Texas teen birth rate rises for first time in 15 years after abortion ban, affecting Latinas

Texas' teen fertility rate rose for the first time in 15 years in 2022, a shift driven by disproportionately high rates among Latinas in the year after a six-week state abortion ban took effect, a study finds.

The fertility rate for teens in Texas rose for the first time in 15 years in 2022, a shift driven by disproportionately high rates among Hispanic teens in the year after a six-week state abortion ban took effect, according to a University of Houston study.

Latinas of all ages also experienced the biggest increase in births and fertility rates compared to other racial or ethnic group in the state from 2021 to 2022, according to the study, released last week by the University of Houston’s Institute for Research on Women, Gender & Sexuality.

Texas women delivered 16,147 more babies in 2022 than in 2021. Of those, 13,503 babies, or 84%, were delivered by Latinas, according to the study.

In addition, the average fertility rate — the number of children born per 1,000 women — rose 5.1% among Latinas, compared to falling 0.2% for non-Hispanic white women and 0.6% for Black women. Among Latinas 25 and older, fertility rates rose 8%.

The state’s overall fertility rate rose for the first time since 2014, by 2%.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/texas-latina-teen-birth-rate-rises-after-abortion-ban-rcna135511

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