WEST VIRGINIA YOUTH & TEEN HEALTH: KEY DATA

Teen childbearing in West Virginia has declined substantially over the past decades, reflecting progress in education, access, and health intervention. But significant gaps and disparities remain.

Teen Births & Pregnancy Trends in West Virginia

  • Teen birth rate (ages 15–19, WV, 2023): 18.5 births per 1,000 females

  • That rate represents a continued downward trend: from 22.5 per 1,000 (previous baseline) to 18.5 in 2023.

  • In recent years, teenage births accounted for about 6.15 % of all live births in WV (5,310 of 86,447 live births, 2018–2023)

  • Teenage birth is linked with higher risk of adverse infant outcomes. For example, infants born to teen mothers in WV are more likely to be low birthweight or have other complications, adjusting for socioeconomic and health factors.

BEHAVIORAL CONTEXT: Sexual Activity, Contraception & Risk

Because state-level WV Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) data may lag or have limitations, the following national figures (2023) provide useful context. Whenever possible, insert WV-specific values in place of or alongside these.

  • Among U.S. high school students (2023):
      • 21 % reported being currently sexually active (i.e. sex in past 3 months)
      • Among sexually active students, 52 % used a condom at last sexual intercourse
      • Among sexually active students, 33 % used an effective hormonal contraceptive method (pill, IUD/implant, patch, shot)
      • In the 2023 YRBS, for the first time, ~80 % of students who had ever had sexual contact reported they verbally asked for sexual consent at last sexual encounter.

  • The YRBS data also show that, from 2021 to 2023, sexual activity among adolescents declined, but so did some protective behaviors (like condom use)

IMPLICATIONS & RISK OUTCOMES

  • Teen childbearing is associated with lower rates of high school completion. Nationally, only about 50 % of teen mothers complete high school by age 22, compared to ~90 % among women who did not give birth during adolescence (approximate benchmark).

  • Children born to teen mothers face increased risk of lower academic performance, higher dropout rates, health difficulties, and economic disadvantage.

  • Public health interventions that enhance sex education, expand access to contraceptive methods, and strengthen youth health services have the potential to further reduce teen pregnancy and its associated disparities.

  • In WV specifically, the link between teen birth and adverse infant outcomes underscores the importance of targeted supports for teen mothers and infants.

ADDITIONAL STATE HEALTH CONTEXT (WV)

Including broader maternal & infant health measures helps situate teen-childbearing metrics:

  • Fertility rate (WV, 2023): 53.1 births per 1,000 women ages 15–44

  • Infant mortality rate in WV: 5.60 infant deaths per 1,000 live births

  • Preterm birth: ~13.09 % of live births in WV are preterm

  • Low birthweight: ~9.81 % of live births in WV are low birthweight

  • Births to unmarried mothers: ~45.1 % of WV live births

DATA SOURCES & TIMELINE

Sources:

Last Updated: September 2025