| While teen pregnancy is everyone's worry, there is | | | | Every ethnic group in the U.S. has experienced a |
| good news. The phenomenon is on the decline, | | | | decline in the rate of females 15-19 giving birth from |
| according to a 2003 study and its recent follow up. | | | | 1991 to 2004. For Hispanics the reduction is 21 |
| The United States non-profit organization, called the | | | | percent, for Asians and Pacific Islanders the rate is |
| National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, | | | | down 37 percent, for Caucasians it is down 38 |
| commissioned these studies as part of its 2006 | | | | percent and for blacks it is nearly cut in half - a 47 |
| mission to reduce pregnancies by teens by a third by | | | | percent decrease. |
| the year 2015. | | | | As part of its mission, NCPTP hosts a National Day to |
| What these researchers found is that while teen | | | | prevent teen pregnancy each May. Teen females |
| pregnancy is still high it is already on the decline. | | | | countrywide are asked to take a short online quiz |
| The U.S. rate of teen pregnancy went down 36 | | | | about what their behavior might be in several sexual |
| percent from 1990 to 2002, according to a study by | | | | situations. The point of the quiz is to drive home to |
| the research firm Guttmacher Institute. In a | | | | the teens that early pregnancy and the resulting |
| subsequent study of teen pregnancy between 1991 | | | | parenthood are to be avoided. |
| and 2004 there was yet another one third decline. | | | | The National Day is supported nationwide, by |
| This study was confirmed by data of the National | | | | magazines and other media and organizations. In 2006 |
| Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), part of the | | | | more than 2000 groups participated as National Day |
| United States' Centers of Disease Control and | | | | partners, and over 800,000 girls and women took the |
| prevention. | | | | quiz. The message driven home to these young girls |
| Other encouraging details from these reports include | | | | is that sex has consequences you may not want. |
| these facts and statistics: | | | | The Web-based quiz is offered in both English and |
| The pregnancy rate of sexually experienced girls and | | | | Spanish. |
| women between 15 and 19 years old declined 28 | | | | A survey conducted of 1600 of these females who |
| percent between 1990 and 2002. | | | | took the quiz reported encouraging results. More than |
| The rate of babies born to U.S. women and girls | | | | half said they discussed the quiz scenarios with their |
| 15-19 years old reached a record low of 41.1 of | | | | friends. More than half also said they were driven to |
| every 1000 females in this age group. In 1991 this | | | | think about things they hadn't pondered before. 69 |
| number had been 61.8 of every 1000. | | | | percent admitted that the risks of sex and |
| In 2002 the pregnancy rate was 74.5 for every 1000 | | | | pregnancy now seemed more real, and 83 percent |
| U.S. females between 15 and 19 years old. This | | | | said they were now thinking about what they would |
| number is way down from the peak number | | | | do in sexually charged situations, as a result of the |
| recorded in 1990 - 116.9 for every 1000 U.S. females | | | | quiz. |
| 15-19 years old. | | | | |