It has been reported that teens between the ages of 15 to 17 give birth to 1,700 babies a week.

Although teen pregnancy rates have declined, this is still a very high number for this age group.

A Vital Signs report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said births to younger teens between ages 15 to 17 declined 67 percent since 1999, but teens this age still account for 1 of 4 U.S. teen births in 2012.

The report, published in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly report, also found that in 2012, the birth rates per 1,000 teens ages 15 to 17 years was 25.5 for Hispanic teens, 21.9 for non-Hispanic black teens, 17 for American Indian/Alaska Native teens, 8.4 for non-Hispanic white teens and 4.1 for Asian/Pacific Islander teens.

The study reportedly did not include data on births to girls under 15. It also excluded information on miscarriages, abortions and stillbirths because recent figures were not available.

UPI reports that nearly 1 in 4 teens ages 15 to 17 never spoke with their parents or guardians about sex.

The Los Angeles Times reports that health experts are suggesting that teen pregnancy rates can further be reduced by making sure teens learn about abstinence and birth control before they start having sex.

It has been reported that among teen girls who were sexually experienced, 83% told interviewers that they didn't get formal sex education until after they'd lost their virginity.

Researchers for the study wrote that the fact that most sexually active young women weren't educated about abstinence or birth control until after they'd had sex "represents a missed opportunity to introduce medically accurate information."

Public health experts are concerned about the teen pregnancy rates for younger teens because these mothers "are at greatest risk for poor medical, social, and economic outcomes."

New mothers in this age group are also significantly less likely to finish high school than teens who gave birth at age 18 or 19.