'Honestly Mom… chances are he won’t stay with you': Family planning group blasts Mayor Bloomberg's $400,000 anti-teen pregnancy campaign

Planned Parenthood says the ads could fuel stigma and hostility towards young parents

One of the ads New York's Human Resources Administration has put around the city

Family planning organisation Planned Parenthood have slammed the New York City's new ad campaign warning against teen pregnancy.

The campaign, launched by New York's Human Resources Administration (HRA), features crying children next to slogans such as: “I’m twice as likely not to graduate high school because you had me as a teen” and “Honestly Mom… chances are he won’t stay with you.”

The campaign aims to provide the 'sobering facts about teen pregnancy,' however Planned Parenthood fear it will fuel stigma and hostility towards young parents.

Haydee Morales, vice president for education and training at Planned Parenthood of New York City, said the organisation was shocked by the campaign.

“Hurting and shaming communities is not what’s going to bring teen pregnancy rates down,” she said.

Mayor Bloomberg’s office spent over $400,000 on the campaign, which will be on display on subways and bus shelters citywide and will also feature an interactive texting program and a video.

Ms Morales said: “The City’s money would be better spent helping teens access health care, birth control, and high-quality sexual and reproductive health education, not on an ad campaign intended to create shock value”

The campaign comes despite recent figures that show the city’s teen pregnancy rate has fallen by 27 per cent in the last 10 years.

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