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Babies Born Healthy (Calvert)

Births to Adolescents: Adolescent Birth Rate per 1,000 women (ages 15-19 years)

Current Value

8.9

2018

Definition

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Story Behind the Curve

The overall county birth rate for teen mothers (adolescents aged 15-19 years) has seen a steady decrease in Calvert County since 2009. The 2013 Calvert County teen birth rate was 13.8 per 1,000 women compared to 21.8 per 1,000 women for 2009.

Racial disparities are seen for teen birth rates in Calvert County. The 2013 Calvert County African American birth rate was 36.2 per 1,000 women, almost 3 times higher than the rate for Calvert County’s White population (11.8). The rates for Calvert County’s African American population have remained steady while the rates for White teens have seen a yearly decrease.

Discussions surrounding teen mothers in focus groups and key informant interviews focused on the need to prioritize education and job opportunities for pregnant and young mothers. It is important to engage these mothers in early childhood programming. With this population, programs must target the education and wellbeing of both the young mother and the child

Partners

  • Local Access Mechanism - Calvert County Family Access Center
  • Youth Services Bureau Youth Interventionist
  • HIPPY/Healthy Families home visiting program
  • CareNet Pregnancy/CSM – Sexual Risk Avoidance Classes
  • Calvert County Health Department's Healthy Beginnings” program

Strategy

In FY15 Healthy Families in Calvert County identified an increase in individuals referred to home visiting with multiple risk factors, like substance abuse, homelessness, and mental illness. In FY16 Healthy Families clients scoring “at-risk” of depression on the CES-D depression screen receive home-based mental health services from Tri-County Youth Services Bureau. All high schools currently receive health department generalized prevention/education services aimed at reducing births to teens. In FY16 the Health Department is expanding their program offerings to include middle schools, and interventions with substance-using expectant mothers. In FY15 CareNet Pregnancy Center partnered with the College of Southern Maryland to offer sexual risk avoidance classes for parents of teens and transitional age youth.

Why Is This Important?

Teen birth is of concern for the healthy outcomes of both the mother and the child. Pregnancy and delivery can be harmful to teenagers' health, as well as their social and educational development. Babies born to teen mothers are more likely to be preterm and/or low birth weight. Teen mothers tend to be from disadvantaged backgrounds, however research shows teen parenthood is linked to greater welfare dependence, poorer long-term educational outcomes, and family instability.

Data Discussion

Unless otherwise specified, any missing data is either because there are no individuals who identify with the race/ethnicity or the data is suppressed to protect privacy. The race/ethnicity groups included in the indicator are as written in the original data source.

Data Source

https://health.maryland.gov/vsa/Pages/reports.aspx

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