Child Trend’s annual report on teen childbearing, sexual activity and contraception offers abundant data and some interpretation. Among the facts: 46 percent of high schoolers have had sexual intercourse at least once, with home being the most popular venue for the first time. Though the teen birth rate has been declining for 10 years, the report urges the public and policy-makers against complacency, citing an increase in certain sexually transmitted diseases and the high risk of pregnancy among Latino teens. The report recommends more use of newer contraceptive methods, such as Depo-Provera, to further decrease teen births. Six pages. Free online. Child Trends, 4301 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 100, Washington, DC 20008. (202) 362-5580, www.childtrends.org.
– Mary Tess Driver, Della Mosley, Andrew Beadle, Patrick Boyle
