Thanks To Better Sex Ed, California’s Teen Birth Rate Has Plummeted By 60 Percent

[TheDemSocialist]

California’s teen birth rate has plummeted to the lowest level that it’s been in the past 20 years, according to new data from the state’s health department. The state’s rate now stands at 28 births for every 1,000 teenage girls — a 60 percent drop since 1991, when the rate peaked at 70.9 births for every 1,000 girls.

Public health experts directly attribute this success to state laws that require California’s public schools to offer comprehensive sex ed classes with scientifically accurate information about birth control. State officials also credited family planning programs that provide community-based resources to teens. “We do believe that our programs are behind these numbers,” Karen Ramstrom, the chief of the program standards branch at the California Department of Public Health’s maternal child and adolescent health division, told the Los Angeles Times.
That’s in line with national trends. As a whole, the United States’ teen pregnancy rate has beenplummeting to record lows, largely because teens are gaining better access to contraceptive methods and opting to use birth control as soon as they become sexually active. And research suggests that community-based youth programs are one of the most effective strategies of instilling teens with healthy attitudes and safe approaches toward sexuality.

Read more @: Thanks To Better Sex Ed, California's Teen Birth Rate Has Plummeted By 60 Percent | ThinkProgress

There we have it. States that sex ed classes, with information that contains birth control actually leads to less teen pregnancies! Who woulda thunk!?

 

[Ray410]

California's uncontrolled growth comes through illegal immigration so this report, even if remotely true, would seem to be addressing the wrong problem.

 

[TacticalEvilDan]

I was wondering how this most excellent news was going to be written off. I wonder if anybody can do better than a total red herring... :lol:

 

[ecofarm]

I was wondering how this most excellent news was going to be written off. I wonder if anybody can do better than a total red herring... :lol:

I'll give it a shot:

More abortions and less fun. That's progress?

 

[Fletch]

Read more @: Thanks To Better Sex Ed, California's Teen Birth Rate Has Plummeted By 60 Percent | ThinkProgress

There we have it. States that sex ed classes, with information that contains birth control actually leads to less teen pregnancies! Who woulda thunk!? [/FONT][/COLOR]

Before everyone rejoices at the news, are there any studies that show how other states who have not enacted these enlightened California policies have fared since 1991?

 

[TacticalEvilDan]

I'll give it a shot:

More abortions and less fun. That's progress?

Nope. In 1992, the teen abortion rate was 64 per 1000. In 2005, it was 26 per 1000.

California Adolescent Reproductive Health Facts - The Office of Adolescent Health
Teenage Abortion and Pregnancy Statistics by State,1992

 

[ecofarm]

Nope. In 1992, the teen abortion rate was 64 per 1000. In 2005, it was 26 per 1000.

California Adolescent Reproductive Health Facts - The Office of Adolescent Health
Teenage Abortion and Pregnancy Statistics by State,1992

I noticed you conveniently ignore my point: less preg = less fun. What do you have to say about that?

 

[Northern Light]

The partisan obsession with reproduction in America is so over done.

 

[TacticalEvilDan]

I noticed you conveniently ignore my point: less preg = less fun. What do you have to say about that?

I skipped past it because I honestly didn't understand it and therefore assumed it was a joke I wasn't smart enough to get.

 

[ecofarm]

I skipped past it because I honestly didn't understand it and therefore assumed it was a joke I wasn't smart enough to get.

Ok, I think that about wraps it up.

 

[ecofarm]

The partisan obsession with reproduction in America is so over done.

You've a problem with obsessing about reproduction?

 

[TacticalEvilDan]

Ok, I think that about wraps it up.

Which would be part of the reason there are fewer pregnancies, not because teens are having less sex!

RIMSHOT!

 

[ecofarm]

RIMSHOT!

Gross, but a fine explanation of the statistics.

 

[Northern Light]

You've a problem with obsessing about reproduction?

When it comes to other people's reproduction, yes.

 

[Dooble]

Read more @: Thanks To Better Sex Ed, California's Teen Birth Rate Has Plummeted By 60 Percent | ThinkProgress

There we have it. States that sex ed classes, with information that contains birth control actually leads to less teen pregnancies! Who woulda thunk!? [/FONT][/COLOR]

I wonder how many of those little darlings murdered their unborn?

 

[TacticalEvilDan]

I wonder how many of those little darlings murdered their unborn?

You obviously haven't read the thread. Someone else asked if the decrease in teen births was due to an uptick in abortions, but I pointed out that there was also a drastic decrease in teen abortions:

I'll give it a shot:

More abortions and less fun. That's progress?

Nope. In 1992, the teen abortion rate was 64 per 1000. In 2005, it was 26 per 1000.

California Adolescent Reproductive Health Facts - The Office of Adolescent Health
Teenage Abortion and Pregnancy Statistics by State,1992

You're welcome.

 

[Dooble]

I was wondering how this most excellent news was going to be written off. I wonder if anybody can do better than a total red herring... :lol:

It appears Kalifornia's Kondoms 4 Kids initiative is working. Well done, purveyors of pre-marital sex! WELL DONE!!

 

[TacticalEvilDan]

It appears Kalifornia's Kondoms 4 Kids initiative is working. Well done, purveyors of pre-marital sex! WELL DONE!!

Yeah, I guess some people will just never be happy hearing good news that contradicts their pre-conceived notions.

 

[Dooble]

Yeah, I guess some people will just never be happy hearing good news that contradicts their pre-conceived notions.

Hey, it's great news for drivers of sexual activity. Plus, the girls don't have to exercise their right to choose murder. All they really loose is just their little ol' virtue, so it's a win/semi-win for everyone involved!

 

[TacticalEvilDan]

Hey, it's great news for drivers of sexual activity. Plus, the girls don't have to exercise their right to choose murder. All they really loose is just their little ol' virtue, so it's a win/semi-win for everyone involved!

Between this and the spiking teen pregnancy rates in areas which refuse to educate kids about sex, it's proof positive that sex education is far more effective at preventing pregnancies than telling kids not to do it.

Abstinence education may be more morally acceptable to our more religiously conservative countrymen, but sexual education does a far better job of achieving the end goal those same conservatives really care about.

 

[paddymcdougall]

I skipped past it because I honestly didn't understand it and therefore assumed it was a joke I wasn't smart enough to get.

that makes sense. I mean, having sex without worrying about getting pregnant is a lot more fun than having sex and having to worry about pregnancy. Or at least in my world it is.

 

[paddymcdougall]

Hey, it's great news for drivers of sexual activity. Plus, the girls don't have to exercise their right to choose murder. All they really loose is just their little ol' virtue, so it's a win/semi-win for everyone involved!

Oh yeah - think I remember from another thread that you're against sex outside of marriage. So that's why you don't like this report -girls and women can have fun outside of marriage and not get pregnant. You would prefer their legs stay stapled together until marriage.

Sorry this doesn't make you happy. Speaking as a resident of California, I am very glad that we have fewer teen births and fewer abortions, especially since I'm pretty darned sure kids are still having sex.

 

[Thrilla]

good progress for California..well done.

 

[Thrilla]

Oh yeah - think I remember from another thread that you're against sex outside of marriage. So that's why you don't like this report -girls and women can have fun outside of marriage and not get pregnant. You would prefer their legs stay stapled together until marriage.

Sorry this doesn't make you happy. Speaking as a resident of California, I am very glad that we have fewer teen births and fewer abortions, especially since I'm pretty darned sure kids are still having sex.

I understand what you re saying, but you seem have an element of animosity towards folks who are opposed to pre-marital sex.

I feel the same way about folks who condone telling our kids not to have sex until marriage as i do to folks who condone telling our kids to go forth and **** to their heart's content.

i'm very much in favor of comprehensive sex education... with an emphasis on "comprehensive".
I believe kids should be educated, dispassionately, about not only the physical, but the emotional, spiritual, and economic ramifications of being sexually active.
simply telling them how to take a pill or put on a condom or where to go for an abortion is not enough for me.... it's not comprehensive.
on the same token, telling them to save themselves for marriage is not comprehensive either

 

[paddymcdougall]

I understand what you re saying, but you seem have an element of animosity towards folks who are opposed to pre-marital sex.

What can I say? I don't like people who try to put their morals on other folks.

I don't care if dooble wants to wait. But trying to keep other people from having sex, or looking down on those who do - yeah, I have animosity. I don't know ANYONE who waited till marriage.