Colorado says state's free birth control program yielded 40 percent drop in teen births

Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper of Colorado

Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper of Colorado

Hard to argue with those numbers. The Colorado program, called the Colorado Family Planning Initiative, offers contraception to low-income women at little-to-no cost at any of 68 clinics across the state. From 2009-2013, the state’s teen birth rate dropped 40 percent, accompanied by a 35 percent fall in the teen abortion rate from 2009-2012.

The state’s Democratic governor, John Hickenlooper, said the program had saved Colorado “millions of dollars.”

"But more importantly, it has helped thousands of young Colorado women continue their education, pursue their professional goals and postpone pregnancy until they are ready to start a family,” he added.

Naturally, critics are mad that teens who access the services aren’t required to bring a parent along. Others say the numbers are simply part of larger national trend. Here’s a couple more details from German Lopez at Vox:

Colorado's experience is part of a nationwide decline in the teen birth rate. The decline can be attributed to teenage boys having less sex, but it also correlates with an increase in long-lasting, reversible contraceptive use among teens.

Still, Colorado's teen birth rate seems to be declining much more quickly than its peers. Between 2008 and 2012, the state went from the 29th lowest teen birth rate in the nation to the 19th lowest.