Teen Birth Rate and the Politics of Contraception

A very distressing headline came out during the last couple of days.  The Centers for Disease Control reported that the teen birth rate rose for the first time in 14 years. The report shows that between 2005 and 2006 the birth rate for teens 15-19 went from 40.5 births per thousand  to 41.9. This isn't it's all time peak- that was 61.8 in 1991, but it was a reverse of a trend and it is unclear if this is just the beginning of a major change in direction, or just a blip in an otherwise improving situation. Perhaps more clear, the study showed that unmarried childbearing in general reached a new record high in 2006. The total number of births to unmarried mothers rose nearly 8 per cent (1,641,700 women)  in 2006 which was a 20 per cent increase from 2002, when demographers believe the increase in having children out of wedlock became noticeably larger.

   What bothered me, besides the obvious problems this presents for the young mothers, fathers and society in general, is the reaction to the information.  The immediate response of conservative groups was that these increases " represented the total failure of comprehensive sex education." What?? I could barely believe what I was reading.  Surely, an increase in teen pregnancy and single motherhood is reflective of a number of social and cultural conditions-not just abstinence or sex education. But it was clear to me when I started reading the immediate flurry of critical comments , that conservatives were using this data for moral commentary on comprehensive sex education and contraceptive advice when just recently, when the figures were going in the other direction, they were taking credit for it because abstinence education was supposedly so effective!!

   They can't have it both ways of course. Even if they want to try. Most of us have a little bit of a memory and we have noted that a billion dollars have been spent on abstinence education in the last few years by the government, and damn little on sex education that includes information on condoms and their correct use. All but fourteen states accept money from the government that mandates nothing but abstinence information. If they wanted a test of how well it works, the promoters could read the evaluation research that says it has little or no impact except perhaps in the short run. But if they don't like the evaluation studies they should certaintly look at these new figures and be a bit taken aback.  Don't they want to think about why abstinence education has been more heavily supported now in the United States than  eight years ago, and eight years ago, we had declining teenage pregnancy?

    As I said, I think there are a lot of reasons for teen pregnancy. Some may have nothing to do with education; it may have to do with the economy and goals that are now impossible when jobs are more scarce, educational loans unavailable, or condoms too expensive when budgets are pinched.  Nonetheles, it can't help when we know that almost all abstinence pledges are broken and there is no knowledge given to young people to help them protect themselves and access to condoms and other kinds of contraceptives is limited or considered too embarassing or morally wrong to use.  

    We need to protect our youth.  Some women in their twenties may also be having babies through unintended pregnancies, and that is something I care about and want to help avoid. But it is particularly painful to think of teenagers ill equipped to even take care of their own needs, suddenly burdened with the responsibility of another life.  I know that many of these teens could have benefited from comprehensive sex educations that made them  know how to protect themselves-- and feel good about doing so.  For me, these statistics are a wake up call for the responsible majority that knows how important comprehensive sex education is , to make sure it is funded and to stop funding abstinence only education. It is time also, to make sure that condoms and other contraceptive choices are made available to young people in a way that is private and respectful to young sensibilities sothat they will feel empowered to use guard against pregnancy and disease.  I don't think this is the entire answer to teenage pregnancy or unintended pregnancies in adult single women-- but I think it is an important part of a caring and knowledgable response to the  problem.  

Pepper