Teen pregnancies set to skyrocket thanks to con artist

[someoneyouknow]

Despite the overwhelming evidence [1] that a comprehensive sex ed program in school substantially reduces the number of both teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, the con artist has cut funding to such programs and will instead plow money into the debunked abstinence-only "education" programs.

The administration cut short grants for 81 TPP grantees last summer, arguing the programs, which focused mostly on comprehensive sex ed, were ineffective at curbing teen pregnancy rates.

Those grantees would be able to receive funding if they shifted the focus of their programs toward abstinence.

In the first, grantees would have to follow one of two abstinence programs to receive funding.

One of the programs uses a "sexual risk reduction model," which is designed to reduce sexual risk behaviors.

The other program uses a "sexual risk avoidance model," which teaches teens to avoid sex completely.​

Studies, and the facts, show those states which pursue an abstinence-only sex education have substantially higher rates of teen pregnancies and STDs than states which pursue a comprehensive program. Coincidentally, many states which pursue this program overwhelmingly voted for the con artist and also eschew basic science.

For example, in the great state of Texas [2], the Dallas and San Antonio areas had teen pregnancy rates 50 percent and 40 percent above the national average. Contrast that with California which invested in comprehensive sex education and access to contraception. There, the teenage birth rate dropped by 74 percent from 1991 to 2015. The teen birth rate in Texas also fell, but only by 56 percent.

In Texas, if a 17-year-old mom wants prescription birth control, in most cases she needs her parents’ permission. “Only [Texas] and Utah have a law that if you’re already a parent, you are the legal medical guardian of your baby, but you cannot make your own medical decisions without the now-grandma involved,” Daverth said.

That’s part of the reason, she notes, Texas has the highest rate of repeat teen pregnancies in the country.

As studies also show [3], the U.S. ranks first among developed nations in rates of both teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

Using the most recent national data (2005) from all U.S. states with information on sex education laws or policies (N = 48), we show that increasing emphasis on abstinence education is positively correlated with teenage pregnancy and birth rates.​

Data analysis showed that the more abstinence was stressed, the higher were the rates of teen pregnancy and births. Of the four approaches, the most effective was level 1, which included comprehensive sex or HIV education (or both) and covered contraception, condom use, and abstinence.​

As a report [4] from last year stated:

“Abstinence education” programs that promote abstinence-only-until-marriage—now termed “sexual risk avoidance” by proponents—have been described as “scientifically and ethically problematic.” They systematically ignore or stigmatize many young people and do not meet their health needs​

But hey, trickle down economics has worked so well in reducing the debt (look at the great shape Kansas is in), why not do abstinence-only sex education. It has the same batting average. 0.

http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/384208-trump-admin-announces-abstinence-focused-overhaul-of-teen-pregnancy

[1] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/study-abstinence-only-programs-dont-work/

[1] http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/13/AR2007041301003.html

[1] http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_wires/2007Nov07/0,4675,TeenSex,00.html

[1] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-abstinence-usa/experts-say-sex-abstinence-program-doesnt-work-idUSN2345957620080424

[1] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111129185925.htm

[1] http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/healthcare/322997-abstinence-only-programs-dont-work-dont-go-backwards-on

[1] https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/posteverything/wp/2017/08/21/abstinence-only-education-doesnt-work-were-still-funding-it/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.5f5dbd5973f0

[1] https://www.authenticintimacy.com/resources/5923/theyre-right-abstinence-only-ed-doesnt-work

[2] https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/06/05/530922642/in-texas-abstinence-only-programs-may-contribute-to-teen-pregnancies

[2] http://www.governing.com/topics/hea...inence-only-programs-teenage-pregnancies.html

[3] http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0024658

[3] http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jan/19/news/la-heb-teen-pregnancy-20120119

[3] https://journals.lww.com/ajnonline/Fulltext/2012/03000/Comprehensive_Sex_Education_for_Teens_Is_More.5.aspx#article-abstract-content4

[4] https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/facts-american-teens-sources-information-about-sex

 

[Carnal_Flower]

And all the teen pregnancies will result in guess what? More abortions, which they're supposedly against.

 

[Hypoxia]

And all the teen pregnancies will result in guess what? More abortions, which they're supposedly against.

The pattern is consistent: own the bodies of women of all ages. A woman cannot be trusted to operate her own body and so must be controlled. The Father-God knows best, right?

 

[ThatsTheGuy]

Again? I don't think this type of thing happened before sex-ed.

 

[someoneyouknow]

Again? I don't think this type of thing happened before sex-ed.

Historical facts show teen births have been declining for the past 40 years thanks in large part to more information and more and easier access to birth control. However, note on the chart on the following page the two times in the past few decades when teen births rose. You'll note they occurred during Republican administrations when comprehensive sex education programs were pulled in favor of abstinence-only programs:

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/04/29/why-is-the-teen-birth-rate-falling/

In fact, teen birth rates plummeted throughout the Obama administration, though some have theorized that was partially an after effect of the Bush recession when people took extra precautions not to get pregnant because they didn't have the money to afford a child.

Further, the map in the following link shows exactly what is known: in those states where abstinence-only sex ed is pushed, teen pregnancies are higher compared to other states which adopt a more comprehensive program. In addition, those states with high teen pregnancies generally vote Republican and don't care about facts or science:

https://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/adolescent-development/reproductive-health-and-teen-pregnancy/teen-pregnancy-and-childbearing/trends/index.html

 

[Blue]

The US looks more and more like an empire in decline every week.

Comically bloated pork-barrel military expenditure at the expense of basic infrastructure, nationwide absence of actual political representation (just because you get to vote doesn't mean you're a democracy), political regression from a secular democracy to a religious oligarchy, heck they just quietly removed legislation that prevented industry from dumping toxic waste in people's drinking water.

Just remember that US dominance will not last forever just like all world powers before it. Dominant political entities usually get a good few hundred years in so I doubt this is symptomatic of a future collapse of the US state or anything as severe as that, Rome had much worse times and more unstable times than the US, see the year of the five emperors, and survived to tell the tale (until it didn't, obviously). But Trump's anti-education policies, attack on the development of a wealthy consumer class and voluntary technological regression (be it social, political or economic technology) is paving the way for China and Co. to overtake the US as the economic and technological world leader in the near future.

 

[Boxlicker101]

One thing I wish about posts such as this one or studies is that teenage pregnancies would be listed under married and unmarried. There is a vast difference, you know, between a 19 year-old married woman being PG and a 15 year old girl getting knocked up. As far as I can see, unless that breakdown is included, the writers of the posts or the articles are intending to deceive.

FWIW, I believe teaching abstinence only is a waste of time and "the rhythm method" isn't much better. Tell girls "If you don't fuck, you won't get pregnant" and then spend the rest of the allotted time giving usable advice and info. Tell boys the same kind of thing, or course, even though that's even more pointless.