SLP Teen Birth Decline Mirrors Hennepin County Trend

Teen birth rates in St. Louis Park continue to decrease from a high mark in 2008, mirroring trends seen throughout Hennepin County.

St. Louis Park's teen births peaked in 2008, when county statistics report a total of 28 births to teenage mothers—girls between the ages of 15 and 19—in the community. Similar to Hennepin County, local teen pregnancies have continued to decrease in the years since, hitting their lowest point in the last decade in 2011 with only 14 teenage births.

At the county level, teenage births spiked in 2007, with a high of 1,170. They've seen a steady decline over the years since then, coming in at a only 692 in 2011.

County officials attribute the decline to programs aimed at diverting teenagers from risky behaviors or aiming to help them stay safe and healthy once they become sexually active.

“This data show that when we provide supports to young people, they make smart decisions for themselves,” said Katherine Meerse, director of the county’s It's Your Future project. “This is great news for young people in Hennepin County. We know that our youth are more likely to be successful in life when they wait until they're adults to become parents."

County Commissioner Mike Opat said the effort put into combating high teen birth rates is a smart investment in the future for both those impacted teenagers and local taxpayers.

"The decline in teen births in Hennepin County shows that our efforts continue to be effective,” Opat said. “While teen pregnancy remains a critical issue for Hennepin, the data clearly tells us that when you provide kids with comprehensive education and proper access to health services, it will save taxpayer resources years into the future—and help set them up to reach their full potential."

Outside of Minneapolis, the highest concentration of teen births in the county was in Brooklyn Park, followed by Brooklyn Center and Bloomington.

St. Louis Park has consistently been near the middle of the pack, but has seen some pretty substantial decreases over the past few years.