Many U.S. teens fatalistic about pregnancy

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WASHINGTON, May 6 (UPI) -- Four-in-10 U.S. teens say using birth control doesn't matter because "when it's your time to get pregnant, it will happen," a survey indicates.

The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy surveyed 1,002 young people ages 12-19 by telephone and found 42 percent agreed with the statement: "It doesn't matter whether you use birth control or not, when it is your time to get pregnant, it will happen."

Eighty-six percent of the teens said they have all the information they need to avoid an unplanned pregnancy, but 66 percent said they know "little or nothing" about male condoms and how to use them -- including 36 percent of those ages 15-19.

Fifty-five percent of sexually experienced young people ages 15-19 -- including 67 percent of teen girls ages15-19 -- said they wished they had waited longer before having sex, the survey said.

Seventy-seven percent of teens ages 12-19 who have seen MTV's show "16 and Pregnant" and "Teen Mom" programs said the shows "help teens better understand the challenges of pregnancy and parenting," although nearly 2-in-10 U.S. teen girls become pregnant before age 20, the survey said.

Eighty-seven percent of teens said it would be much easier for them to postpone sex and avoid teen pregnancy if they were able to have more open, honest conversations about these topics with their parents, the survey said.

No survey details were provided.