Teenage Births on Rapid Decline

With many changes being made to healthcare system, one controversial topic seems to be yielding positive results. With the help of contraception access and education, the number of teen pregnancies is down nearly 50% since 1991. The trend of teenage mothers has been on the decline since the early 90’s as more awareness and resources for young women have been put into place since that time.

Studies show that more and more teenagers are not only waiting to become sexually active, but they are also using a variety of contraception methods. Many even opt for a combination of hormonal contraception and condom use.

Researchers presume that many of the new healthcare changes have made a huge impact; including lowering the required age one can receive birth control without parental consent, as well as eliminating the cost of contraception. Federal guidelines have also allowed doctors to prescribe birth control to young women without administering a full-pelvic exam – a requirement, researchers say, that can sway many girls from seeking contraception methods and care.

In addition, the good news continues as we have fewer young parents who may be unprepared to handle the demands of a newborn baby. Also, this trend seems to be linked to the decreasing rate of low birth weight babies and stillborn babies, which, sadly, are common amongst teenage mothers.

Sources:

U.S. News and World Report - HealthDay - http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2013/02/11/teen-births-hit-record-low-cdc-reports Reuters - http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/11/us-teen-births-idUSBRE91A04720130211 NBC News - Health on Today - http://todayhealth.today.com/_news/2013/02/11/16900634-teen-births-plummet-to-record-low?lite