Boarding Schools for Girls

The teen pregnancy rate is rising in the U.S. state of Georgia, and pediatric health advocates are arguing that ineffective outreach efforts are creating a crisis within the state. In a May 5 post on the website of Georgia television station WMGT-41, Liz Foster reported that at least one expert predicts that the situation may not improve any time soon:

Three in ten girls in the U.S. become pregnant at least once before age 20. That's according to the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention's website, which also says Georgia has the 8th highest teen birth rate in the nation.

Dr. David Harvey with the North Central Health District, says part of that can be blamed on state budget cuts, which have trimmed family planning program funds by almost 20 percent. He calls the issue a "major problem" in Middle Georgia and says it will get worse before it gets better. ...

Dr. Harvey says teen pregnancy rates permeate all socioeconomic statuses and affect everyone. From hospital space to medical costs, he says each pregnancy has an impact on society.

Many experts have warned that continued increases in teen sex rates have been associated with a wide range of social, developmental, and health problems.

Labels: pregnancy, health, teenagers, sex

Posted By: Aspen/CRC