Teen Pregnancy Down in US, Feds Say

Even though seven justices rule against it

(NEWSER) - Abortion opponents are hailing a victory in Mexico, where the nation's Supreme Court left in place a law in the state of Baja California that declares life begins at conception. But those in favor of abortion rights have hope, notes the Los Angeles Times . Seven of the panel's 11 justices voted to overturn the law, falling just one short of the necessary eight. "Years ago no one would have thought seven justices would have ruled this way," says the leader of one pro-choice group. "I think these are slow but sure steps." More»

Modern contraceptives in poor nations can save thousands: Kristof

(NEWSER) - For Mother's Day, how about we do something to reduce the 350,000 deaths of mothers during childbirth each year, suggests Nicholas Kristof in the New York Times . Congress has the power to help, but it would involve one of the big Republican taboos—"family planning." He cites a UN estimate that 215 million women around the world have an "unmet need" for such planning, "meaning they don’t want to become pregnant but are not using effective contraception." Getting contraceptives to them would result in 94,000 fewer deaths from pregnancy complications and 25 million fewer abortions, according to one research institute. It also would help keep the world's soaring population in check. More»

Sustainable condom project to use Amazon rubber

(NEWSER) - Brazil has unrolled an ambitious plan to preserve vast areas of the Amazon rainforest by tapping its rubber trees to make sustainable condoms. Most "rubbers" are now made from cheaper synthetic materials, but officials of the Brazilian government—which buys 1 billion condoms a year—say the project will reduce its dependence on imports and give local people a livelihood dependent on trees which ensures they will battle deforestation. More»

(NEWSER) - Judging by the average convenience store condom selection, men with small penises do not exist. Selling small condoms is difficult for marketers, so most brands have opted not to bother, writes Menachem Kaiser of the Atlantic . LifeStyles’ “Snugger Fit” designation is about as straightforward as it gets. Durex has a complicated sizing chart, and Trojan has a Starbucks-like sizing system; its condoms come in Regular, Large, and Extra Large. More»

Sudden spike sparks debate over abstinence-only education

(NEWSER) - The teen pregnancy rate spiked 3% between 2005 and 2006, its first increase since 1990, according to new federal data released today. “The decline in teen pregnancy has stopped—and in fact turned around,” said the director of the nonpartisan research group that conducted the survey. “These data are certainly cause for concern.” The abortion rate also rose for the first time in a decade, inching up 1%. More»