Teen birth rates highest in most religious states

Link may be due to communities frowning on contraception, researchers say

U.S. states whose residents have more conservative religious beliefs on average tend to have higher rates of teenagers giving birth, a new study suggests.

The relationship could be due to the fact that communities with such religious beliefs (a literal interpretation of the Bible, for instance) may frown upon contraception, researchers say. If that same culture isn't successfully discouraging teen sex, the pregnancy and birth rates rise.

Mississippi topped the list for conservative religious beliefs and teen birth rates,

For instance, the results showed more abortions among teenagers in the less religious states, which would skew the findings since fewer teens in these states would have births. But even after accounting for the abortions, the study team still found a state's level of religiosity could predict their teen birth rate. The higher the religiosity, the higher was the teen birth rate on average.

State …….. birth rate religiousness
Mississippi ..…...... 1 …......... 1
West Virginia ... 19 …..... 13
New Hampshire .. 51 …...... 48

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32884806/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/