Family Planning Education
Goals for this organization:
- Education about contraception and women’s health in a nonbiased manner
- Speakers from the community
- Learn about the unique problems here in Memphis in regards to contraception, low birth weight and infant mortality.
- Become involved with the community to further our own education and to help educate others in the community.
Why is this important as future physicians in Memphis?
- “While teen pregnancy dropped 6.4 percent in Shelby County in 2009 from the year before, there are still more than 2,000 babies born annually to moms ages 10-19.” - Commercial Appeal (January 22, 2011)
- In 2009, there were 14,409 live births in Shelby County.
- 2,181 of these babies were born to mothers aged 10 to 19.
- Over 80 percent were unintended pregnancies.
- Almost all were to unmarried mothers.
- Costs to deliver a child for a teenager = $4,688
- Investment for contraception = $267 per year
The Economic Impact of Teen Pregnancy in Memphis/Shelby County, TN
(The University of Memphis)
STDs in Memphis: Shelby County has one of the highest rates of syphilis nationally.
“Eighty percent of all P&S Syphilis cases are identified in males, and almost 90% of the total cases are among Non-Hispanic Black residents. When observing the distribution of P&S Syphilis cases among age groups, the largest percentage of cases are diagnosed among persons aged 25-34 years (37%), followed by young adults aged 20-24 years (25%).”
For more information or to get involved, email Jamison Norwood at jamison.norwood@gmail.com.