There are a number of posts around about the release of the CDC Study: Estimated Pregnancy Rates by Outcome for the United States, 1990–2004. Mostly reporting on the decline in the teen pregnancy rates. So I though I’d take a look. It’s striking how beginning in 1990, there has been a steady decline in Pregnancies, Births, and Abortions in both teen groups – 15-17 y/o, and 18-19 y/o. I’ve always thought that would happen if we were more open about sex and birth control. Please note that the decline antedates the ascendancy of the Religious Right, and that the major gains were made B.B. [Before Bush].
Women are bearing children later [see below] – so the decline in pregnancy rates disappears in the 25-29 y/o group and there’s actually an increased rate above age 30.
There’s a lot of other data in the report. For example, the majority of Abortions are in the unmarried group, as one might expect. The highest Abortion Rate is in unmarried Black Women by a factor of 2 or more.
Not that the Religious Right cares about data, but I read this Study as saying that we’re doing something right these days, and it’s having an impact. From a future Mental Health point of view, this Study says that way more children who are coming into the world these days "wanted." "Wanted" is about the most positive Mental Health predictor that there is…
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