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Teenage Pregnancy Article
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Teenage Pregnancy – Don’t Blame the Victim
from:Teenage pregnancy, also referred to as adolescent pregnancy, is defined as pregnancy occurring in women up to 19 years old. Teenage pregnancy is a significant social issue in many nations, though in some it is natural for adolescents to marry young and have children at a young age. In nations where this is not the case, though, teenage pregnancy is an extremely difficult experience for young women; though teenage girls are technically able to give birth physically, they are not ready emotionally or financially to raise children.
Statistics say that about 34% of young women become pregnant at least once before reaching 20 years old (about 820,000). As is the case around the world, experts agree that behind the phenomenon of teenage pregnancy lies a lack of sexual education. Girls may not know how to prevent pregnancy and they often believe myths regarding pregnancy prevention (like douching after sex using Pepsi or Coke).
Whatever the view as to why girls get pregnant, all agree that a teenage girl’s life changes upon finding out she is pregnant. Because of this, there are a number of programs worldwide to help prevent teenage pregnancy and opinions differ as to how to structure these programs and what their focus should be.
A big debate concerns whether abstinence-only programs are valid methods of dealing with the teenage pregnancy phenomenon; many researchers believe that sex education, including information regarding contraception, is essential to equip teenagers in the battle against teen pregnancy. Supporters of abstinence-only programs argue that including information about contraception is a sign to adolescents to be sexually active; studies, however, seem to show that there is no increase of sexual activity among students who receive information regarding birth control. Supporters of sex education claim that abstinence-only programs do nothing to help adolescents feel more comfortable talking about their sexuality and so teens will be most likely to avoid seeking adults for advice in confusing situations.
Many girls do not know that there are various birth control methods available. Depo-Provera is injected into a woman’s arm muscle or buttocks every 3 months in order to prevent ovulation, alter cervical mucus and prevent implantation. Norplant is an implant made of 6 matchstick-sized rubber rods which is inserted under the skin by a doctor and is effective for 5 years. Low-dose birth control pills, condoms, contraceptive jelly, and emergency contraceptive pills are also available.
Within 72 hours of having sex, a girl can take an emergency contraceptive pill. If it is already late for that, the girl will have to decide between keeping the child, putting it up for adoption (which can be closed or open), putting it in foster care, or having an abortion.
Once a girl is pregnant, she needs to know that she has choices, and she must choose what is best for her. Even if girls are ashamed at talking with their family members, there are a number of doctors and clinics open which offer counseling services, like Planned Parenthood.
Teenage Pregnancy Specific links
Teenage Pregnancy News
Loudon Co. seeks to curb teen pregnancy rate (Knoxville News Sentinel)
Private and public agencies are working together with the schools to address the growing problem of teen pregnancy in Loudon County.
Read more...Four-year-olds could be taught sex education under plans to cut teenage pregnancy rate (Daily Mail: World News)
Children could be taught sex education from the age of four, under plans by MPs.
Read more...Teen Pregnancy On The Rise In Baltimore (WYPR Maryland)
Last year, the teen birth rate in Baltimore spiked. So has the rate for teenagers having sex and those who engage in sex without protection. As more teens get pregnant, Maryland taxpayers are having to pick up the tab for more un-insured health care. WYPR's Farrah Childs reports.
Read more...Hooked on sex? (Nanaimo Daily News)
Teen sex is fraught with perils, and not just the physical kind. While sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancy are the two most talked-about risks, a new book says young people having sex may want to add this to their list of concerns: teenage sex is bad for the brain.
Read more...Nigeria: Should We Be Worried That Today's Teenage Girls Are Having Too Much Sex? (AllAfrica.com)
WHAT'S happening to our teenage girls these days?
Read more...Georgia: Paying the price of teenage pregnancy (Chattanooga Times Free Press)
The Georgia Department of Human Resources can place a dollar amount on the direct cost — $2.8 million in 2004 — of teen pregnancies to Walker County taxpayers, but officials say the true cost is far greater.
Read more...School defends 14-year-old getting pill (AAP via Yahoo!7 News)
A Victorian school has defended its decision to take a 14-year-old student to a doctor to get the pill without the knowledge of her parents.
Read more...