According to a study conducted by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, in conjunction with the National Council of La Raza, 53% of Latina teens in the U.S. become pregnant before age 20; this in spite of 81% of Latino teens believing that getting pregnant as a teen will delay or prevent them accomplishing their life goals.
The pregnancy rate among young Latinas is nearly twice the national average.
Although 79% of teens indicated that their parents had talked to them about sex, and 49% indicated that parents were their biggest influence in decisions about sex, 64% felt that parents did not know how to carry on a discussion about sex.
Another noteworthy finding from focus groups conducted in this study was that Latino teens often felt frustrated because of the pressure their parents placed on them to succeed academically, while those same parents were not prepared or in a position to help them reach those educational goals.
In light of all of the long term consequences that may result from a teen pregnancy, this report is very concerning. Community groups, churches, etc. working with and within the Hispanic population in the U.S. would do well to review this report, and particularly note that Hispanic parents may need additional assistance in working with their teen children.
Download the report here: Toward A Common Future: Latino Teens and Adults Speak Out
Read the CNN story here:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/05/19/latinas.pregnancy.rate/index.html?eref=rss_us
Additional Links:
National Council of La Raza
The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy
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