"The birth rate among teenagers reached another historic low in 2012, government researchers announced Friday, and there is evidence that a switch to more effective means of birth control is a factor.
According to the National Center for Health Statistics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the birth rate among young women ages 15 to 19 fell 6 percent last year, to 29.4 births per thousand, the lowest rate in the 73 years the government has been collecting the data. The decline was across all racial and ethnic groups.”
So let’s stop banging that drum, okay? That means out of every 1000 births, less than 3% are born to teen mothers. And this includes 18 and 19 year olds, so it’s even less if you factor out legal adults.
BUT OMG TEEN MOM IS RUINING EVERYTHING THIS IS THE WORST GENERATION EVER ALL THEY WANT TO DO IS GET PREGNANT AND GET FAMOUS FOR IT THINGS USED TO BE SO MUCH BETTER
/s
"There is evidence that a switch to more effective means of birth control is a factor.”
I bet if you removed the south and other major abstinence only states that already small number would drop off a cliff.
Though I also think if you looked just at those states the number would be much more alarming. Especially among women in lower income levels.
The 2012 per state breakdowns aren’t available yet, but in 2010, Mississippi had the highest with 55/1000 births and New Hampshire had the lowest with a mere 16/1000 (again, this includes 18 and 19 year olds, and I’m not sure about economic breakdowns). So yes, higher in traditionally abstinence-only education states, but not a hugely bigger number and the article notes that Mississippi had a 21% drop. Not that we shouldn’t get rid of abstinence-only education, because WE 100% SHOULD IT’S SO STUPID, but I’d guess the internet has a big hand in keeping those numbers low.
My original point, which I’m sure is obvious, is that claiming teen moms are the end of humanity is the worst kind of misogynistic hyperbole.
hawberries
