The Feminist Majority reports that a recent study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that teenage pregnancy rates are on the rise. In particular, the CDC’s report showed significant increases in 26 states in 2006, which ended a 15 year decline in teenage pregnancy statistics. Alaska, Mississippi, Montana, Hawaii, and Nevada are among the states with the highest increases.
The report indicates that many factors might be influencing the rise in teenage pregnancy rates, including a rise in highly publicized teen pregnancies, abstinence-only programs, and a disproportionate number of pregnancies among minority teenagers. These statistics encourage a closer look at family planning programs in the United States.
