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Dr. Bianca Allison Quoted on NPR on Historic Decline in Teen Birth Rates

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Bianca Allison, MD, MPH, a researcher with the Child & Adolescent Health Services Program at the Sheps Center and Associate Professor of Pediatrics, was recently quoted in an NPR story examining new federal data showing that U.S. teen birth rates reached another historic low in 2025.

The NPR article, which draws on newly released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, explores trends driving the continued decline in teen births and what they may signal about adolescent health, access to care, and social and economic conditions. Dr. Allison provided expert context on these patterns, helping to interpret the data and its implications for young people and public health policy.

“We cannot get our foot off the gas pedal of continuing to invest in supports” for teen parents to help them reach their goals. They need educational, social and medical help to thrive, she says: “All those things are incredibly important.”

Read the full NPR story here: https://www.npr.org/2026/04/09/nx-s1-5777587/teen-birth-rates-hit-another-historical-low-2025-cdc