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Indiana Teen Pregnancy Rates Drop

Last updated on Friday, May 24, 2013

(UNDATED) - A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show at least a 15-percent decrease in teen pregnancy in all but two states in the nation between 2007 and 2011.

In Indiana, teen pregnancy decreased 19-percent during that time period and seven states saw a decrease of 30-percent or more.

However, Bill Stanczykiewicz with the Indiana Youth Institute says a lot of teenagers are participating in sexual activities other than intercourse.

Stanczykiewicz says teen pregnancy brings many more challenges into the lives of the mother and baby. He says statistically, a teenage mother is more likely to drop out of high school. He says a single mom without a high school diploma is much more likely to live in poverty for the rest of her life and to subject her child to a life of poverty.

Stanczykiewicz says the best way to prevent sexual behavior among teenagers is for parents to talk their kids about it at the appropriate time. He says when kids talk to researchers, the main thing they say is they wish their parents communicated more and they had more guidelines in their lives.

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