South Carolina has made tremendous progress reducing rates of teen pregnancy the last decade or so; however, much work remains to be done and this is no time for us as a society to become complacent.

Despite a decrease in teen pregnancy rates of nearly 40 percent since 1990, nearly 10,000 teen girls still get pregnant in our state each year. Three in 10 females and 1 in 7 males will become a parent before he/she turns 20 years old. More than 65 percent of students in South Carolina have initiated sex before they graduate from high school and as a general rule, teens’ use of contraception is sporadic at best. Research clearly shows that a teen who is sexually active and does not use contraception has a 90 percent chance of becoming pregnant within 12 months of sexual initiation. Risky sexual behavior is associated with myriad consequences as teen mothers are less likely to finish high school, more likely to require welfare assistance and more likely to receive inadequate prenatal care. The children of teen mothers are far more likely to be born with low or very low birth weight, grow up in poverty, fail academically, and they are twice as likely to be victims of abuse and neglect as children born to women over 20.

Children born to teens are also at greater risk of continuing the cycle of teen pregnancy and perpetuating the costs associated with giving birth at a young age.

Teen pregnancy is preventable if each of us will commit to a long-term investment in young people.

Addressing an issue as complex as teen pregnancy is difficult and requires both individual and civic resolve. Teens need to be encouraged to delay the initiation of sexual activity.

Abstinence should be presented and emphasized as the first and best choice for all young people. Yet, while encouraging and supporting abstinence we as parents, educators, and community leaders should also support age- appropriate comprehensive health education.

Research clearly demonstrates that a comprehensive approach to prevention inclusive of information on abstinence and contraception can be effective in reducing rates of teen pregnancy. It should also be noted that 81 percent of South Carolina’s registered voters support such a comprehensive approach. As caring adults we must acknowledge the risks and realities of young sexual feelings and educate our young people regarding their sexuality, sexual health and sexual responsibility.

In Anderson County, research-proven strategies have been combined with innovation in a unique program at Starr-Iva Middle School. Funded by a forward-thinking group of individuals in the United Way’s Women’s Leadership Initiative, this program allows for all students at the high school to receive comprehensive sexuality education during their high school years.

IMPACT! has had a tremendous effect on the positive sexual decision-making of youth at Starr-Iva.

The program has become a model partnership between funders and not-for profits that is gaining notice in South Carolina and across the country.

Addressing teen pregnancy requires an investment from all sectors of a community. Parents, schools, communities of faith, community-based organizations, elected officials and the business community all have a role to play in the prevention of teen pregnancy.

No one program or approach is suitable for all youth, and no one program or approach is suitable for every community.

In this time of budgetary crises and shrinking funding, it is critical that both the public and private sectors in South Carolina continue to invest in the futures of our youth through the reduction of teen pregnancy.