As a part of the health class curriculum, students take care of these babies for three days and are graded on the quality of care in an effort to teach real-life consequences. Nationally, the teen pregnancy rate declined through 2002, which is the most recent year for those statistics, because of an increase in contraceptive use, teens waiting longer to have sex for the first time, or teens having sex less often, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a think tank for sexual and reproductive health issues. Pregnant teens are less likely than older women to receive good prenatal care and are more likely to be depressed during the pregnancy, said Carlos Mendez, an obstetrician and gynecologist with Centegra Health System. Locally, Woodstock District 200 continuously evaluates its curriculum but generally teaches the basics of birth control, sexual abuse and sexuality with an emphasis on abstinence, said Sandra Theriault, curriculum area specialist for health and physical education. I am thrilled that teens and younger parents can rely on the schools, state government, charities, extended family and friends to help keep families together. This mom & her baby are not being afforded luxuries rather Mom & Baby are being afforded the Basics of Life (Food,Clothing,Shelter)that all people of America should have. read more

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