Oklahoma’s teen birth rate has fallen 49% since 2014, bringing the state out of the nation’s top five highest teen birth rates for the first time in over a decade.
Final 2024 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show the state’s teen birth rate fell from 38.5 births per 1,000 females ages 15–19 in 2014 to 19.6 in 2024. Oklahoma had the second highest teen birth rate in 2014, and now ranks sixth in the nation.
The decline is evident in Oklahoma’s two largest counties. According to 2024 data from the Oklahoma State Department of Health and Healthy Teens Oklahoma, Tulsa County’s teen birth rate has fallen 51% since 2014, from 36.1 to 17.7 births per 1,000 females ages 15–19. In Oklahoma County, the rate has also declined 51% since 2014, from 43.1 to 21.0. These declines have occurred alongside continued investment in sexual health education, youth sexual health resources, and support for the educators and organizations providing them.
Amplify Youth Health Collective and honestly Youth Sexual Health serve as backbone organizations for sexual health networks in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, respectively. They support educators and community organizations working in adolescent health, provide training and resources, and connect partners working to expand access to sexual health education for young people.
“This is a remarkable accomplishment for Oklahoma, and young people are at the center of this progress,” said Heather Duvall, executive director of Tulsa-based Amplify Youth Health Collective. “Young people are making decisions about their health and their futures every day. When they have access to the education and resources they need, they can make informed decisions about their sexual health. This progress reflects what can happen when youth and the adults, organizations, and communities around them work together.”
That kind of coordination played out firsthand in late August, when the fourth annual Oklahoma Sex Ed Kickoff brought youth-supporting professionals from across the state to Tulsa for a day of training and professional development. Co-hosted by Amplify and honestly, this year’s Kickoff sold out in June, nearly two months before the event, due to venue capacity.
“Numbers like these do not happen because of one organization or one intervention,” said Mickie Smith, CEO of Oklahoma City-based honestly Youth Sexual Health. “They happen when communities keep showing up for young people. Parents, educators, health care providers, youth-supporting organizations, and young people themselves all play a part in making sure youth can get the information, care, and resources they need. Our role is to help bring those pieces together so communities can see systemic change like this.”
A decade ago, Oklahoma had the second-highest teen birth rate in the country. Today, it ranks outside the top five, a shift Duvall and Smith attribute to sustained collaboration at the community and state levels. Learn more about this work at amplifytulsa.org and honestlyokc.org.
About Amplify Youth Health Collective
Amplify Youth Health Collective coordinates collective efforts across Tulsa to advance youth sexual health and well-being through education, collaboration, and advocacy. As a backbone organization, Amplify brings the community together to expand access to sexual health education and connect young people, families, and professionals with training, resources, and community-responsive programs. To learn more, visit amplifytulsa.org.
About honestly Youth Sexual Health
honestly is the backbone of the Central Oklahoma Teen Pregnancy Prevention Collaboration, a county-wide network of services and nonprofits, and they are building a movement to improve sexual health outcomes for youth. honestly envisions a culture in Oklahoma where opportunities for youth to pursue education, careers, and well-being are not limited by teen pregnancy. To learn more, visit honestlyokc.org