The teen birth rate has been dropping steadily during the last ten years. In 1999, the New York Times reported that “births to teens ages 15 to 19 dropped by 2 percent from 1997. They dropped 18 percent from 1991 through 1998.” The newspaper also reported that births to girls ages 10 to 14 were the lowest since 1969. Despite decreasing teen pregnancy rates, however, the issue of teen pregnancy continues to be a focal point in political campaigns and the subject of media attention: Politicians, columnists, educators, researchers, and others seem to argue unceasingly about the extent of the problem. Some assert that teen pregnancy is society’s most serious issue, while others contend that the problem has been overstated.

Those who believe that teen pregnancy is a serious problem argue that teenage pregnancy causes a number of serious social ills. They contend that teen parents are less...