May 6, 2010
CONTACT:
Nancy Braden,
Public Health Communications Coordinator
303-239-7137
Every four hours a baby is born to a Colorado teen between 15 and 17 years old. (1)
30 percent of Colorado students engaging in sexual activity reported they did not
use a condom the last time they had sexual intercourse. (2)
May is National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month and a good time for parents to talk to their teens about the importance of reproductive health. Studies indicate that teen mothers are less likely to complete high school, more likely to be single parents, and more likely to live in poverty than other teens.
In Jefferson County, unintended pregnancy among adolescents continues to be of concern. From 2004 – 2008, 67.9 percent of 15-19 year olds in Jefferson County reported their pregnancy as unintended. Furthermore, utilizing Jefferson County Maternal Child Health (MCH) data, births to Latinas aged 15-17 were 42.7 percent in 2006, but were up to 50.1 percent in 2010.
These numbers indicate a need for action. While the task to eliminate teen pregnancy may seem daunting, advocates, parents and communities can take small steps to engage youth in ways that can help reduce the prevalence of teen pregnancy.
“Jefferson County Public Health is committed to empowering individuals to make informed choices about their reproductive health, as well as preventing unintended pregnancies,” states Norma Tubman, RN, MSc – Jefferson County Director of Community Health Services. “We provide family planning clinics that are confidential and include comprehensive services to support and educate teens in our community.”
Family Planning (reproductive health and birth control) services are available at our Arvada and Lakewood locations. Services are provided on a sliding fee scale and to people with Medicaid. No one is denied services due to the inability to pay.
JCDHE Family Planning Services for Teens Include:
- Abstinence Education
- Pregnancy Testing
- Free Condoms
- Birth Control Information & Supplies
- Emergency Contraception
- HIV Testing, Counseling & Referral
- STD Information, Testing & Treatment
- Treatment of minor gynecological problems
To schedule an appointment, please call one of our conveniently located clinics: Lakewood 303-239-7078, or Arvada 303-275-7500.
Resources and Information
Data Sources:
[1] CDPHE CoHID Birth Statistics, querried December 1, 2006 http://cdphe.state.co.us/cohid/index.html
[2] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (DCD) 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/yrbss/
