CDC reports that sex education may lead to lower rates of teen pregnancy

By Staff Writer

According to new research from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there is a large disparity in rates of teen pregnancy between states, with Southern states often having much higher rates, All Headline News reports.

CDC researchers say that the difference appears to be educational. Teen pregnancy rates in states that have comprehensive sex education programs are lower than those that teach abstinence in the public schools.

Planned Parenthood issued the following statement about the CDC findings: "This new CDC report makes it crystal clear that the teen birthrate is lower in states that provide students with comprehensive, evidence-based sex education. The report demonstrates that the surest way to reduce teenage pregnancy is to provide young people with comprehensive, medically accurate sex education, and doing so is especially urgent for African-American and Latino teens, who are getting pregnant more frequently than other young people."

The Guttmacher Institute reports that the U.S. has the highest levels of teen pregnancy among developed nations.