The myth that liberal states have higher teenage pregnancy rates

The Center for Disease Control issued the latest numbers for births in the United States this morning, using data from 2006.

In Utah, 3.4% of girls aged 15-19 gave birth. That number is probably a little higher than an "unwed teenage pregnancy number" because of the fact that we have a high number of 18-19 year old girls getting married. However, the number is below the national average.

However, what most interested me was what states had lower rates than us. The states with the lowest teen birth rates:

1. New Hampshire 1.87%
2. Vermont 2.08%
3. Massachusetts 2.13%
4. Connecticut 2.35%
5. New Jersey 2.49%
6. New York 2.57%
7. Maine 2.58%
8. North Dakota 2.65%
9. Rhode Island 2.78%
10. Minnesota 2.79%
11. Wisconsin 3.09%
12. Pennsylvania 3.10%
13. Iowa 3.29%
14. Nebraska 3.34% (tie)
14. Washington 3.34% (tie)
15. Maryland 3.36%
16. Michigan 3.38%
17. Utah 3.40%

So much for the theory that Conservative kids don't have babies.

(source)

-Bob