Raleigh, North Carolina – Updated records indicate teen pregnancy rate in North Carolina dropped by 11% in 2013.
The teen pregnancy rate in NC has indicated an 11% drop last year. Young ladies between 15 and 19 were involved in the evaluation. The records also indicated that the updated rate was less than a half compared to the records in 2000. The annual report was based on NC’s Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Campaign (APPC).
Teen pregnancy needs urgent care and attention, not only from parents, but also with the help of corresponding agencies. Young girls should be provided with proper sexual education, and a sort of an urgent care near me, which they can rely on in any circumstances, especially throughout their adolescent years.
NC’s APPC records showed that in 2013, there were 11,360 reported pregnancies involving girls aged 10 to 19. Meanwhile, the 2007 records showed 20,019 pregnancies. The figures were also based on the State Center for Health Statistics. Additionally, NC has the highest teen pregnancies ranked as the 20th nationwide.
Records also showed that the teen pregnancy rate during the late 1980s and the early 1990s were the highest. However, the campaign only shows records until 1984. Since then, teen pregnancies have steadily dropped, except for the 2004 to 2007 records with a momentary surge.
Moreover, abortion rates among teenagers significantly dropped as well. Nearly 19% of pregnant teens opted for abortion last year compared to the 40% in 1980s.
Officials said the curbed pregnancy rate is associated with birth control methods. APPC strategic communications director Elizabeth Finley said the rate is likewise attributed to more teenagers who are waiting longer to have sexual interactions, up until they are older. Thus, urgent care clinics and agencies should help in assisting and educating teens about all issues concerning teen pregnancy.
Finley emphasized their gratitude towards the recent numbers, indicating that their efforts have exceeded their goal faster than expected. However, they still notice some disparities.
Teen pregnancy rates among African-American and Hispanic teenagers are nearly double the rate of white teen girls statewide. Rates were recorded at 57.9 per 1,000 Hispanic teens, while 49.2 per 1,000 African-American teenagers, and 24.7 for white teens.
The campaign, which can also serve as an urgent care clinic for teens, also aims at looking at the inequality in sexual education, as well as to their access towards health care. Finley added that her agency will evaluate which area to focus their efforts on, so as to continually reduce or eliminate the current teen pregnancy rate statewide.
