The Problem of Teen Pregnancy

The Problem of Teen Pregnancy

There are many issues that young people have to deal with as they grow up; as puberty besets them, they become curious about sex and often engage in it. However, with the act of sex comes the possibility of pregnancy; as children have sex younger and younger, the chance for an unwanted pregnancy increases for a teenage girl, or a teenage boy who fathers a child. The problems of premarital sex include the disruption of finances and plans for the future; however, an abstinence-only education such as those conducted in many schools around the country is not working. The solution, then, must be a more progressive form of sex education that is honest and communicative with these teenagers, teaching them proper use of contraception and safe sex techniques, and making sure they are educated so that they can be more responsible with their exploration of their sexuality.

Teen pregnancy is on the rise throughout the world; each year, 13 million children are born to people under the age of 20 worldwide (Makinson, 1985 p.134). This is due greatly to the large increase in the percentage of teenagers who are having sex - statistics indicate that over 80% of teenagers have had sex, including 25% of 15 year olds and 50% of 17 year olds (Treffers, 2003). The teenage birth rate in America is higher than in any other developed country, as well as the abortion rates. While the teenage pregnancy rate dropped substantially in the 1990s, it is still a substantial problem which continues to baffle those who are working for a solution.

There are many causes for this increase in premarital sex; in the past few decades, conservative and puritanical views regarding sex have lightened up with the deemphasizing of religion in American life, and less conservative and involved parenting has also led to at least a more open acknowledgement of teenagers having premarital sex. Sexuality in the media also exposes children to these types of thoughts and ideas at younger and younger ages, giving implicit permission or encouragement to engage in sexual acts. Over time, it has grown into a socially acceptable part of the teenage experience; regardless of whether or not the actual rates of teenage sexual activity has increased or decreased, the openness of communication regarding sex with teenagers has grown over time. As a consequence, children can often become pregnant either through misuse of contraceptives or their lack of use. Studies have shown a remarkable number of teenage males who report inconsistent or incorrect condom use when having sex, which is linked to unwanted pregnancies and STDs (Anda et al., 2002 p.37).

Why is teen pregnancy a problem? For one, it brings children into the hands of parents who, for the most part, are not ready. Due to the fact that they are still young, and often in school or not working full-time jobs, they are still in the process of learning things like