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recently released a report which showed that, for the first time, the percentage of Hispanic teenagers giving birth is higher than that of African American teens. According to the study, based on 1995 data from the National Center for Health Statistics, 11% of Hispanic teens, 10% of black teens, and 4% of white teenagers gave birth. This shows that blacks and Hispanics are more than twice as likely as white teens to mother a child before the age of 20. years, the birthrates for black and white teenagers have actually been declining, but the figures for Hispanic teens have been on the rise – with Mexican-Americans experiencing a 32% increase since 1989. Hispanics born in the United States are more likely than those who immigrated from their homeland to become mothers as teenagers, to give birth outside of marriage, and to have babies with low birth weights. who work with pregnant and sexually active Hispanic teens who were interviewed for the Washington Post, these girls become pregnant for many of the same reasons white and African American girls give: embarrassment about using birth control, a desire for love, and lack of information. But, as the Post reports, Hispanic girls also cite a number of additional factors which may contribute to their high birthrate. Most Hispanics are Roman Catholic and, therefore, are fundamentally opposed to abortion. Elida Vargas, director of the adolescent program at a non-profit clinic in Washington D.C., estimates that 98% of pregnant Hispanic teens “do not see abortion as an option.” Vargas also explained that these girls, especially those who speak little English, do not understand how easily they can become pregnant. Some think they are too young to conceive and others do not realize that sex leads to pregnancy. being raised by a single mother, or whose parents work at night, are left with little supervision and guidance around critical issues such as sexuality and reproductive health. Linda Ohmans, of the Latin American Youth Center in Columbia Heights, Maryland, explains that “it is very difficult for Latina girls to talk openly with their mothers about sex, because the mothers never talked about it with their own mothers and don’t know what to say.” More than those in other ethnic groups, Hispanic teens are raised to view motherhood – planned or unplanned – as “an acceptable part of life rather than something that should be postponed for the sake of education and career.” two-thirds of the American population, by number alone more babies are born to white teens than any other group. The study reports 230,000 white teen births in 1995, compared with 131,000 for blacks and 118,000 for Hispanics. But the percentage of Hispanic teens giving birth is dramatically higher than their white counterparts, and is now greater than the birthrate of black teens for the first time ever. Source: Vobejda, |
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