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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- A reproductive-rights advocacy organization has ranked Utah near last in helping women prevent unwanted pregnancies.
The Guttmacher Institute ranked Utah 47th in contraceptive efforts.
The federal government has set a national goal to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies by 40 percent by 2010. The Guttmacher Institute assessed the states on their success in helping women obtain and use contraception.
Its report said Utah had an inadequate number of family planning clinics. Of the estimated number of low-income women who need contraception, 27 percent are served by family planning clinics. A similar percentage of teens in need were served by the clinics.
Utah got its worst marks for sex education because the state has an abstinence-only education policy.
The state also was criticized form having no law guaranteeing access to emergency contraception and for allowing pharmacists and health-care providers to refuse to distribute contraceptives.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
