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New Mexico does not require its students learn about condoms and contraception, even though it has high teen pregnancy rates and over 17,000 teenagers are already sexually active. Although New Mexico has one of the highest poverty rates in the nation, more Community-Based Abstinence Education (CBAE) funds are spent on failed abstinence-only programs there than in 42 other states.
Sex Education Policy
New Mexico does not mandate sex education or regulate its content if taught – it has not taken the necessary action to guarantee complete, comprehensive sex ed for its students. However, New Mexico does require that students be taught about HIV as part of health classes. See the New Mexico statutes governing sexuality education: New Mexico Administrative Code 6.12.2.10 and 6.30.2.19
Health Outcomes
New Mexico has among the worst teen pregnancy rates of any state and lower rates of condom among sexually active high school students than all but two states who collect this information. However, New Mexico's AIDS and STI rates are lower than the national average.
Sexual Health Stats at a Glance
|
Teen Pregnancy Rate* |
Teen Birth Rate* |
Annual rate of AIDS Diagnoses (per 100,000 people) |
STI Rate+ |
% of high school students who did not use a condom at last sex |
| New Mexico |
93 |
63.9 |
6 |
61.2 |
43 |
| National |
70 |
39.1 |
11.2 |
100.8 |
39 |
*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
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