A San Antonio Express News writer does not seem confident that the legislature will take the steps necessary to address the issue despite the fact that unwanted pregancies cost the state a good chunk of change:
. . . A lot of states do better — on fewer unintended births to all women of child-rearing age generally, on teen births specifically and, not without coincidence, on access to family planning services and to contraceptives.
There are things Texas could be doing to drop it from its fourth place ranking in teen pregnancy, says Susan Tortolero, director of the Texas Prevention Research Center at the University of Texas Health Science Center.
Even to the extent that Texas' rates have been going down, it's still well above the national average for teen births per thousand.
“We need more coverage, more education and more access for teens,” Tortolero said.
But Texas' trajectory here has not been encouraging.
“Unfortunately, Texas has turned in the wrong direction with regard to preventive healthcare and preventing unplanned pregnancy,” said Janet Realini, president of Healthy Futures of Texas, working to reverse these trends. “The women's health care safety net is in tatters.”
Texas cut its family planning funding by two thirds.
Women's health services in general have taken a hit in recent year. Few expect this trend to change.
For a look at how Texas compares to other states in a variety of categories, click here - though this link is a bit dated. Texas tends to be more business friendly than social welfare friendly.
