ARDMORE, Okla. -- More Oklahoma teens than ever are getting pregnant. In fact the state's teen pregnancy rate isn't just on the rise, a new study shows it's one of the highest in the nation. Daniel Armbruster has more.

The newly released statistics are forcing health officials here to think up new ways to talk to teens about sex.

Oklahoma is the eighth highest state in the nation when comes to teen pregnancy, a statistic that does not surprise Carter County Health Department's Executive Director, Mendy Spohn.

"If you really want to look at health trends, Oklahoma is high for everything," Spohn says.

According to YW8, Incorporated, an abstinence-based sex ed program in Ardmore, the national birthrate for teen females ages 15 through 19 is 40.5 per 1,000. That number goes up to 54.2 when you look at Oklahoma.

But even more astonishing is in Carter County the number goes up to 74.2. That’s something YW8, Inc. Community Analyst, Patty Crabtree, wants to change.

"It's all about healthy relationships. That's where we fail our kids is teaching them how to have a healthy relationship," Crabtree says.

Teens we talked to have been through the YW8 program for four years. They all say they are remaining abstinent for several reasons.

"I want to like be put through college and have a good education and you can't do that with a kid."

"I could get someone pregnant or I could get an STD."

"You can use all the protection you want, but you're still up for STDs and pregnancy and stuff like that but if you stay abstinent than you will be 100% safe."

Spohn says if kids do need help with sex education they can also turn to the Carter County Health Department

"We can provide confidential services to any age teenager. That person would come and seek a nurse out, ask them questions, possibly get an exam and maybe leave if they choose, with a contraceptive," Spohn says.

The question that health experts and educators are still trying to answer is why teens are engaging in sex at younger ages.

Crabtree says she believes kids are now exposed to more sexually explicit media more than ever.