A program in Colorado, in which teenagers and lower-income women were given access to free intrauterine devices and implants, has significantly lowered the rate of unwanted pregnancies across the state, giving young women a chance to establish themselves before starting families for which they were most likely unprepared.

The birthrate among teenagers in the state has dropped by 40 percent between 2009 and 2013, and the rate of abortions has fallen by 42 percent, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment [2]. There was a similar decline in births among unmarried women under 25 who had not finished high school. According to a story in the  [3]New York Times [3], "the changes were particularly pronounced in the poorest areas of the state."

"If we want to reduce poverty, one of the simplest, fastest and cheapest things we could do would be to make sure that as few people as possible become parents before they actually want to," economist Isabel Sawhill was quoted as saying.

To read more about this program, click here [3].