Teen birth rates up....again

[cynatnite]

Teen birth rates rose in 2007 for the second consecutive year, according to a report released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For teens age 15-19, the birth rate rose about 1 percent, from 42 births per 1,000 teens in 2006 to 43 in 2007. The 2006 rise in teen birth rates was the first in 14 years. From 2005 to 2007, the rate has risen 5 percent.

Experts blame the increase on lack of education, not using contraception, the media's sexualization of young girls and abstinence-only sex-ed programs.

Sarah Brown, CEO of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, said in a statement the only good news is that the birthrate did not increase as much as in 2006.

Said Brown, "Let's hope ... (this) reminds policymakers, parents, and others that our efforts to help young people delay pregnancy and parenthood must be more intense and more creative, and must rely on the very best research available on what works."

http://www.daily-journal.com/archives/dj/display.php?id=437233

[ejpoeta]

1. sounds like the abstinence only education is working just as intended!!

wtf is wrong with people!!!! Education is key. Knowledge is power!! GRR!!

[Deep13]

2. My thoughts exactly! nt

[walkaway]

3. Don't worry. Now that Democrats are in office the rates will go down

Teen Pregnancy and abortion rates go down when condom use and sex education goes up. The GOP and Pope Benedict are a cancer on the earth.

[Warpy]

4. What's it going to take to get through to religious loonies

that the best way to insure their daughters get pregnant too young is to keep teaching abstinence without teaching birth control?

Abstinence "education" should have been the first thing in that list of things to blame. Everything else is a minor influence. Girls don't use contraception because they don't know what to use and there are too many barriers to getting it if they do know what to use. Oh, and how about these BOYS? Doesn't anybody tell them about CONDOMS? That's another huge influence in this dismal statistic. Boys just don't get the fact that if they get a girl pregnant, they're going to have to go to work too young to pay child support.

Sarah Brown needs to realize that what works in the sane part of the world is comprehensive sex education starting in grammar school so that kids who start experimenting won't ruin their lives...or lose them.