Initiative to reduce Latino Teen Pregnancy launched.

Latino teens (46% of boys and 51% of girls) say that parents most influence their decisions about sex, according to a new nationally representative survey released by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. Even so, Latina teen girls (63%) are less likely than their peers (74% of White and 66% of Black teens) to say they have had a helpful conversation with their parents about delaying sex and avoiding teen pregnancy. And fully three-quarters of Latinos (73% of adults and 75% of teens) believe that parents send one message about sex to their sons and a different message to their daughters.

Teen pregnancy and birth rates among all teens have declined by about one-third since the early 1990s. Even so, the Latino teen pregnancy rate is almost twice the national average and has declined about half as fast as the national rate. At present, the National Campaign estimates that 51% of Latinas get pregnant at least once by age 20 (compared to 3 in 10 nationally). In addition, a new summary analysis of existing data prepared by the National Campaign also shows that the birth rate for Latinas aged 15-19 increased in 18 of 47 reporting states between 1990 and 2003.

For these reasons and others, the National Campaign has begun a new initiative focused specifically on helping the Latino community in its efforts to reduce continued high rates of adolescent pregnancy and childbearing. The official launch of the new initiative takes place at a forum on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, March 28, 1:30-2:30pm, in Room HC-8 of the Capitol Building. Leaders of the National Campaign, members of our Latino Initiative Advisory Group, as well as members of Congress will be on hand for the launch event. (Visit www.teenpregnancy.org/ initiative for more detailed information.)

Other findings from the survey include:

Most Latino teen boys (57%) say they often receive the message that they are expected to have sex and half of Latina girls (54%) say they often receive the message that attracting boys and looking sexy is one of the most important things they can do.

The majority of sexually experienced Latino teens (62% of boys and 74% of girls) say they wish they had waited.
Seven in ten Latino teens (74% of girls and 65% of boys) say they wish they were getting more information about abstinence and contraception, rather than either/or.

Fully 82% of Latino teens agree that religious leaders and groups should be doing more to help prevent teen pregnancy.
One in five Latino teens (20%) say that being a teen parent would have no effect (13%) or actually help (7%) teens to reach their goals for the future.

About the survey. The survey canvassed 1,037 young people age 12-19 and 1,162 adults 20 years and older —including an over-sampling of Latino adults (202) and teens (221)—and provides nationally representative estimates of each age group. The telephone surveys took place between September and October 2006 and were conducted by International Communications Research (www.icrsurvey.com), an independent research company. To read the embargoed survey, visit www.teenpregnancy.org/voices.asp.

Visit http://ww.teenpregnancy.org/espanol/donors.asp> to view a complete list of our Latino Initiative sponsors.

About the National Campaign. Founded in 1996, the National Campaign is a private, nonprofit organization with the goal of reducing the teen pregnancy rate by one-third between 2006 and 2015.