BURLEY, Idaho (AP) — Teens in the south central parts of Idaho are getting pregnant at much higher rates than their counterparts in other areas of the state, according to a public health district.
"I have never seen numbers like this before, and I've been working in this program on and off for the past 13 years," said Adria Masoner, health education specialist for the South Central Public Health District.
In 2009, about six of every 100 teens age 15 to 19 within the eight-county district became pregnant. Statewide, the number is about four teen pregnancies for every 100 girls.
"We talked about having a baby, but we didn't actually plan it," 18-year-old Kiyana Villalvazo, who has a 4-month-old daughter, told The Times-News. "Some kids plan to have their babies now, big time. I don't know why. I just get this vibe that they want to be wanted and want to have a kid."
John Kontos, principal at Mount Harrison Junior/Senior High School in Heyburn, said school officials have noticed the matter-of-fact way teens treat their pregnant peers.
"The social stigma has gone by the wayside," he said.
Jerome County had the state's highest rate in 2009, with more than nine pregnancies per 100 girls. Jerome High School Principal Eric Anderson said some teens treat their children as show-and-tell.
"It's a pretty cool thing to bring your child to school," he said. "Of course, we never let them."
Various reasons for the high pregnancy rates have been put forward, among them that the area has a heavy emphasis on family and religious beliefs against contraception and abortion.
But young parents also have theories.
"Everybody just goes to parties in Burley," said 18-year-old Josh Dring, the father of a 2-year-old daughter. "They get drunk and messed up and can't control themselves."
His girlfriend dropped out of school and got her high school equivalency degree, and Dring said the couple plans to marry in May.
He said schools teach abstinence and sex education, but the messages don't always get through.
"It's just how teenagers are," he said. "They don't know what to expect, and they don't really care what happens. They just go for it. And we just basically go in blind."
Burley Junior High School sex education teacher Janet Bingham said most parents of teens are slow to realize how early their children start learning about sex.