MILWAUKEE -- The birth rate among Milwaukee teenagers is the lowest it has been since 1979.

Milwaukee's Teen Pregnancy Rate Lowest In Almost 30 Years

Health officials looked at birth data of females aged 15-17 years-old and found that there were 50.03 births per 1,000 females in 2007. This is a 10 percent drop from 2006 when there were 55.43 births per 1,000 in the city.

"This news is extremely encouraging," said Commissioner of Health Bevan K. Baker. "Teen pregnancy is a public health crisis in our community and this is one step in the right direction for bringing about change."

In April, the United Way of Greater Milwaukee and City of Milwaukee Health Department announced a goal to reduce the birth rate to teenagerss by nearly 50 percent to a rate of 30 births per 1,000 teenagers who are 15 to 17 years old.

Public health officials attribute the decline to implementation of evidence-based education and prevention campaigns, including programs that target boys and parents of adolescents and continuous media messaging.

"I'm confident a true commitment from the community and a strategic partnership to maximize limited resources is a recipe for successfully reducing teen birth rates in Milwaukee. We are well on our way and I'm greatly encouraged," Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said.

United Way and Milwaukee Public Schools have worked together to put up posters in all MPS middle and high schools, and in eighth grade classrooms.

In May, the Web site, www.babycanwait.com was launched. It's a sexual health resource for Milwaukee's youth that includes information about health care, laws and legal rights, anatomy, and an opportunity to confidentially e-mail medical providers with sexual health questions. .