Dealing with Teen Pregnancy
Over recent years, it seems that all the efforts to fight teen pregnancy are beginning to pay off. Thanks to the continued dedication of our parents, teachers and community leaders, the young people today have more support and education concerning the dangers, consequences, and challenges of adolescent sex. Currently at its lowest annual rate in over 20 years, teen pregnancies have declined 14 percent in this decade alone. But despite this recent downward trend, the issue still stands prominently and remains a critical concern to everyone. While these improving numbers are encouraging on the surface, the number of children having children of their own remains higher than acceptable and progress must continue to be made (planned).Over half a million American teenage girls gave birth in 1997 (close to 1 million actually became pregnant) (teen). For many of the 500,000, it was an unintended occurrence, usually the result of young men and women having unprotected sex while relying on misinformation (or none at all), poor planning, and failing to recognize the consequences that would arise from their actions. For some, however, it was an intentional decision - a decision based on unreliable emotions and unrealistic perception
In addition to becoming sexually active because they may believe their peers are doing it, three out of four girls who have had sex say they did so because their boyfriends pressured them into it. What helps prevent teen pregnancy? The primary reason cited for remaining abstinent from girls that have never had sex is that doing it would contradict their religious or moral values. Required sex education in schools is a measure supported by 85 percent of adults (birth). Despite these continued efforts, a shockingly high amount of teens are still practicing unsafe sex. The hardships are often passed form generation to generation. The importance of contraceptive use cannot be stressed enough. While teachers and parents are trying to preach abstinence and responsibility, the media continues to send mixed messages with its constant glorification of sex. The mother's personal and social development is regularly affected as well while she is forced to grow up all too quickly and miss out on significant portions of her young adult life. Slightly over half of sexually active teens report consistently using some form of contraceptive during sex. Strong emotional bonds to one's parents are key in prevention as teenagers with close ties to their parents are far less likely to become sexually active at an early age. "Many women have a feeling of despair and alack of hope for their lives. Sometimes that's all they know" (planned). Becoming pregnant is sometimes an outcry for help and an attempt to fill a void in one's life. CONSEQUENCESCiting a recent report by the American Association of University Women Educational Foundation, teen girls name sex and pregnancy as the number one issue they face today (teen).
Common topics in this essay:
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,
Parenthood Vancouver,
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Children's Services,
teen pregnancy,
CONSEQUENCES Citing,
becoming pregnant,
becoming sexually active,
becoming sexually,
mixed messages,
adolescent sex,
teen mothers,
girls sex,
teenage girls,
teen girls,
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