The birthrate among teens continues to drop, reaching a point not seen in any year since 1946, according to government figures. According to statistics from the National Center for Health Studies, the birth rates among females between the ages of 15 and 19 fell in all but three states and now hovers around 35 births per 1,000—the lowest rate ever reported. The reason, researchers say, is two-fold: Teens are abstaining from sex for longer, for one thing, with the number of sexually active teens decreasing by 15 percent since 1991. They’re also more apt to use birth control. “I think the current generation of youth are perhaps more conscientious and cautious,” says Dr. John Santelli, preofessor of clinical population and family health at Columbia University. (New York Times)