Group Seeks to Inform Girls About Norplant
A consortium of hospitals, doctors and a private foundation will promote the five-year contraceptive Norplant to teen-agers in Baltimore, which has one of the nation’s highest teen-age pregnancy rates.
“It will cover them during their school years, which is what you want,” said city Health Commissioner Peter Beilenson, who organized the Baltimore City Norplant Consortium.
One in 10 Baltimore girls from ages 15 to 17 gave birth in 1990, the latest year for which figures are available. Many teen-agers use birth control erratically or not at all.
The group wants to have the contraceptive discussed in family-life classes in public schools and may advertise Norplant’s merits.
Beilenson said the goal isn’t to force poor teen-agers to use Norplant.
Norplant consists of six matchstick-size capsules inserted under the skin on the underside of a woman’s upper arm. They release a contraceptive for five years.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
