Teen pregnancy rates have plummeted, but not in parts of Texas (audio)

Across the U.S., the number of teenagers having babies has hit a record low. That trend hasn't extended to certain parts of Texas, where it’s still nearly twice the national average.

By Lauren Silverman, KERA News

May 17, 20179 AM Central

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To understand why teen pregnancy rates are so high in some parts of Texas, you need to meet Jessica Chester. When Chester was in high school in Garland, she decided she wanted to become a doctor.

“I was top of the class,” she says. “I had a GPA of 4.5, a full-tuition scholarship to UTD. I was not the stereotypical girl someone would look at and say ‘Oh, she’s gonna get pregnant and drop out of school.’”

Read the full story at KERA News.

Read related Texas Tribune coverage:

In Texas, less progress on curbing teen pregnancy.
Study: A quarter of Texas public schools no longer teach sex ed.

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Information about the authors

Lauren Silverman

KERA NEWS

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