The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy was founded in response to a teen pregnancy rate in the US that exceeded that of most developed nations. President Clinton called for a national response in his State of the Union address in 1995, and the National Campaign was formed and funded the following year. Since the peak rate in 1991 (6.2%), largely thanks to the efforts of the National Campaign (now renamed Power to Decide), the teen pregnancy rate declined rapidly to a record low in 2018 (1.7%). There is evidence that the rate is rising again, however. It’s too early to say what effect the 2022 Dobbs decision has or will have.
Teen pregnancy is basically an issue of unplanned pregnancy. Surprisingly, some of the teens I taught were happy about becoming pregnant, but they were the minority. Despite these declines in teen pregnancy rates, unplanned pregnancy among women of all ages is still approximately 45%. For this reason, Power to Decide chose in 2025 to expand their efforts to address unplanned pregnancy in general.
Power to Decide sponsors the following initiatives:
- Abortion Finder: up-to-date search tool for abortion care providers in each state
- Bedsider: birth control support for ages 18-29
- Reproductive Well-Being: accessible information to support bodily control
- One Key Question: training for providers to ask patients about pregnancy desires
- Popular Media: partner with writers in popular media outlets
- The Contraceptive Equity Initiative: addresses barriers to birth control access
- Advancing Contraceptive Access Toolkit: policy advocacy to protect access to contraception
- Human-Centered Design: creative solutions to challenges to reproductive health
- Campus Sexual Health: help college campuses support student health and pregnancy planning
Power to Decide receives substantial funding from the US government, in the amount of about $290 million, but they also receive a substantial amount in private funds. The Title X Family Planning Program receives the greatest portion of that total, plus additional funds as part of the American Rescue Plan.
The recent Trump administration freeze-unfreeze of grant funds upsets many agencies’ actions, including those of Power to Decide. It’s unclear how they will be affected going forward, but the confusion surrounding the freeze and injunction which halted it is disruptive by itself.
Fortunately, Power to Decide has well-organized processes to advocate for the young women they serve. This month, a group of Democratic Representatives and Senators introduced the “Right to Contraception Act” to affirm the right to access. The US Supreme Court in Griswold v. Connecticut established the right to privacy with regard to contraceptive use in 1965. The current bill would solidify that principle.
Enacting this legislation would essentially prevent a great many pregnancies. Teens are less likely to have legal access to contraception, depending on state regulations, but this step would certainly improve their chances. A news release about the “Right to Contraception Act” comments that “the policymakers attacking [contraception] are spreading misinformation and disinformation in order to justify their attacks.” This is unfortunate, and the chances of this legislation being enacted is uncertain, but the effort is greatly appreciated.
Power to Decide is committed to ensuring every woman who wants to choose whether or when to have children has access to the means that achieve their goals. This may be a difficult task, given the current administration’s attitudes, but I’m pleased to know there are well-organized groups working toward a woman’s freedom to choose when to have a family.
Janice Airhart 