Georgia has the 7th highest teen birth rate in the United States, according to a national report released Wednesday.

The report by the nonprofit research group called Child Trends echoed what Georgia advocates have been saying for years: After 30 years of decreasing teen birth rates in Georgia, the numbers have largely leveled off in the 2000s.

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The study showed that Georgia has 53 births for every 1,000 females teens ages 15 to 19 in 2005, which was the latest year available for national comparisons. The report used data from the National Center for Health Statistics. In 2004, Georgia had the same rate of births; but the numbers have dropped significantly since 1970 when the rate was 98 births for every 1,000 females.

Kristin Moore, a senior scholar at Child Trends, said teen child bearing is often linked to young adults with low income and education.

"The critical factor seems to be a sense of future," she said. "For kids who are college-bound ... the birth rate is lower."

New Hampshire had the lowest teen birth rate — with 18 births for every 1,000 teens — followed closely by Vermont and Massachusetts.

Texas and New Mexico had the highest birth rate — with 62 births for every 1,000 teens — followed by Mississippi, Arkansas and Arizona.

Nationally, experts say they saw declines in the teen birth rate from 1991 to 2005, but have seen an uptick in 2006. State-by-state numbers are not available for 2006.

"People are quite concerned," Moore said. "There is the need to refocus."