Teen birth rates in North Carolina are at a historic low, according to a statistical brief from the State Center for Health Statistics.
For teenagers aged 15-19, the birth rate has fallen 62 percent since 1996. National research shows this decline is due in large part to increased use of contraception and better access to long-acting contraception.
Host Frank Stasio talks about the scientific data and psychological underpinnings of adolescent sexual behavior with Carolyn Halpern, professor and chair of the department of maternal and child health in the Gillings School of Global Public Health at UNC Chapel Hill.
He is also joined by Elizabeth Finley, director of strategic communications at SHIFT NC (Sexual Health Initiatives for Teens), to discuss how nonprofits and state programs provide sexual education and resources in the state.
