Although Iowa has among the lowest teen pregnancy rates in the nation, young women of color are disproportionately affected: Young African American women and young Latinas are more than three times as likely to give birth as young white women.

Get the facts about the reproductive and sexual health of Iowa's young people.

Learn more about failed abstinence-only programs in Iowa.

Sex Education Policy

Iowa has among the most comprehensive sex education policies of any state. Its students must be taught the benefits of abstinence, while also receiving information about condoms and contraception. See the Iowa statutes governing sex education: 279.50 and 256.11

Health Outcomes

Iowa has lower teen pregnancy, AIDS, and STIs than the national rates.

Sexual Health Stats at a Glance

*Per 1000 young women ages 15-19
+Because of concern over recent changes in Chlamydia reporting and relative low incidence of syphilis, we used the state's gonorrhea rate as a stand-in for sexually transmitted infection rates.

Advocates' Partner Organizations

• FutureNet: Iowa Network for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention, Parenting and Sexual Health
• Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa