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Adolescent Births in the Border Region: A Descriptive Analysis Based on US Hispanic and Mexican Birth Certificates

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Abstract

Adolescent childbearing adversely affects both mothers and infants. The birth rate for US adolescent women of Hispanic origin is higher than that for US adolescents overall. Birth rates among US Hispanic adolescents in the border region are higher than rates among other US Hispanic adolescents, and rates among Mexican border adolescents are higher than rates among other Mexican adolescents. We used binational birth certificate data for US Hispanic and Mexican adolescent women living inside the border region, elsewhere within the border states, and in the US and Mexico overall to compare birth rates and other health indicators among these groups. From 2000 to 2009, birth rates for 15–19 year-olds declined 19–28 % among US Hispanic geographic subgroups and 8–13 % among Mexican geographic subgroups; rates in the border region in 2009 were 73.8/1,000 women ages 15–19 for US Hispanics and 87.2/1,000 for Mexicans and were higher than rates in other US and Mexican subgroups, respectively. Less than one in five US Hispanic and Mexican adolescent mothers in the border region was married. About one in three delivered by cesarean. Late or no prenatal care was more prevalent among US Hispanic (17.6 %) than Mexican (14.3 %) border adolescents. Birth weight and gestational age outcomes were generally poorest in Texas border counties compared with border counties in other US states and in municipios of Mexican states bordering Texas. High birth rates and low prenatal care utilization among adolescents are problems along the US–Mexico border.

Resumen

El embarazo en adolescentes afecta de manera adversa tanto a las madres como a los niños. La tasa de fecundidad entre mujeres adolescentes estadounidenses de origen hispano es más alta que la de las adolescentes estadounidenses en general. Las tasas de fecundidad entre adolescentes estadounidenses hispanas en la región fronteriza son más altas que las tasas entre otras adolescentes hispanas de Estados Unidos, y las tasas entre adolescentes de la frontera mexicana son más elevadas que las de otras adolescentes mexicanas. Usamos los datos del certificado de nacimiento de ambos países de mujeres adolescentes estadounidenses hispanas y mexicanas que viven dentro de la región fronteriza, en cualquier otro lugar dentro de los estados fronterizos, así como en Estados Unidos y en México en general, para comparar las tasas de fecundidad y otros indicadores de salud entre estos grupos. De 2000 a 2009, las tasas de fecundidad entre adolescentes de 15–19 años disminuyeron 19–28 % entre los subgrupos geográficos estadounidenses hispanos; las tasas en la región fronteriza en 2009 fueron de 73.8/1,000 mujeres de entre 15–19 años en el caso de estadounidenses hispanas, y de 87.2/1,000 en el caso de las mexicanas, niveles más altos que las tasas de otros subgrupos de estadounidenses y mexicanas, respectivamente. Menos de una de cada cinco madres adolescentes mexicanas y estadounidenses hispanas en la región fronteriza eran casadas. Aproximadamente una de cada tres dio a luz por cesárea. La atención prenatal tardía o nula fue más prevalente entre adolescentes fronterizas estadounidenses hispanas (17.6 %) que entre las mexicanas (14.3 %). El peso al nacer y la edad gestacional se presentaron en general con mayores desventajas en los condados fronterizos de Texas en comparación con los condados fronterizos de otros estados de Estados Unidos, y con municipios de estados mexicanos que colindan con Texas. Las altas tasas de fecundidad y el bajo uso de la atención prenatal entre adolescentes son problemas presentes a lo largo de la frontera entre México y Estados Unidos.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Health and Social Services, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, 88003, USA

    Jill A. McDonald

  2. Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Jill A. McDonald

  3. CECOFIN SC, Mexico City, Mexico

    Octavio Mojarro

  4. Division of Vital Statistics, National Center for Health Statistics, Hyattsville, MD, USA

    Paul D. Sutton & Stephanie J. Ventura

Authors
  1. Jill A. McDonald
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  2. Octavio Mojarro
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  3. Paul D. Sutton
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  4. Stephanie J. Ventura
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jill A. McDonald.

Additional information

This original research article is paired with “Cesarean birth in the border region: a descriptive analysis based on US Hispanic and Mexican birth certificates”, DOI: 10.1007/s10995-014-1501-4. The two articles demonstrate the value of binational collaboration and the multiple reproductive health disparities that exist in the US-Mexico border region.

The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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McDonald, J.A., Mojarro, O., Sutton, P.D. et al. Adolescent Births in the Border Region: A Descriptive Analysis Based on US Hispanic and Mexican Birth Certificates. Matern Child Health J 19, 128–135 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-014-1503-2

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