United States Birth Control

Birth control was legalized in 1965 in the United States.

71% of reproductive age (18-45) women use some form of birth control.

1 in 4 US public schools teach abstinence only sex ed. This is an increase from 1988 when only 2% of public schools taught abstinence only sexual education. This increase is the result of government legislation that offers funding to districts that agree to teach only the social, psychological, and health benefits of abstaining from sex until marriage.

California, the only state to refuse abstinence only funding, has seen a 40% decrease in teen pregnancies over the past decade

No study has been published in any credible journal that indicates abstinence-only education has lowered the number of sexually active teens, (currently 65% of graduating seniors) or the average age of first sexual experience

This policy of abstinence only education has backfired. The U.S. has the highest rate of teen pregnancy of any developed country, twice that of Canada, France, England, and Sweden, and 10 times higher than the Netherlands.  The spread of HIV/AIDS among American teens is also near the top of the developed world.