A group of pediatricians says teens need education on, and access to, birth control and emergency contraception, as opposed to the abstinence-only system preached by religious groups and conservative political leaders.

These recommendations come as part of the American Academy of Pediatrics' updated policy on teen pregnancy.

Dr. S. Paige Hertweck, a pediatric-obsterician-gynecologist, who provided advice for the report, says teaching abstinence and not birth control makes it more likely for teens to practice unsafe sex once they initiate sexual activity.

The report appears in July's Pediatrics, to be published Tuesday. The new policy states, while doctors should encourage adolescents to postpone sexual activity, they should also help ensure that all teens have access to birth control.

Citing 2003 government data, the report cites over 45 percent of high school girls and 48 percent of boys have had sexual intercourse.

Surprisingly, teen pregnancy rates have decreased over the years, with roughly 900,000 U.S. getting pregnant each year.