$1.34 Billion: Texas' Cost of Unplanned Pregnancy

A new analysis finds that the tax costs of Texas births resulting from unplanned pregnancies totaled over $1.34 billion in 2008.  This is the second highest total of any state (behind California).  The study found that, nationwide, government expenditures on births resulting from unplanned pregnancies totaled $12.5 billion in 2008 (the latest year for which data are available).

Nearly 3 in 4 (71%) of the 179,300 Texas births resulting from unplanned pregnancies were paid for by public programs (Medicaid or CHIP).  The percentage covered by public funding was lower (49.5%) for Texas births resulting from planned pregnancies.  This is consistent with the fact that unplanned pregnancy is more likely to affect low-income women than affluent women.

The high public costs of unplanned childbearing serve to emphasize the fiscal value of providing women preventive health care that includes contraception. Unplanned pregnancy is 100% preventable and can be significantly reduced when women have access to family planning services.

Half (49%) of all U.S. pregnancies are described by the woman herself as unplanned at the time of conception.  While many of these pregnancies result in healthy, wanted children, the health and social risks are much higher for both mother and baby.  Compared to planned pregnancies, unplanned pregnancies are more likely to mean late prenatal care; premature birth; low birth weight; poor child physical and mental health; low cognitive scores and school difficulties; maternal depression; relationship stress; and intimate partner violence. In addition, unplanned pregnancy is, by far, the most common reason for seeking abortion.

Daisy Escamilla - Health Educator 

Daisy received her Master of Science degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) in December 2011, with emphasis in Health and Kinesiology. She also earned her Bachelor of Science degree from UTSA in August 2009, with a concentration in Community Health.  Originally from Laredo, TX, Daisy has been involved with various community health efforts mainly involving obesity prevention and physical activity, and she is enthusiastic about addressing broad aspects of health.

As a Health Educator, Daisy implements teen pregnancy prevention programs in schools and community agencies. She is passionate about educating and empowering individuals to make wise decisions for their future and that of their families.  

Bethany Evans - Health Educator

Bethany recently relocated to San Antonio after graduating from the University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston in May 2013.  There she earned a Masters of Public Health, specializing in Health Promotion and Behavioral Science, with a Concentration in Maternal and Child Health. She earned her Bachelor's Degree in Biology from Baylor University in 2010. While she was enrolled in her Master's program, she worked for Texas Christian University as a Research Assistant on a study that looked at the adherence to antiretroviral medications in HIV-positive incarcerated individuals.

As a Health Educator with Healthy Futures of Texas, Bethany facilitates programs in middle and high schools around San Antonio and at various agency sites around the community. 

Norma Haro - Administrative Assistant 

Norma received her Bachelors Degree from Rice University and her Master of Public Health degree from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, with a concentration on Reproductive and Family Health.  In the summer of 2009, Norma interned with the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health in New York City and worked on projects related to community-based participatory research and strengthening Latina Action Networks across the country.

Norma serves as Chair of the Edgewood ISD School Health Advisory Council.  As a parent with 2 young children in Edgewood schools, she is glad to be able to work part-time with an agency working to reduce teen and unplanned pregnancy.

Norma provides administrative support to the Healthy Futures team.  She strongly believes that knowledge is power, and she has a strong desire to help build programs and services in the field of reproductive health that focus on women and men of color in the San Antonio community.   She is excited about the impact that Healthy Futures is making, and she strives to make meaningful contributions in this area.