The teen birth rate in the U.S. continued its steady decline in 2022, dropping by 2% from the previous year, as per the latest final report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).In 2022, there were 13.6 births per 1,000 females aged 15 to 19, down from 13.9 in 2021. This amounts to nearly 3,200 fewer births in that age group compared to the year before.The rate has reached a new record low each year since 2009. Overall, it has declined by 67% since 2007 and 78% since 1991 — a trend the CDC attributes to reduced sexual activity among teens and increased use of contraception by those who are sexually active.The annual drop also witnessed a 3% rate decline to 25.8 per 1,000 among women 18 to 19 years old. The rate among girls 15 to 17 years old in 2022 remained unchanged from the last year at 5.6 per 1,000. In 2022, teen birth rates declined across several racial and ethnic groups. The rates dropped by 7% among both Black and American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) females, and by 3% among white females, reaching 9.1 births per 1,000. Rates remained largely unchanged for Asian teens as well as Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders (NHOPI), while Hispanic teens saw a slight 1% increase. The highest birth rates were recorded among AIAN (22.5 per 1,000), NHOPI (20.5), and Black (20.3) females.2022 also witnessed a decline in birth rate in 13 states in 2022. It has ranged from a 3% drop in Florida, to a 12% drop in Oklahoma. However, it essentially remained unchanged in 37 states and the District of Columbia. Overall, the teen birth rates among the states have ranged from a low of 4.6 births per 1,000 to a high of 26.4 per 1,000.Here's a list of top 10 states with the highest teen birth rates in 202210. New MexicoThe teen birth rate here was recorded at 19.7 per 1,0009. West VirginiaThe teen birth rate here was recorded at 19.8 per 1,0008. TexasThe teen birth rate here was recorded at 20.4 per 1,0007. AlabamaThe teen birth rate here was recorded at 20.9 per 1,0006. TennesseeThe teen birth rate here was recorded at 21 per 1,0005. OklahomaThe teen birth rate here was recorded at 21.2 per 1,0004. Kentucky The teen birth rate here was recorded at 21.8 per 1,0003. LouisianaThe teen birth rate here was recorded at 23.7 per 1,0002. ArkansasThe teen birth rate here was recorded at 24.6 per 1,0001. MississippiThe teen birth rate here was recorded at 26.4 per 1,000Why Is This Concerning?Having a high teen birth rate means the number of teen pregnancy is also high. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), adolescent pregnancies are those between the age of 15 to 19, also known as teen pregnancies. WHO notes that adolescent mothers (aged 10–19 years) face higher risks of eclampsia, puerperal endometritis and systemic infections than women aged 20–24 years, and babies of adolescent mothers face higher risks of low birth weight, preterm birth and severe neonatal condition.As per a 2022 report presented at the Seminars in Reproductive Medicine, titled, Complications of Pregnancy in Adolescents, teen pregnant mothers are at increase risks of poor obstetric outcomes including preterm delivery, low birth weight, eclampsia, postpartum hemorrhage, anemia, and infant, as well as maternal morbidity.