for estimates. It was assumed that the age distribution of husbands and wives 

granted” decrees in-the reporting States was representative of that in nonreporting States. Nationwide totals 

were derived by applying the known distribution to the 

final U.S. total of divorces in 1969. (For 1969 age was 

known for approximately 75 percent of the divorces in 

the DlL4, or about 45 percent of the 639,000 divorces 

in the entire United States.) 

National divorce rates by age at decree were computed by relatig the estimated numbers of divorces 

for the United States to the married population of the 

United States by age and sex. 

Illegitimate Births 

Legitimacy status was reported in 40 States and 

the District of Columbia in 1968. The following States 

did not require reporting of this information: California, 

Connecticut, Georgia, Idsho, Maryland, Massachusetts, 

Montana, New, Mexico, New York, and Vermont. In 

earlier years fewer States reported. In 1960, the esrliest year for which illegitimate live births and ratios 

are shown in this report, legitimacy status was reported in 34 States and the District of Columbia. In 

addition to those listed above, the following States did 

not report legitimacy status in 1960: Arizona, Arkansas, 

Colorado, Nebraska, New Hampshire, and Oklahoma. 

In making annual estimates of the number of illegitimate births occurring in the countiy as a whole, 

the States were grouped into nine geographic divisions. 

The combined ratio” of illegitimate births per 1,000 

total live births for all reporting States in a single 

geographic division was then applied to all live births 

occurring to residents of that division. This estimating 

procedure was done separately for the two color groups, 

white and all other. For each year, the sum of these 

estimates for the nine geographic divisions makes up 

the estimate for the United States. 

In processing the data, no adjustments were made 

for misstatements of legitimacy status on the birth 

record or for failure to register illegitimate births 

because the extent of such reporting problems is unknown. A birth with legitimacy status not stated was 

considered to be legitimate. 

39 
-----------

----------------

------------

----------------

-----------

----------------

------------

----------------

Table 11,. Standard errors of estimated numbers of events expressed as percentage of area total: 

marriage-registration area and divorce-registration area, 1969 

Standard error of estimated number 

All expressed as percentage of area total 

Registration area events 

1 or 99 2 or 98 3 or 97 4 or 96 5 or 95 

Marriage-registration area 16,605 33,211 49,816 66,422 83,027 

Number of marriages .,660,547 

.,643,9% 1,627,3% 1,610,7% 1,594,1% la577,5z 

Standard error . . . 457 643 783 900 1,001 

Divorce-registration area 3,781 7,562 11,343 15,124 18,905 

Number of divorces 378,095 

374,3E 370,5s 366,7% 362,9$ 359,1E 

Standard error . . . 159 223 272 312 347 

Standard error of estimated number 

expressed as percentage of area total—Con. 

Registration area 

7 or 93 10 or 90 15 or 85 20 or 80 25 or 75 50 

Marriage-registration area 116,238 332,109 415,137 

Number of marriages 830,274 

1,544,3% 1,328,4% 1,245,4% 

Standard error 1,172 1,378 1,640 1,837 1,989 2,296 

I I 

Divorce-registration area 26,467 37,810 56,714 75,619 94,524 

Number of divorces 189,048 

351,6% 340,2~ 321,3~ 302,4% 283,5% 

Standard error 407 478 569 638 690 797 

Standard Errors For example, an estimated 32.6 percent 

(or 540,841) of all brides in the MRA in 1969 

All statistics estimated from sample surveys are were teenagers (table N). The standard error 

subject to sampling and measurement errors. The of afrequency equal to32.6 percent of the MRA 

standard error, a measure of sampling variabili~, is total ofl ,660,547, interpolated from table II, 

the amount which, when added to or subtracted from an is 2,082, which yields .001 or 0.1 percent when 

estimate, gives an interval that would contain theactual divided by the total number of MRA marriages. 

value being estimated in approximately 68 out of 100 By adding and subtracting 0.1 from 32.6, we 

similarly selected samples. obtain the interval 32.7 to 32.5. The chances 

The standard errors of some statistics usedinthis are about 68 out oflOOthatthe actual proportion 

report are shown in tables II through V. of teenage brides falls within this interval. 

Three types ofrates appear in this report, each of 2. Proportions with an estimated base and with 

which involves a different method for computing the counts in the numerator also included in the 

standard error. denominator have standard error: 

1. The standard error of an estimated proportion 

of a known total number of events can be computed by dividing the standard error for the esti- m 

mated frequency by the total number of events s= .IY 

for the area, Y2 

40 
--

-----

-----

-----

-----

-----

-----

-----------

------------------

------------

-----------------

------------------

------------------

------------------

-----------------

------------------

------------------

Where S= X/Y is the standard error of the proportion of interest; x and y are estimated frequencies of specified subgroups of a known total 

and x is a subgroup of y‘; and Sx isthe standard error of x and Sy is the standard error of 

Y. 

For example, in the MR4 an estimated 13.3 

percent of all first-married brides aged 15-17 in 

1969 were in the color group all other (table H). 

The standard error of this estimate, where x = 

15,371, y = 115,278 ,,SX = 411, and Sy = 1,172 (derived from table II), is .004 or, converted to a 

percent, .4. Thus the true value of the estimate 

lies between 13.7 and 12.9. 

3.	 The standard error of a rate when the numerator 

is not a minor subset of the denominator can 

be approximated using the following formula 

s: x=s: 

Sh,y)= J—2 + -

Y Y4 

Where x = the estimated frequency of a particu­


lar characteristic of the population,


y = the estimated size of the population at risk,


SX = standard error of X, and


SY= standard error of y.


It should be noted that the formula shown above


gives the standard error of a proportion. In order


to obtain a standard error of a rate per 1,000,


S.,Y should be multiplied by 1,000. Since the 

magnitude of a standard error of an estimated 

rate depends on both the frequency and population 

on which the rate is computed, two or more 

identical rates may have different standard 

errors. 

The standard errors of many such rates are 

given in tables III, IV, and V. 

Table III. Standard errors of estimated numbers 

of marriages and of marriage rates,by sex and 

age: United States, 1969 

[Estimates in table Cl . 

Standard error


Age Number Rate 

Female 

All ages . . . 

15-19 years 2,325 

20-24 years 2,428 

25-34 years 1,814 

35-44 years 1,214 

45-54 years 992 

55-64 years 718 

65 years and over 459 

Male Female Male 

. . . . . . . . . 

1,767 1.14 0.46 

2,511 6.08 3.91 

2,163 5.89 6.44 

1,355 2.82 4.24 

1,072 1.14 2.52 

812 0.40 1.89 

677 0.07 0.52 

Table N. Standard errors of teenage marriage rates by specified age of
 bride and groom and


whether or not difference in rate was significant: marriage-registration area, 1969 and 1965 

[Rates in table, E ..d F] 

Bride


Age Standard error Whether or not 1 difference in 

rates was 

1969 1965 significant 

Groom 

I 

Wandard error Whether or not
 .1 difference in 

1969 

. . . . . . . . . 

0.26 0.27 Yes 

0.12 0.11 Yes 

. . . . . . . . . 

0.07 0.07 Yes 

0.41 0.37 Yes 

1.17 1.26 Yes 

1.21 Yes 

2.78 No 

Under 15 years 

All ages 15-19 years 

15-17 years 

15 years 

16 years 

17 years 

18-19 years 

18 years 

19 years 

0.06 0.07 No 

0.53 0.62 Yes 

0.43 0.48 No 

0.27 0.26 Yes 

1.01 0.97 No 

1.54 1.55 No 

2.74 2.98 No 

3.56 3.68 No 

5.15 6.84 No 

41 

I 
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Table V. Standard error~ of estimated numbers 

of divorces and of divorce rates, by sex and 

age at decree: United States, 1969 

~stimatesin tableN] 

Age 

All ages--

15-19 years 

20-24 years 

25-29 years 

30-34 years 

35-44 years 

45-54 years 

55-64 years 

65 years and over 

Standard error 

Number Rate 

$ife $usband Wife FIusband 

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

480 188 1.25 1.51 

1,039 872 0.53 0.76 

990 999 0.40 0.49 

830 706 0.22 0.40 

975 1,041 0.14 0.21 

732 833 0.11 0.14 

411 514 0.08 0.09 

188 301 0.05 0.06 

Standard errors for the number of marriages or 

divorces in a subgroup were computed by multiplying 

the standard error for the MRA”or DRA frequency for 

the subgroup by a constant factor ratio, computed as 

1.1167 for marriages and 1.6901 for divorces, This 

factor ratio is 1 plus thetotal number of events in the 

United States for which age was not reported to the 

total number of events for which age wasreported. The 

standard error of the national estimated number of 

events based on probability samples for a reporting 

area can be approximated using the following formula: 

/ N.\ 

where Sj is the standard error of the U.S. estimate, 

Nz 

l+— is the constant factor. and S. is the standard 

Iv, () 

error of the estimated frequency in the reporting area. 

Thus in computing Sj of the 1969 U.S. total of teenage 

brides aged 15-19 (717,000) we simply multiply 2,082 

(Szforteenage brides inthe MRA) times 1.1167 and 

arrive at S: =2,325. This figure, when added to and 

subtracted from 717,000, places the true value of the 

estimate between 719,300 and 714,700. 

Standard errors for estimated U.S.rates of marriages or divorces by sex and age canbe obtained from 

the formula given in item 2 above. As ~n illustration, 

suPpose the standard error is to be calculated for the 

estimated 1969 U.S. marriage rate for teenage women 

aged 15-19 (87.7). In this formula x is the total number of teenage brides, and S. isthestandard error of 

X, seen to be 2,325. Y is the U.S. total resident unmarried female population aged 15-19 asofJulyl, 1969 

(8,171 ,000) furnished by the U.S. Bureau of the ‘Census, 

and S7 is the standard error of y. Substiku?ing these 

values into the appropriate formula and multiplying by 

1,000; the result is SZIY=1.14, andthe interval of the 

true rate is 86.6 to 88.8. 

It is possible to test whether two proportions (or 

two rates converted to proportions) are significantly 

different by use of the following expression: 

PI - ,P2 

J7TT


If the quotient isgreaterthan2, the differenceis considered statistically significant in this report. Teenage 

marriage rates at specified ages for the MRAin 1969 

and 1965 were tested, as shown in table IV. “Yes” and 

“No’’responses indicate whether changes insuch rates 

during this period were statistically significant. 

000 

*U. S. GOVERNMENT PR~TING OFFICE: 1073543-S76/3 

42 
L 

OUTLINE OF	 REPORT SERIES FOR VITAL AND HEALTH ,STATISTICS ,, ,, 

Originally Public Health Service publication No. ‘1000 

Seyies 1. P9’ogYams and collection pToceduYes.— Reports which describe the g~neral programs of the National 

Iection. methods used, definitions, 

and other material necessary for understanding the data. ,., 

Series 2. Data evaluation and methods reseamh. al thethodology including: experi -

tics collection methods, new analytical 

ontributions to statistical theory. 

Se7ies 3. -Reports presenting analytical or “ terpretive studies based on vital and health. 

reports in the other series. ,. 

Series 4. ts of major committees. concerned with vital and 

nded model vital registration laws and revised birth 

... , 

Series 10. atist~cs on illness, accidental injuries, disability, use of 

hospital, medical, d topics, based on data collected 

,, ., 

Series 11.	 Data from the Health “anzination xvey. —Data from.’ direct examination,. testing: and measurement of national samples of the po ulation provide th”e basis for two types of reports: (1) estimates ‘> of the medically defined pr valen e of specific diseases in the ,United States and the distributions “of ~ 

the ,population with re~pec to hysical, physiological; and psychological characteristics; and (2) 

anal ysis of relationships am g the Various measurements Iwithout reference to an ‘FPlicit finite I ‘ ,,. universe of persons. Y.. . . 

Se7-ies12. Data from the Institutions Popu tion Survey s.- Statistics, relating to “thehealth characteristics of 

persons in institutions, nd on edical, nursing, and personal care rec$? Yed, based on national “. 

samples of establishme /i’ ts providi these services and samples of the residents or patients. 

Series 13. Data from the Hospit 1 DiscJzaYge .—Statistics “relating to discharged patients in short-stay 

hospitals, based on a sample of patient ecords m a national sample of hospitals. 

/ ‘v’’”’” “

Series 14. Data on’ health re ouvces: manpower a facilities. —Statistics on the numbers, geographic distribution, and char cteristics of health res rces includ” g. physicians, dentists, nurses, other health 

manpower occu littions, hospitals, nursiruz roes, and o tpatienc and other inpatient facilities.

Series 20.	 Data on moY lity.— Various Statistics on ortality o her than as included in annual or monthly 

reports —spe ial analyses by cause of death, a e, and o r demographic variables, also geographic 

and time ser es analyses. 

f \; 

I Series 21.	 Data on w ality, rnan-iage, and divorce. —Various tatistics on natality, marriage, and divorce other 

than as “ eluded in annual or monthly reports— pecial analyses by demographic variables, also 

geograp c and time series analyses, studies of fert ity. ! \ 

Series 22.	 Data om the Natioxul--Natality and Mortality Survey . —Statistics on characteristics of births and 

cleat2~ from the vital records. based on sa de surveys stenlming from these records. 

inc ng such topics as mortality by socioeconomic iss, meti-cal experience in the last year of 

lift?, characteristics of pregnancy, etc. 

For a list of titles of reports published in these series, write :	 Of fiCe Of In fOI’inatiOn 

National Center for Health Statistics 

<~>