May 26, 2010

California shows biggest drop in teen pregnancy

California may be leading the nation in a variety of negative categories, from the size of its budget deficit to traffic congestion, but it's also first in reducing pregnancy among teenage girls, according to a new study by the Guttmacher Institute.

Calfornia, Guttmacher found in its review of pregnancy statistics, had the nation's steepest decline in teen pregnancy rates between 1992 and 2005, down 52 percent.

California had the nation's highest rate in 1992, 157 pregnancies for every 1,000 women in the 15-19 age cohort, but by 2005 the rate had been reduced to 75, the lowest rate in recorded state history. The national decline was 37 percent during that period.

"Although the causes of teen pregnancy are complex, public health experts in California credit teen pregnancy prevention efforts dating back to the 1990s for the state's record declines," the study report says. "California - the only state that never accepted federal abstinence-only dollars--has made teen pregnancy prevention a high public policy priority, with a strong emphasis on providing teens with comprehensive sex education and on fostering their access to the information and health care services they need to prevent pregnancy and protect their health.

"This concerted, statewide effort, which is still ongoing, has spanned the administrations of three governors--two Republicans and one Democrat--and is notable for having garnered significant private-sector support as well..."

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