CDC: "Mississippi Has Highest Teen Birth Rate"

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Atlanta, Ga.
Posted: 10:38 AM Jan 7, 2009
Last Updated: 10:38 AM Jan 7, 2009
Reporter: The Associated Press

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A new federal report finds Mississippi now has the nation's highest teen pregnancy rate, displacing Texas and New Mexico for that lamentable title.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Mississippi's rate was more than 60 percent higher than the national average in 2006. The teen pregnancy rate in Texas and New Mexico was more than 50 percent higher.

The three states have large proportions of black and Hispanic teenagers, groups that traditionally have higher birth rates, experts noted.

The lowest teen birth rates continue to be in New England, where three states have teen birth rates at just half the national average.

It's not clear why Mississippi surged into first place. Ron Cossman, a Mississippi State University researcher who focuses on children's health statistics, says the state's one-year increase of nearly 1,000 teen births could be a statistical blip.

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Posted by: DEBORAH Location: ENTERPRISE on Jan 8, 2009 at 09:24 AM
WHY IS IT MS ONLY COME IN AT FIRST PLACE WHEN ITS NOT A GOOD THING, LIKE OBESTY & TEEN PREGNANCY, WHY NOT SOMETIMES DWELL ON THE GOOD MS HAS TO OFFER, WE AS PARENT NEED TO TRY HARDER TO PREVENT ALL OUR TEENS, FROM BECOMMING PARENT, AT THOSE PRECIOUS YEARS THEY NEED TO ENJOY.AT MY HOME, WE HAVE FAMILY MEETINGS WEEKLY, WHERE THE KIDS CAN SAY WHAT ON THEIR MINDS, WHAT THEIR CONCERNS ARE ANYTHING THAT THEY WANT TO TALK ABOUT. AND MY CHURCH HAS MONTHLY RAPP SESSIONS WHERE THE KIDS MEET ON SATURDAY MORNING, AND FREELY SPEAK OUT ABOUT ANY TOPIC. MAYBE IF OTHERS TRIED THIS. WE COULD BE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LIST FOR TEN BIRTHS. BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING WORST THAN A BABY HAVING A BABY.