Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Oklahoma Still High in Teen Births

We're number five! We're number five!

Okay, it's not a good thing. But the latest government figures show that Oklahoma is number five in teen births.

As we like to say around here, thank God for Mississippi, which topped the list. (Thank God too for the other states ahead of us: New Mexico, Arkansas and our friends in Texas.)

On the other hand, the teen birthrate nationally is falling. The study shows that the teen birthrate has reached the lowest level since record-keeping began in 1940.

Why the decline? In the AP report published in the Tulsa World, experts cite the economy. 

That makes sense. But we also suspect the wider availability and use of contraception by teens plays a major role in the declining birthrate. 

Of course, the availability and use of contraception has been targeted by zealots like Rick Santorum. No wonder his candidacy has flopped—even teenagers know better.

1 comment:

Tulsan said...

With Mary Fallin (“No one will work harder for Oklahoma... no one") and the GOP on the job in Oklahoma, we're going to give Mississippi a run for its bottom of the heap crown.