Teenage Pregnancies: An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Cure

Teen Pregnancy:

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure

Park University

Human Sexuality

Core Assessment

Human Sexuality PS 309

Professor: Nicole' L. Felton

By Nakhleh Hanhan

Teenage Pregnancies: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

In many societies, talking about sex, teenage pregnancies, sexual transmited infections, or birth control are taboos. However, ignoring such topics does not make them disapper. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that, "In 2009, a total of 409,840 infants were born to 15−19 year olds…. Nearly two-thirds of births to women younger than age 18 and more than half of those among 18−19 year olds are unintended." (CDC, 2011). But, the reialties are, teens continue to have sex and the need is greatest today to properly educate them and have birth control options available to them.

The results of teenage pregnancies affect society as a whole. According to the CDC, "Teen pregnancy accounts for more than $9 billion per year in costs to U.S. taxpayers for increased health care and foster care, increased incarceration rates among children of teen parents, and lost tax revenue because of lower educational attainment and income among teen mothers." (CDC, 2011) Furthermore, "[p]regnancy and birth are significant contributors to high school drop out rates among girls. Only about 50% of teen mothers receive a high school diploma by age 22, versus nearly 90% of women who had not given birth during adolescence" states CDC (CDC, 2011). In addition, "[t]he children of teenage mothers are more likely to have lower school achievement and drop out of high school, have more health problems, be incarcerated at some time during adolescence, give birth as a teenager, and face unemployment as a young adult", asserts the CDC (CDC, 2011).

According to the 2009 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey conducted by the CDC, that among U.S. high school students,

• 46 % ever had sexual intercource.

• 6 % had sexual intercourse for the first time before the age of 13.

• 14 % had sexual intercourse with at four or more persons during theeir life.

• 34 % had sexual intercourse with at least one person during the 3 months before the survey.

• 39% did not use