2026 OCAP State of the Child Report

TEEN BIRTHS HISPANIC TEEN BIRTH RATE IS DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGH AS OVERALL TEEN BIRTH RATES DECLINE DESCRIPTION OF INDICATOR This indicator reports the percentage of total annual births among teens ages 19 and younger and the teen birth rate, which is calculated based on the annual count of births per 1,000 teens between the ages of 15 to 19.

Why is this indicator important?

Findings 1-3 • Teen birth rates in Riverside County have fallen sharply over the past decade, from 17.1 births per 1,000 in the 2015-2017 period to 9.3 per 1,000 in the 2021-2023 period, reflecting both statewide progress and the results of coordinated local efforts. • Riverside County’s teen birth rates are lower than the United States (13.1) but higher than California’s statewide number (8.6). • Despite reductions in overall rates of teen births, disparities persist. Hispanic/Latino adolescents and American Indian/Alaskan Native adolescents continue to experience higher birth rates than their peers, highlighting inequities tied to access, socioeconomic conditions and the availability of culturally responsive care.

Teen births carry significant health and social consequences. Infants born to pregnant teens face higher risks of prematurity, low birth weight and infant death. Teen parents are more likely to experience adverse health outcomes and disruptions to education and employment. Sustaining reductions in teen births will require continued investment in outreach, confidential services and youth‑centered supports that meet the needs of diverse communities. Expanded reproductive health education, confidential clinical services and stronger partnerships among schools, clinics and youth‑serving organizations have contributed to this progress. These efforts align with broader statewide trends, including delayed childbearing and increased contraceptive use.

1 Riverside University Health System-Public Health. (2022). Teen health brief 2022. 2 go.cdph.ca.gov/Adolescent-Births-Dashboard 3 County of Riverside. (n.d.). [Teen Births]. Shape Riverside County. https://www.shaperivco.org/indicators/index/view?indicatorId=430&localeId=270&localeType Id=2&periodId=6197

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