Although teen pregnancy and birth rates had declined steadily in the United States since 1990, birth rates have risen over the last two years, and the United States continues to have among the highest teen birth, HIV, and STI rates among industrialized nations.
Millions of American youth are engaging in behaviors that put them at risk for unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV. Each year in the United States, about 750,000 adolescent females become pregnant, 20,000 young people are newly infected with HIV, and nearly four million new STI infections occur among 15- to 19-year-olds.
Yet research has shown that given the right tools, young people have the potential to take responsibility for their sexual and reproductive health. Parental involvement and culturally competent programs that provide complete and accurate information can go a long way toward helping youth make good decisions; but socioeconomic, cultural, and educational disparities must be redressed in order for all youth to lead successful and healthy lives.