Some scary things to consider this Halloween:

• The teen birth rate is on the rise after 15 straight years of decline.
• Fully seven in ten pregnancies among single 20-somethings are unplanned.
• More than half of pregnancies reported by unmarried men in their 20s are unplanned.
• Rosie O'Donnell is launching a new radio show.
• The magic less sex/more contraception formula that drove down the teen pregnancy rate over the past decade plus now seems to have morphed into a more sex/less contraception formula.
• 3 in ten girls in the United States get pregnant by age 20.
• Mariah Carey continues to record and release music.

What are some things that are scaring you? Let us know.

Sheldon J. Segal is no longer with us. Segal, 83, died October 17 at his home in Woods Hole, MA. Although his work helped millions of women all over the world, he labored and died in relative anonymity.

What gives?

Segal is credited with leading the team that developed the contraceptive implant Norplant. He was also instrumental in the development of the Mirena intrauterine device and copper-bearing IUDs. In other words, Segal played a critical role in what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls one of the greatest public health achievements of the past 100 years---contraception.

You might have missed this news because the front page of several major newspapers featured other such absolutely essential fare as the fight for airplane overhead space (USA Today) and a new opus from Stephen King (Wall Street Journal).

What gives?

Rest in peace, Sheldon Segal, and thank you.

On September 17th, the journal Reproductive Health published an article, "Religiosity and teen birth rate in the United States," on the relationship between teen birth rates and "religiosity" (level of religious affiliation) by state. The study found that the states with the highest religiosity also had the highest teen birth rates, even when controlling for income and abortion rates (the study also found that high religiosity correlated with lower income levels and lower likelihood of abortion). Predictably in this contentious field, there are already some who question the overall analytic approach of the study.

Even so, the speculation of the study's authors that "conservative religious communities in the U.S. are more successful in discouraging use of contraception among their teen community members than in discouraging sexual intercourse itself" is worth contemplating. On a personal level (I'll leave the policy theorizing for Rachel Maddow), I've spoken to several of my colleagues from religious backgrounds about this study and they all echoed the theory offered by several blogs and articles--that teens from religious backgrounds are less likely than other teens to use contraception when they do have sex because they don't think it works, or because they feel that thinking about contraception would suggest premeditation and intention.

Don't miss the season premiere of the hit ABC Family original series "Greek" on Monday at 9pm/8c. It's a look at the lives and relationships of college kids - funny, dramatic, and full of great characters. The National Campaign is working with the show, so look around their website and stay tuned for a PSA later this season.

Need to catch up before the premiere? Watch the Cram Session videos and relive the previous seasons of "Greek."

There's been a bit of online chatter recently about ditching hormonal birth control in favor of a return to the more "organic" methods of birth control known as either Fertility Awareness Methods (FAM) or Natural Family Planning (NFP).

Sophie Morris writes a review of Jane Bennett & Alexandra Pope's book, The Pill: Are You Sure It's For You?, in which the authors question why women would use a less-than-perfect method when there are so many potential side effects. Based on her own experience with the pill, Ms. Morris agrees with Bennett and Pope that women should stop viewing it as "the default contraceptive," but she disagrees with them about the best alternative. While they encourage women to return to NFP, Morris feels as though "that remains risky business...if you can't deal with an unplanned pregnancy."  She hasn't figured out the best method for her, but knows there are options more effective than NFP.

Over on double x, in an article titled, Your Grandmother's Birth Control Might Actually Work, Nona Willis Aronowitz explains how she moved to FAMs after experiencing side effects while using the NuvaRing.  Before discovering FAM, she dismissed condoms due to her partner's aversion.  She said no to the diaphragm on account of a history of urinary tract infections. And she brushed off the thought of the oh-so-effective IUD because she didn't like the idea of "an invasive vaginal procedure." Ms. Willis Aronowitz settled on using the most effective FAM, known as the symptothermal method. This includes understanding when she's most fertile (and avoiding intercourse without a barrier method during those times) by measuring her basal body temperature and monitoring the consistency of her cervical mucous on a daily basis, and then charting the data.

I forgot to take my pill...

How many times has this thought crossed your mind?

Kourtney Kardashian recently announced that she is unexpectedly pregnant. While semi-celebrity baby bumps might not be that interesting to most, what's unusual is that she has admitted that the reason she got pregnant is because she used the pill inconsistently. In her own words Kourtney admits, "This probably sounds so dumb, but there's so many times I'll forget to take my pill and I don't think it's that big of a deal, it's just so stupid." While the birth control pill-- the most popular form of birth control in the U.S.--is very effective (you have a 99% chance of avoiding pregnancy if you take the pill), it is only as effective as the user. Nationally, nearly half of all women who have an unplanned pregnancy were using a method of contraception when they got pregnant. Digging a little deeper, half of women who have an unplanned pregnancy and birth admit that although they were using a method, they weren't using it correctly when they got pregnant.

For some of us, remembering to take the pill is easy and has become routine, but for others who are often forgetting to take their pill there might be another way. Consider other birth control options that experts often label as "forgettable". These include methods such as the vaginal ring, which is monthly, the IUD , which lasts 5-10 years, or the implant, which lasts up to 3 years. A method that I don't have to remember sounds great to me, what do you think?

1.4 million people bought The Sims 3 in the first week it was released, and I was one of them. For those of you who are not familiar with the franchise, here is the premise: The player creates characters, or "sims," and then controls pretty much everything about them, such as their clothes, house, and traits, and then makes all of their decisions for them. I know this sounds like it would be a total waste of time -- it is -- but it's really entertaining.

And when it comes to starting a family in the Sims, things get really interesting. Sims can "WooHoo" without the risk (or, according to some players, with very little risk) of getting pregnant, and to get pregnant the user has to select "Try for baby." As some people have said in various forums, "WooHoo" is considered by some to mean sex with contraception. Statistically speaking, this makes perfect sense. Even with perfect use of the pill, there's still a 1% risk of getting pregnant.

For "research purposes," I wanted to see what would happen if my single, broke Sim had a baby. She had no desire for a baby, but I control everything she does so she didn't have a choice. I had her invite her boyfriend over to her house and, long story short, when she suggested to him that they try to have a baby he rejected her advances completely (as evidenced in the above photo). And to think, he had no problem when he was WooHoo-ing with her the night before...

We wanted to fill you in on some exciting news about emergency contraception.

Last week the FDA approved a generic version of Plan B.

This whole thing gets a little tricky since Plan B is available with and without a prescription depending on your age, but we'll try to clarify what exactly was approved. Duramed still has market exclusivity on over-the-counter Plan B which can be purchased by women age 17 and older without a prescription until August 24, 2009. However, the recently approved generic version (which will be marketed as Next Choice™) will be available to women age 17 and younger with a prescription in the near future (hopefully in August, Next Choice will be available over-the-counter as well).

The price of Next Choice™ will likely vary by pharmacy, but will most likely be 20-70 percent cheaper than the name brand version which ranges from $35-70 depending on the pharmacy. Clear as mud? Check out these FAQs for more info.

I don't know about you, but a lower cost version of emergency contraception might be just what I need to stock up on for a rainy day...Not that it's a substitute for birth control, mind you. But you can never be too careful...

Sunday is father's day. A day society sets aside to honor our own fathers, and the fathers of our children. But one other generation of fathers is not getting enough attention--the fathers our sons will become (or not become). As of 2002, roughly 70 percent of young men had sex by age 19 even though less than a third are likely to be married by the time they reach 30. That's a lot of years to be careful about not getting pregnant until he's ready to be a dad. Most single guys in their early 20s are using some form of protection (85%), but that leaves 15% using nothing at all. And of those who say they use a condom only about one third say they use it every time.

The result? Among 15 to 24 year olds, 20% have already fathered a pregnancy, with roughly half being unplanned and most being outside of marriage (and that doesn't even count the pregnancies they don't know about).

My point? While we're busy reminding our sons to send a nice card or call their dads on father's day, let's take the opportunity to talk to our sons--remind them that being a dad is hard work, life changing even, and something that should wait until two people are committed to each other and to parenthood for the long haul. And that means being responsible in their relationships. It's one of the best ways to honor how awesome dads can be.

RH Reality Check today launches a new section devoted to the ongoing search for common ground on abortion and related issues. The On Common Ground section will be moderated by author, commentator, and all-around good egg Cristina Page. Cristina has long been a keen observer and chronicler of the ongoing culture wars over abortion and various efforts to reach common ground.

National Campaign CEO Sarah Brown will be a regular contributor to the Common Ground site along with others including the very thoughtful Rachel Laser of Third Way.

Read Sarah's initial contribution to the common ground discussion and marvel as I did as she seamlessly weaves together a narrative involving Barbie dolls, Cleopatra, family planning, and common ground.

Scientists are making progress in developing a vaginal ring to protect against not only unintended pregnancy but also HIV transmission. As noted by the Global Campaign for Microbicides, "Today's prevention options --condoms, mutual monogamy, and STI treatment-- are not feasible for millions of people around the world, especially women. Many women do not have the social or economic power necessary to insist on condom use and fidelity or to abandon partnerships that put them at risk. Because microbicides would not require a partner's cooperation, they would put the power to protect into women's hands."

Given that women now account for more than one quarter of all new HIV/AIDS diagnoses, that contraception is never one-size-fits-all, and that safe sex means protection from STIs (sexually transmitted infections) as well as unintended pregnancy, safe, microbicidal birth control could be a big step in the right direction.

The first thing I noticed about this video (besides the exaggeratedly bad acting)? Inaccurate information about contraception (it's true that abstinence is the only way to be 100% sure to avoid pregnancy and STDs, but using a condom is a lot safer than having sex without one). The second thing I noticed? Gender stereotypes turned upside down! Ok, I'm being a little dramatic, but really, it's almost refreshing to see all the old cliches of teens pressuring each other to have sex before they're ready reversed to show the girl as the aggressor. Contrary to popular belief, women's sex drives are comparable to men's, yet popular culture often perpetuates the stereotype that men always want sex and women--well--don't.

We all know it takes two to make a baby (well, so far, anyway?), yet the focus of teen pregnancy prevention and the responsibility for sexual decision-making in general so often falls upon young women. There are many good reasons for this, of course, including the fact that girls are often the ones who have to deal with the consequences of their sexual decisions and the fact that resources for prevention efforts are often very limited. Even so, guys have been getting a bit more much-deserved attention of late for the role they can and should play in forming healthy relationships and making responsible decisions. Nevertheless, many existing male involvement initiatives focus on men who are already fathers, rather than reaching young men before they become parents.

This piece is cross-posted on RH Reality Check.

There is reason to be concerned on this 8th National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. The extraordinary decline in teen pregnancy and childbearing - one of the nation's preeminent success stories of the past two decades - is in danger of being reversed. Cue sober music.

From the early 1990s, until 2007, the teen pregnancy rate in the United States plummeted 38 percent and the teen birth rate declined by about one-third. State and local level trends mirrored national trends almost everywhere: Over the past decade, we've seen declining rates of teen pregnancy in all 50 states and among all racial and ethnic groups - extraordinary progress on an issue many once considered intractable.

However, the most recent news on this front has not been as positive. After 14 straight years of declines, the national teen birth rate increased 5 percent between 2005 and 2007 and many states are reporting statistically significant increases in their respective rates of early childbearing as well.

In a post on community.feministing.com, Wendy Notsid starts by asking, what does sexual empowerment mean for women? For her it means to "not feel awkward to think and talk about sex ourselves, not afraid to look up information we need or take safety measures regarding sex, like buying condoms or birth control, or going to the Doctor about certain things."

Right on, Sister. That's certainly one characteristic of power. She says that she has been told--by other people her age, I presume--that she goes too far in her conversations. Which is both confounding and sad. Confounding because how could talking about the clitoris and masturbation be "going too far" but dancing in one's underwear in front of delighted frat boys not be? And sad because those of us who called ourselves feminists in the late 1960s fought hard so that women like Wendy could speak freely about sexuality without having to defend herself. (Her post has a notably defensive tone.)

It is difficult to figure out what sexual empowerment means when the culture screams all sex, all the time. As Kate wrote in response to Wendy, "If we've all accepted that everyone else is shagging all the time in a variety of positions and orifices, how do we come to terms with our own desires and drives?"

One sure way not to figure out our sexual selves is to assume that we must do what a man would do in any given situation. Not want to or can do what he would do--that's a different issue--but have to. Here's the way FlyBy expressed that in a comment on the post:

"Would a guy get up on stage at spring break flashing his dick and doing on-command sex acts with other men (even though he isn't gay) while women taped and yelled at him and then posted those videos all over the internet? How many men feel the need to become dick dancers in order to pay for college? Need I go on? Stay gold. That's what I say. Educate yourself. Protect yourself. Enjoy your sexuality on YOUR terms, not anyone else's."

So...what does sexual empowerment mean to you?

Yesterday on Salon, Mary Elizabeth Williams blogged about how "Scoring with the drunk chick" scenes are on the rise in movies. Exhibit A: Observe and Report. Which got me thinking, at what point does the drunken sex scene stop being funny and actually become more like advocating risky behavior?

Far be it from me to judge other people's weekend rituals. Maybe having a few margaritas and getting it on with your partner, friend, acquaintance, or person you just met at the bar is how you like to spend your weekend. If so, more power to you. But recent research suggests support for at least one theme from Knocked Up--when you are drunk you may be less likely to talk about your contraceptive options and less likely to actually use contraception. And that is a problem.

The teen birth rate increased 1% in 2007, according to a new report from our friends at the National Center for Health Statistics. Close watchers know that this is now the second year in a row that the teen birth rate has increased. The stark reality is this: After 14 years of uninterrupted good news, after the teen birth rate declined an amazing 34% between 1991 and 2005, the teen birth rate has now increased 5% between 2005 and 2007.

Today, we also released a new public opinion survey of adults and teens—With One Voice (lite) 2009. The survey provides some clues on what might help to reverse the recent increases in the teen birth rate. To wit:

• When it comes to teens' decisions about sex, parents are far more influential than they think.
• Adults and teens--by a long shot--view abstinence and contraception as complimentary, not contradictory, strategies.

So there!

If you are looking for additional info, please visit our web portal that has a press release, National Campaign analysis of the increase in both long and short form, a summary of key data, the complete results of the new National Campaign public opinion survey, and other helpful materials.

We really want to hear from you on two important questions:

• Why do you think the teen birth rate is increasing?
• What should be done to reverse the recent unpleasantness?

On March 11, the FDA approved the FC2, a new, less expensive version of the previously approved female condom (FC1).

In spite of stigma surrounding this method, the International Women's Health Coalition has noted a great deal of demand for female condoms in their experiences working to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, particularly in Africa, as outlined in their recent video "Female Condoms: Demand and Distribution." According to the video, a primary deterrent for use of the female condom in Africa has been its cost and, in part as a result of cost, lack of availability.

Considering that the female condom is currently the only form of contraception designed for use by women that protects against both unintended pregnancy and HIV infection, making it more financially accessible is certainly a step in the right direction. Here's hoping governments and health advocates in the U.S. and abroad can leverage this development to provide women and couples with more options to protect themselves against infection and unintended pregnancy.

When President Obama rolled out his budget blueprint yesterday, he said "we are making a historic commitment to comprehensive health care reform. It's a step that will not only make families healthier and companies more competitive, but over the long term it will also help us bring down our deficit."

We hope this critically important effort will include helping people plan for healthy pregnancies and avoid unplanned pregnancies (of which there are 3 million each year). There is abundant evidence that doing so will improve the health and well-being of children and families. And, study after study shows that it will also save money--for taxpayers and employers.

Should be a no brainer, right? Well, yes, but first our leaders need to get over two things: the fear factor and the joke factor. Family planning is more than mainstream: 98% of sexually active women use some form of family planning. It is a key part of women's lives and health. Consider this: the typical American woman spends five years pregnant or trying to become pregnant and three decades trying to avoid pregnancy.

And, it has broad public support: 88% of voters support women's access to contraception. In fact, a recent poll by Public Strategies Inc. found that 72% of Republicans and Independents favor legislation that would make it easier for people at all income levels to obtain contraception.  The American people get this and the President does too, which is why his budget takes an important step to help more states provide family planning through Medicaid.

So, enough of the talk show jokes and smirks. Let's get serious and help do something that is common sense, promotes responsibility, improves health, and saves money.

A new poll is out by Consumer Reports as told recently in USA Today and elsewhere.

Apparently, the downturn in the economy is leading more people to spend less on Valentine's Day gifts, while the Valentine's Day pastime of having sex remains as popular as ever. One quick word to all those budget-conscious Valentine's Day enthusiasts: If you're not planning to have a child with this person, save yourself the extra $10,000 per year it will take to raise a child, and use some form of contraception if you have sex—it's a gift that will last a lifetime—much longer than the long-stem roses or the doggy bag from that candle-lit dinner.

How about that Super Bowl huh? Definitely one of the five best SBs of all time don't you think? The nation now faces our APOG (Annual Period of Gloom) as the long, empty, sports-less days extend before us as far as the eye can see. (Hockey and non-playoff NBA action don't count and I simply will not abide arguments to the contrary. Sure, NCAA b-ball is great but thin gruel for the long winter months to be sure.) The light at the end of the tunnel is a distant one—the dulcet tones of "play ball" that will ring from major league ballparks in April. Tom Boswell was right; time does begin on Opening Day.

But I digress. Truth is I will do nearly anything to avoid getting back into the nation's most tiresome non-debate that pits abstinence versus contraception. Snooze. But back in I must...

Yet another survey—this one conducted for the National Women's Law Center and the YWCA USA by our friends at Public Strategies, Inc.—underscores that the American public wants teens to be encouraged to delay sexual activity and to be given information about contraception. Not either/or. The NWLC/YWCA survey notes that 76% of Independents and 62% of Republicans believe the government should support sex education programs that include information about abstinence and contraception. Not either/or.

Friend's here's my simple point. There really is precious little disagreement among the American public about abstinence, contraception, and what teens should be taught. Liberals, conservatives, Obamaists, parents of teens, old folks, Welsh cardigan corgis, teens themselves, all agree—in one public opinion poll after another—that teens should be encouraged to delay sex and be provided with information about contraception. Not either/or.

Simple right? What am I missing? I am, as always, waiting to be enlightened.

Newly sworn in President Obama spoke yesterday of personal responsibility and I hoped he might offer some examples as he had done when campaigning. A few were mentioned, but they tended towards the macro and institutional—understandable given the momentous occasion and the certain knowledge that there were millions of good souls in front of him who were, literally, freezing and had been standing in a huge sardine can for 6 hours or more (not that I am complaining). No time for long lists or numerous examples, eh?

So, to fill the gap: for those of us who worry about family structure and pregnancy planning and best beginnings, what might we say personal responsibility means? Here are four bits and pieces that I have been mulling over:

1. Unless both partners are in a committed relationship, are seeking pregnancy, and are willing to devote two decades and more to child-rearing, having sex without contraception or some attention to family planning is irresponsible.
   


2. It's irresponsible for doctors/nurses/clinics to fail to talk with women about all the effective contraceptive options available to them (and there are lots now).
   


3. When insurance/pharma prescription companies finance Viagra with minimal cost-sharing but get all weird and expensive when it comes to birth control, that's irresponsible.
   


4. Offering a sex education curriculum that does not include generous amounts of attention to respectful relationships and what types of family structures seem to benefit children the most is irresponsible.

I welcome additions....

Does media influence teen sexual behavior? Can media be used to impact teen behavior in a good way?

Almost everyone has an opinion about the influence of the media on teens' behaviors ranging from violence and drug use to sex. In a report released today, Managing the Media Monster: The Influence of Media (from television to text messages) on Teen Sexual Behavior and Attitudes, we've turned to five experts to uncover the research on this topic and help us better understand how media can be used to promote healthy behaviors (such as abstaining from sex or using contraception every time you have sex).

The introduction, written by Dr. Jane Brown, provides a brief overview of the report and includes the key recommendations for consideration if you are developing a media program. Chapter 1, by Dr. Michael Rich, explores what the research tells us about the link between media and teen sexual behavior. You might remember a study that was released last November about the link between exposure to sexual content and teen pregnancy. Dr. Rich discusses this study and many more in his chapter. What do you think about the link between media and teen sexual behavior?

Chapter 2, by Drs. Tilly Gurman and Carol Underwood, explores effective media interventions from the international community. There have been a lot of fantastic media interventions implemented and evaluated outside of the U.S. and they offer some important lessons learned for U.S. practitioners. Chapter 3, by Dr. Sarah Keller, also focuses on media interventions, but takes a look at those implemented in the U.S. She also discusses the potential application of digital technologies for changing teen behavior, and provides some examples of what researchers have been trying out. Do you have any suggestions for how we might use media to influence teen behavior?

Many people have plenty to say about the media and its influence on teens, especially when it's about teens, sex, and the media. This report and supporting materials—including tips for starting a media campaign and working with the media—can be found on our Web site and provide a clear look at what rigorous research tells us about the negative and the positive when it comes to teens, sex, and the media. So, grab a cup of coffee, take a look, and tell us what you think. Enjoy!

Continuing a tradition from last year, the British Journal of Medicine recently released a list of 6 medical myths that most people (even doctors) believe. In honor of their new tradition I'd like to add a few myths about teen and unplanned pregnancy to the list.  What myths have you heard from your friends and family?  Tell us about them in the comments field below.

6 Myths about Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy for the Holiday Season:

1. It won't happen to me.
   Nearly half of all pregnancies in the U.S. are unplanned, which suggests that having an unplanned pregnancy is a lot more common than many people realize.  More than 80% of teen pregnancies are unplanned and a full 70% of pregnancies to single women in their twenties are unplanned as well.
   
   
2. Parents don't matter.
   Teens consistently say that teens are the most influential when it comes to their decisions about sex.  Other research also indicates that parents play a huge role in the decisions that teens make, and a close relationship between teens and their parents decreases their risk for teen pregnancy.  Worried about talking to your kids about sex, love, and relationships?  The National Campaign has some tips to get you started.
    
3. A baby will make him stay.
   In fact among teen mothers, eight out of ten fathers don't marry the mother of their child.  These absent fathers pay less than $800 annually for child support, often because they are poor themselves. Children who live apart from their fathers are also five times more likely to be poor than children with both parents at home.
   
   Women who have an unplanned pregnancy and birth are also much less likely to either move in with their partner or get married compared to women who plan their pregnancy and birth.  In fact, less than half of women who have an unplanned birth are married by the time their child is 2 years old (an additional 17% are cohabiting).
    
4. Being in a serious relationship is a good reason to stop using birth control.
   People often get lax about contraception as a relationship gets more serious and feelings become more intimate.  But as the relationship heats up, it's time to be more careful, not less.  Remember, either abstaining from sex or using contraception each and every time you have sex is the best way to avoid an unplanned pregnancy.
      
5. Everybody's doing it.
   In fact, less than half (48%) of all high school student have ever had sex. Don't believe everything you hear. People lie, and exaggerate, and can talk a good game when it comes to sex. In the end, it doesn't matter who's telling the truth or not. The only truth that matters is what's best for you. Yeah, that sounds corny -- but it's true.
    
6. Because you've said "yes" once means you have to say "yes" every time.
   Just because you decided to have sex one time, or with one person, doesn't mean you have to have sex again, or with everyone.  Most teen girls (53%) and one-third of teen boys (33%) say they had mixed feelings about having sex the first time it happened.

I come to praise Sarah Palin, not to bury her. 

As part of her post-election media tour, Governor Palin appeared on CNN's Larry "Older Than Moses" King Show.  When asked about her pregnant teenage daughter Bristol,  Palin had this to say:

"You know, I looked at her and thought---and I thought, Bristol, honey, you're going to have to grow up really fast...She's going to make a great mom.  And she---she is very strong.  She's going to be just fine.   

But Bristol has an opportunity at this point also to reach out to other young American women and let them know that these are absolutely less than ideal circumstances that she or any other unwed teenage mother are in.  And it is not something to glamorize.  It's not something to condone, if you will.  Bristol has an opportunity to reach out to other young mothers and help them and, hopefully, not see such a prevalence, also, of unwed teenage mothers.  The rates are too high." 

Although we all might quibble with the exact language the Governor used --- and I'm sure most of us wish she had made this sort of statement earlier in the Campaign (see this op-ed from our friend Saul Hoffman) --- nonetheless, this strikes me as a strong and important statement from a leading R.

As a person of faith, I can't help but snicker every time something makes me remember how utterly confused God-fearing people get about issues of sex and pregnancy.  From "Jesus Camp" (a variation of which I proudly attended) to purity balls (which I proudly did NOT attend) to married people sex-a-thons, I count myself among the young people in this country who received mixed, and sometimes conflicting, messages about sex for the first 18 years of my life.

Margaret Talbot at The New Yorker sums up my childhood pretty well in her recent article, "Red Sex, Blue Sex."  Despite the discomfort that pious parents and their children experience when it comes to trying to understand their sexuality (and in some cases, trying to convince them that it's not even there until their wedding night), one strange phenomenon is that we are supposed to be excited when a baby results from this otherwise banned activity.

Amy Schalet is an assistant professor of socilogy at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.  In an op-ed piece today in The Washington Post entitled; "A Question for Sarah Palin,"  Schalet discusses the importance of talking to teens about sex and contraception and the critically important role that parents can and should play in helping their children make good choices about sex.  She correctly notes that teen pregnancy is not inevitable but notes with concern the recent rise in the teen birth rate.

Right on.  Amen Amy.  I'm with you.

Schalet goes on to suggest that the United States might learn some valuable lessons in preventing teen pregnancy from the Dutch.  Citing her own research, she suggests that a majority of Dutch parents are willing to permit their older teen children who are in committed relationships to spend the night together in their parents' homes, "but only when they see that they have formed a loving relationship, feel ready for sex, and understand how to use contraception responsibily."  Schalet notes, "by accepting teen sexuality within these parameters, Dutch parents can stay involved, monitor relationships, and urge proper contraceptive use."

Huh? Amy, you lost me in the Netherlands.

The Russell Brand/Jonas Brothers/Jordin Sparks dust-up sure is delicious, huh?  For those without a scorecard, the drama has unfolded something like this:

• Russell Brand hosted MTV's Video Music Awards last Sunday. (As an aside, am I the only person in the United States who has no idea who Russell Brand is?  I thought it was athletic wear.)  
• Brand saw fit to use his MTV bully pulpit to make fun of The Jonas Brothers—the tween heart-throb band de jour—and their rather public commitment to abstinence.  Among other pearls of wisdom, Brand said about the Jonas Brothers purity rings "I'd take them more seriously if they wore it around their genitals."
• American Idol winner Jordin Sparks also appeared on the VMA show and fired back at bad boy Brand:  "I just have one thing to say about promise rings.  It's not bad to wear a promise ring, because not everybody—guy or girls—wants to be a slut."
• Later in the show (aren't you sorry you missed it?) Brand apologized—kinda, sorta:  "I love the Jonas Brothers, I think it's (purity) really good.  I don't want to piss off teenage fans...Promise rings, I'm well up for it, well done everyone...It's just, a bit of sex occasionally never hurt anybody."

Ironically, one could reasonably view this as Hollywood's version of this nation's ongoing and tiresome debate about abstinence and contraception.  Too many continue to pit these two approaches as competing strategies when, of course, they are complimentary strategies. 

Once again, we have a press-worthy pregnancy—17-year-old Bristol Palin. As one of my children used to say, "I have questions."

1. Why has this event not lead to a huge focus on the benefits of teens not getting pregnant in the first place? The best choice for teens is to delay sex (which apparently did not happen here), but the next best thing is to use contraception. Why is that not THE main topic? In my view, the plan that has been announced is LESS attractive—less desirable—than primary prevention.
   
   
2. Why is this pregnancy apparently okay—or at least off limits—just because a shotgun wedding is planned? Do we all really think that as long as teens get married there is no problem? Is that the best we can do?
   
   
3. Why is no one talking about the putative father who himself says he is not interested in kids? Babies and children need devoted fathers. Do we have one in the making here? When both parents actively seek and welcome a pregnancy, the future prospects of their children are much enhanced.
   

infoMania, a Current TV show that recaps each week's glut of online, print, and televised media, features a recurring segment written by and starring the brilliant Sarah Haskins. The Target Women series lampoons how media and marketing attempt to reach women. Having already taken on suffrage, yogurt, and botox, Haskins's most recent episode, Target Women: Birth Control, calls into question why ads for hormonal BC are all about period control and managing PMS symptoms and never about sex or preventing pregnancy.

Enjoy the video (and all of the other Target Women clips) and let us know what you think commercials about contraception should be saying.

The CDC has just released new data on high school teens' sexual behavior and contraceptive use.  Headline?  Not too good. 

Teen sexual activity is up and contraceptive use is down between 2005 and 2007.  On every single measure (ever had sex, currently sexually active, condom use at last sex, pill use, four or more sexual partners) the arrows are pointing in the wrong direction.

Perhaps the more interesting and significant trend, however, is the tale of two decades.  All of these same measures (with the exception of birth control pill use which has declined steadily since 1991) improved dramatically between 1991 and 2001.  Between 2001 and 2007?  The most charitable description of the current decade is...well...running in place. 

A few more YRBS items for your consideration: 

·          National Campaign press release

·          National Campaign fact sheet

·          Full YRBS report

Tell us what you think.  Why do you think teen sexual behavior is changing?

A new battle front in the culture wars has opened.  The issue is ICK -- in this case, some arguably salacious material in a sex ed curriculum. 

Here are a few thoughts: advocates on all sides of the sex ed battles have found sections in various curricula that they dislike.  As a general matter, the right dislikes sexually explicit content (the current flap) and the left routinely flags material that is medically inaccurate, homophobic and/or tied to religion.  It seems that almost anyone who sets foot into sex education offends at least someone.  It's tough terrain.    

So, what's a parent to do?  By all means review what your child's school plans to offer in sex ed 101.  If you find aspects of the curriculum that you don't like, consider having your child opt out of the class or perhaps just one session.  

But if you do so, keep in mind the following:

1. Some sex ed programs have been proven to help reduce the risk of teen pregnancy.  It is far better to have your child taught using an effective program than one lacking any evidence of good results.

2.  The overall popular culture that our children live in is very sexually explicit---and remember, it is on the watch of everyone reading this note that our culture has become what it is. Your children know and wonder about and hear tales of things that many of us old ones still don't get.  What makes you blush would hardly be noticed by the vast majority of teens.  Sorry.  It's the truth. 

3.  You are bound to find something that you do not agree with in any curriculum.  The question therefore is---on balance---does the curriculum seem right overall?  Does one disagreeable passage negate what might be 100 pages of positive material?  Analogy: Do you vote for a political candidate because you agree with him/her on every issue or just on most issues?

 4 . If you do remove your child from a class or curriculum, all that does is increase the burden on YOU to become a top flight sex educator.  Are you willing to do that?  To learn about the reality of teens' lives and the choices/pressures facing them, and then offer accurate, complete and compassionate advice?

Discuss.

Please, all of you, read this article from the New York Times.  It is, apparently, an award winning essay and there are more to come from the same competition that led to this one.  I love its pace and candor, and Marguerite Fields needs to immediately write more and start her own blog.