That’s the first sentence of this article, “Contraception Driving U.S. Decline In Teen Pregnancies” which goes on to report:
The finding suggests that teens are increasingly turning to contraception as a means of avoiding early pregnancy, even as conservative groups point to abstinence as the only sure means of doing so. …
…the study, which was conducted by researchers at Columbia University and the Alan Guttmacher Institute, both in New York City. Their report is published in the Nov. 30 online issue of the the study, which was conducted by researchers at Columbia University and the Alan Guttmacher Institute, both in New York City. Their report is published in the Nov. 30 online issue of the American Journal of Public Health.
Federal statistics show that pregnancy rates among U.S. girls aged 15 to 19 have dropped by 27 percent between 1991 and 2000, and birth rates for this group fell by 33 percent between 1991 and 2003.
However, the exact reasons for this trend have remained unclear. In their study, researchers led by Columbia’s Dr. John S. Santelli examined data for the years 1995-2001 from the ongoing National Survey of Family Growth.
They specifically looked at trends in sexual behavior and contraceptive use for nearly 2,600 U.S. girls, aged 15 to 19, who were interviewed as part of the survey. The researchers’ hoped to determine the roles of abstinence and contraception in the ongoing decline in teen pregnancy.
Santelli’s team found that 86 percent of the decline in pregnancy was associated with increased use of contraception. There was increasing use of both birth control pills and condoms, or the use of dual methods such as the pill and a condom combined.
Only 14 percent of the decline in pregnancy was attributed to reductions in teens’ sexual activity, the researchers noted.
In addition, Santelli’s group developed a “contraceptive risk index” to account for effectiveness of contraceptive use. They also developed an overall “pregnancy risk index” calculated by the contraceptive risk score and the percentage of teens reporting sexual activity.
These data revealed that, among teens 15 to 17 years old, 77 percent of the drop in pregnancy was due to more contraceptive use and 23 percent to reduced sexual activity.
Based on their findings, the researchers believe that contraception may be the best way to further reduce the number of teens getting pregnant. …
Article via Bitch Ph.D. An abstract of the referenced study is available here; access to the full study requires an AJPH subscription.
