fact and opinion

The article that i read is called U.S. Teen Births Rise for First Time in Fifteen Years, Renewing Debate FACTS: since 1991 the birth rate had been droping, but on wednesday government statistics said it rose 3 percent from 2005 to 2006. The new birth numbers are based on the 15-19 age group of women,which accounted for most of the 440,000 births to teens in 2006. The rate rose to nearly 42 births per 1,000 in that group, up from 40.5 in 2005. That translates to an extra 20,000 births to teen mothers.
the reports on birth also showed:
*that the U.S. fertility rate is at the highest level since 1971, at 2.1 children. That is an increase of 2 percent from 2005 to 2006.
*total births rose 3 percent to nearly 4.3 million in 2006
*rate of Caesarean-section deliveries aslo rose 3 percent, setting a nwe record of 31 percent of all births. Health officials say the rate, which has risen by about half since 1996, is higher than is medically ncessary. the high C-section rate is believed to at least partly explain why rates of preterm and low-weight births also rose in 2006. Planned deliveries, including thise involving C-sections, are often done before a pregnancy comes to full term, health experts said.

OPINIONS: some of the experts said that they were expecting a jump in the rates. They blame it on increased federal funding for abstinence only health education that doesn't teach teens hot to use a condom and other contraception.
Diana DeGette a U.S. Rep. said that "Congress needs to stop knee-jerk approving abstinence-only funding when it's clear it's not working." she is pushing on more comprehinsive sex education.
Planned Parenthood officials added that abstinence-only programs do not cause a decrease in teenage sexual activity.
John Santell who is a professor of population and family health at Columbia University's school of public health said that decreased condom use and increased sexual activity are two likely explanations for the higher teen birth rate.


MY OPINION: i believe that sex education should be more broad and more educational on ways to prevent pregnancy and STD's. Abstinence is also something important to be taught, however if it is clear that teens are still sexually active no matter how much we're told not to then the government should start think about updating schools health class. If the U.S. is o worried about rates rising then the should start doing something about it.