March, 2009

Last  year, when research from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) found that there was an increase in the teen birth rate for the first time since 1991, we were not sure if that was simply a blip in the research. Also, despite that 3% increase, it still marked a lower rate for the US when compared with fifteen or twenty years ago. The teen birth rate had declined 34% between 1991 and 2005. Now we find that in addition to the 2005-2006 increase, it has also increased 1% between between 2006 and 2007. An increase two years in a row is cause for concern. Is the problem lack of comprehensive sexuality education? In part. Is the oversexualized media to blame? Could be. (But according to research, probably not.) Most of all, when teens get pregnant their parents had some role in the matter. Parents are the primary sex educators of their children. Through conversations and examples, they learn values and behaviors. I’ll be talking more about this on TV over the next couple of days.  So stay tuned. Meanwhile, here’s a link to the NYTimes article about the new NCHS findings, including that the overall birth rate for all ages was the highest in ever 2007 — a true baby boom.