Link seen between increasing teen pregnancy rates and abstinence-only education

[ck4829]

Teen pregnancy rates plummeted in the 1990s, largely due to increased access to contraceptives. However, the trend stabilized in the last decade and now there's evidence that teen births are rising again.

Data released this week from the Guttmacher Institute, a nonprofit organization that conducts research on sexual and reproductive health, shows that the teen pregnancy rate rose 3% in 2006, the first increase since the late '80s. The institute, a pro-choice organization, says that abstinence-only sex education programs that took root during the Bush administration are to blame for the increase. They note that California's overall teen pregnancy rate has hit an all-time low -- based on 2005 data.

"California made tremendous strides in reducing teen pregnancy, birth and abortion," Elizabeth Nash, the Guttmacher Institute's state policy expert, said in a news release. "This is not surprising, considering that California -- the only state that never accepted federal abstinence-only dollars -- has committed to providing teens with comprehensive sex education and access to the services they need to prevent pregnancy and protect their health."

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2010/01/teen-pregnancy-abstinence.html

[demokatgurrl]

1. Well! there's a shocking bit of news

I wonder how the right wing idiots will spin that.

[capndanger]

2. wait.....

So what your saying is, if im understanding this correctly, the sticking your head in the sand approach doesn't work. hrmmmm who woulda thunk it.

[niyad]

3. welcome to DU

[niyad]

4. eons ago, beverly lehaye (wife of idiot tim "left behind") was on an afternoon talk show (think it

was phil donohue--shows you how long ago that was!!) and she said, "if we don't teach our teenagers about sex, they won't do it" the audience just roared with laughter, phil looked slightly stunned. then he said, "you don't really believe that, do you?" she said she did. these people are beyond stupid.

[The Straight Story]

5. wonder what the rate was in 1800's and early 1900's? (nt)

[mrcheerful]

6. Don't know but lot's of stories in the 60's of relatives going to visit family members

that no one ever met before said visit or after. Then in the 50's there were a lot of premature births to married couples, like my parents wanted me to believe as a kid that they fell in love married and I was a product of their "love", I was born in 1956 and my parents were married in 1957. I always wondered if mom forgot that kids learn math sooner or later. When I was 16 I learned my dad was really my adopted father and my bio father divorced my mom in 1956. I was in my 40's when I learned that I was a premature baby, I was born 3 months after bio and mom were married. Family secrets are amazing.