South Dakota Planned Parenthood Advocate

National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month

May marks the National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month. And in the state of South Dakota this is an important month because teen pregnancy rates remain too high despite the fact that they have dropped nationally. In 2008 the pregnancy rate (number of pregnancies per 1,000 women aged 15-19) of teens was 53. While this has dropped over the years, and in data from another source the rate was as low as 35 in 2010, this doesn’t mean South Dakota shouldn’t be cautious.

What can we do to continue to make sure that the teen pregnancy rate in South Dakota declines?

Make sure that teens in South Dakota have access to sex education and birth control first and foremost. Communication is also vital. Parents and schools need to have these conversations about sex with teens.

Americans Agree, Women Deserve Affordable Access to Birth Control

According to a new survey by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy 70% of adults believe that insurance should be required to cover birth control.

The survey also found that 81% of the people surveyed felt that using birth control is taking personal responsibility.

These findings show that Americans understand the importance of birth control coverage and availability in order to prevent unplanned pregnancies.

 

Pregnancy and Abortion Rates Drop Over Past 20 Years

A recent report by the National Center for Health Statistics shows that the number of live births per 1,000 women has dropped from 70.9 in 1990 to 68.1 in 2008.  This decrease also includes a 40% decrease in teenage births, and though communities of color continue to experience teenage pregnancy at significantly higher rates, rates among black and Hispanic communities fell significantly.  Furthermore, the report shows a shift in child bearing age, with substantially fewer women having children in their early twenties, instead waiting to have children, with a  38% increase in pregnancies among women 35-39, and a 65% increase for women 40-44.

These decreases in pregnancy are accompanied by a substantial decrease in abortion rates. In 1990, there were 27.4 abortions per 1,000 women; in 2008, 19.4. Though abortions were down among most demographics, most notably, there was a significant drop in abortions among teenagers. 

National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy

May 2 was the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, organized by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy and observed each year in May.

Nearly 40% of teens aged 14 to 17 are using digital technologies to seek out health related information, including information on sexual health. In response, a growing number of sexual health organizations are creating online and Smartphone-based tools aimed at providing reliable information and helping teens and young people prevent unintended pregnancy.

Unofficial TTRT Book Club - Lizz Free or Die

I love Lizz Winstead. Love, love, love, love. She’s a comedienne, a feminist and an activist. Lizz grew up in our neighboring state of Minnesota, does comedy benefits for Planned Parenthood, and was co-creator of The Daily Show. If you’re interested in politics and women’s issues specifically and have a chance to see Lizz perform live, I highly recommend it (she had me in tears on New Year’s Eve this past year).

Her collection of what she calls "messays" was released this month and it is all at once funny, thought-provoking and heartwarming. While many of her essays aren’t choice related, a feminist theme can be found throughout. Along with being a champion for choice in her day-to-day life, Lizz includes a very frank essay about her own teenage pregnancy. I don’t want to spoil anything, but this particular essay is pertinent to what we’ve been experiencing legislatively in South Dakota over the last couple of years. A great read by a great supporter of women, I recommend everyone check it out!

~ Alisha Sedor, NARAL Pro Choice South Dakota

The Team Roe Times May 2012 Issue!

We are excited to present to you the fifth issue of The Team Roe Times in 2012, a joint project between Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and NARAL Pro Choice South Dakota!

Packed inside this issue is an update on Representative Noem and the Violence Against Women Act, a book review for Lizz Free or Die, information on Measure 3 in North Dakota, AND SO MUCH MORE! Please share widely!

Download The Team Roe Times Vol 2 Issue 5

Unofficial TTRT Book Club - The Baby Thief

This is the crazy, true story of an evil woman, southern politics, and adoption. I thought this book was fascinating from start to finish: this woman posed as social services to take babies away from mothers she thought unfit, she put photos of babies in the newspaper at Christmas-time asking for people to adopt them, and the gave babies to judges, lawyers and law officials to gain favor in the community.

The author writes from an interesting perspective as she adopted her own daughter. Georgia Tann’s antics of trickery and theft helped to shape many current adoption laws, for better and for worse. This book was expertly researched and well-written.

I recommend this book for those anti-abortion folks who think that adoption is the best choice for “everyone.” Georgia Tann tore apart many families in her quest for wealth and “good” families.
I’m certain our TTRT readers will enjoy this pro choice book as well. Happy reading!

~Carmen, Planned Parenthood Advocate

Planned Pregnancy Needs Role, Too

As a certified nurse-midwife with over 25 years of practice, including providing prenatal care to pregnant women and delivering babies, I applaud Gov. Dennis Daugaard, the first lady and the Governor’s Task Force on Infant Mortality in their efforts to reduce infant deaths in South Dakota.

Every effort should be made to reduce infant and maternal mortality in the United States and worldwide. However, one proven and fundamental way to decrease infant mortality was left out of the Task Force’s recent recommendations: planning one’s pregnancy in advance.

The Team Roe Times January Issue!

We are excited to present to you the FIRST issue of The Team Roe Times in 2012, a joint project between Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and NARAL Pro Choice South Dakota!

Packed inside this informative newsletter are details on Women 4 Women Day 2012, updates on the 2012 SD Legislative Session and the 30th Roe vs. Wade anniversary, a list of upcoming events, the latest book in our TTRT Unofficial Book Club and SO MUCH MORE. Download The Team Roe Times Vol 2 Issue 1

Young Men, Teen Dads, and Sex Education

When the subject of teen pregnancy comes up, the focus usually falls on the young women who have the children. Unfortunately, often the young men don’t stick around. But sometimes they do and they try to do their best to be fathers to their children, even if they are unprepared for the task.

MTV, in its special focusing on teen moms recently turned the spotlight on the teen dads. What these young men thought about pregnancy and their choices is alarming.