Adolescent pregnancy prevention: Choosing an effective program that fits

Adolescent pregnancy prevention remains a high priority issue for communities, schools, and service agencies that work with adolescents. Since the early 1990s the United States has provided funding for pregnancy prevention programs with an emphasis on abstinence only education programs. Also during this time, prevention programs with youth development and service learning foundations have been developed and empirically studied. Current programs found to be effective through rigorous evaluation and that are included in best-practice lists by five research and advocacy groups are identified in the article. As well, strategies are discussed for program planning and implementation, and for strengthening goodness-of-fit between the program and the local community.