A new analysis shows that teenagers in rural counties face the greatest risk of pregnancy, according to new research from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.
And although the birthrate among teenagers in rural areas fell by 32 percent between 1990 and 2010, that’s far slower than the decline for major urban areas (49 percent decrease) or suburban areas (40 percent decrease).
The report by the Washington-based nonprofit group also notes that the teenage birthrate in rural counties was higher than the national average regardless of students’ age or race (43 births per 1,000 girls, ages 15 to 19, in rural areas compared with the national average of 33 births per 1,000).