Childbearing by teenagers has been the subject of public concern for decades. Births to teenagers are at higher risk of low birthweight and preterm birth, and death in infancy, compared with babies born to women in their twenties and older (1–3). With the exception of a 2-year increase between 2005 and 2007, teenage birth rates have declined each year since 1991 (1,4,5). Despite nearly two decades of declining teenage birth rates, significant disparities in state-specific rates persist. This report examines disparities in teenage birth rates by state and among the largest racial and ethnic population groups. The most current data available from the National Vital Statistics System are from the 2008 preliminary file (4). Variations by race and ethnicity by state are illustrated using 2007 data, the most recent available with this detail.
