Teen+Pregnancy+by+Joel+Alves

Teen Pregnancy = = ====Teen pregnancies are a major problem in the United States. There are more Teenage pregnancies in the United States than all other developing countries. According to the article “Teen Pregnancy Rate Hits 15-Year High” by fox news reporter and writer Marrecca Fiore about 22 out of every 1,000 girls ages 15 to 17 became pregnant in 2006, compared to 21 out of every 1,000 in 2005.Do to the fact that teens are having kids too early in life, schools should make sex education class and methods of birth control prevention more available for them. ====

 The problem with teenage pregnancies is it continues to be one of the most difficult issues that teenagers, their families, and communities face today. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 400,000 teen’s girls give birth each year in the United States. This is a problem because when a teen has a child it carries high costs emotionally, physically and emotionally to the parents and the child. Teen pregnancies mainly affects teen moms because they are the ones under pressure to make decisions that they are not ready to make like whether to have the baby and keep or do abortion and most of the time the male partner is not there to support and make the mother make decisions. In the National Institute of Health’s web site called Medline Plus the definition of teen pregnancy is teenaged or underaged girl becoming pregnant. But keep in mind that in such a young age there are causes and effects of teens becoming pregnant.

As we know it’s hard to be a teen parent, but what exactly leads a teen to become a parent? In the book __kids still having kids__, Janet Bode reports that some teens want to have a baby because they came from troubled families and think a baby will help them escape poverty. Some have a baby because their boyfriend wants them to. Some do because they have unprotected sex (11). Some teens do have a reason to be a parent, but others don’t because they don’t use protection and they get pregnant without knowing what to do. The first effect of teen pregnancy is lack of sex education. In the article Teen pregnancy by Editor of //Medicine & Health// and staff writer for //The Scientist// Marcia Clemmitt she stated that teen parenthood causes a teen to drop out of school and go on to receive welfare or having a low paying job. Only 51 percent of teen mothers earn a high school diploma before age 22, compared to 89 percent of women who did not give birth as teens (CQ Researcher). For a person who has her life planned and trying to reach her goals dropping out of school is a huge disadvantage for them because in everyday life we need school to find a proper job.

Consequently not only teens face consequences and disadvantages for their actions, also the baby do. As the epidemiologist Karen Pazol describes the risks of teen pregnancies, which are low birth rate, preterm birth and death if infancy. Also the teen’s children will grow and are less likely to finish high school and have a low school achievement or drop out of school and give birth themselves as teens (SIRS Knowledge.) Teens parents must ensure that what happened to them will not to their children because if it does it will become a life cycle in the family.

As might be expected teen pregnancy also has effect on social life and on society. In a interview with Mena Goncalves who was a teenage mother said it was probably the worse experience in my life because I couldn’t have fun with my friends anymore I wanted to go out and have fun with them but I couldn’t because I needed to take care of the child and take responsibilities like an adult. For me I think teens will only understand the consequences only when they are facing it. On society teen child bearing is costing United States $9 billion each year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). With this economy as worse as it gets teens should really think twice before getting pregnant.

This issue is important because teens need to understand that they are not yet ready mentally and physically ready to have a baby. I care about this issue because it’s something that my mother had to go through and actually my friends are facing the same problem now. Other should care because it’s a big responsibility bringing another human being into world and they are not old enough to take part in that responsibility. The positive change that I would like to see brought is a decline in rates of teen pregnancies.

There are various solutions that have been tried or suggested for teen pregnancies. The solutions are abstinence, sex education and parents talking with teens. What abstinence-education programs provide are encouragement to young people to postpone sexual activity until marriage or until they are old enough to handle sexual activity. The programs focus on teaching adolescent about their body and their normal functions. Research indicates that the program abstinence-sex only without information about contraception does not decrease teen pregnancy rates (Medline Plus). This is true because without the proper sex education teens will be less likely to know how to protect themselves from getting pregnant and how to practice safe sex. In 2005, 46 states applied for federal abstinence-sex education money in school and community and religious organizations. By 2008 only about 28 states were seeking the money. About 16 states that refused the funding specifically cited philosophical disagreement or lack of evidence that abstinence programs worked (CQ Researcher). This means that some of the states feel like it’s useless to spend money on programs that is not showing any progress.

= The numbers of teen who regularly use condoms has increased significantly over the past ten years because they want to prevent pregnancies and diseases. Additionally as pointed out by physicians Stanley J. Swierzewski, s ex and contraceptive education may be the most effective way to reduce teen pregnancy. However, teenagers generally are uninformed about the availability, efficiency, and choices of contraceptives available. Only 69% of school districts in the United States teach sex education. Most of these (86%) promote abstinence instead of teaching teenagers how to protect themselves from STD’s and how to prevent pregnancy if they are going to have sex ( health communities). Basically Stanley J. Swierzewski is saying that teens must be educated, informed about how to avoid risky sexual behavior and how to use contraceptives correctly. =

=** Another solution that is suggested is for parents to talk with teens and it’s a step too many adults haven’t even thought about taking. As written by American author, commentator and fox news analyst Linda Chavez a survey by the Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy shows that parents remain the most important influence over their children's sexual behavior. Teenagers surveyed said that parents influenced their sexual decisions -- more than friends, siblings, teachers, sex educators, religious organizations or the media. But adults in the same survey, by a wide margin, said that friends were the most important influence on teenagers' decisions whether to have sex or not (EBSCOhost). Although adults interviewed said that parents should talk to their kids about sex, most parents don’t do it because they don’t know what to say, how to say it or when to even start. **=

=**The solutions that I feel are the best for preventing teen pregnancies are to introduce sex education and birth control for free in schools for teens. In the interview with Mena Goncalves she feels that the best solution is for parents to talk with their kids about sex early in life, including delaying sex, avoiding pregnancy, using birth control and have respectful relationships. I think this is a good solution but not the best solution because you cannot force the parents to do it. This is true because during the interview with my mother was awkward asking her questions and she was embarrassed to answer them. As a teenager we don’t feel comfortable talking about sex with our parents and they feel embarrassed to talk with us. This solution does not help decrease teen pregnancy because you cannot make parents talk about sex with their children. **= = = = =  For me the best way to prevent teen pregnancies is to have a free sex education class and methods of preventing teen pregnancies in schools. According to a anonymous survey taken over the summer on TyraShow.com by more than more than 10,000 teenage girls and young women, 52 % said they do not use protection, 24% of teens with STDs say they still have unprotected sex. One in five girls say she wants to be a teen mom and 14% of teens who are having sex say they’re doing it at school (TODAY.com). From this survey we can see that teens are not well informed or educated about having unprotected sex and becoming a teen parent.

 To help decrease teen pregnancies high schools should make a mandatory sex education class between the grades of 10 and 11 because that’s when teens are more likely to start thinking about sex. Teenagers should be taught not to have sex until ready, but for safety they should be taught about the consequences of having unprotected sex and becoming a teen parent, also how to use contraception. These classes should be taught especially by people who have been through that situation. However you can’t only teach them how to prevent it, but also give them a way to do which I think is to put condoms in the bathrooms so everyone can have access to a method of preventing teen pregnancy.

Due to teen’s actions in the United States teen pregnancies are a major problem here, there are more teenage pregnancies in the United States than other countries. There are causes and effects for those who faces this problem and there must be something done about it. I believe if schools make free sex education class and make condoms available in schools it will help decrease teens pregnancy rates.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Annotated Works Cited <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Goncalves, Mena. Tape recording interview. 25 May 2011. I interviewed my mother because she had me when she was 17. I used this interview to show that talking to teens don’t always work <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Clemmitt, Marcia. "Teen Pregnancy." //CQ Researcher// 20.12 (2010): 265-288. //CQ researcher//. Web. 9 May 2011. This article is very helpful because it has introduction, background information, and current situation about teen pregnancy. I used this database article for my effects paragraph <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Bode, Janet, Stanley Mack, and Ida Marx Spruce. "Talking about pregnancy." //Kids still having kids: talking about teen pregnancy//. Rev. ed. Danbury, Conn.: Franklin Watts, 1999. 20 -39. Print. This book presents the problems and challenges of teenage pregnancy. it also has interviews with pregnant teenagers and their boyfriends. I used this book to make a cause paragraph. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">"CDC Vital Signs ." //Centers for Disease Control and Prevention//. usa.gov, 5 May 2011. Web. 12 May 2011. <http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/TeenPregnancy/>.This government website has statistics of teen pregnancy in the U.S, Latest Findings,causes ans effects and what can be done to prevent teen pregnancy which is the solution of teen pregnancy. I used this source to show teen pregnancy effects on society. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Chavez, Linda. "TEENAGE pregnancy -- Prevention." //The battle against teen pregnancy can be won, but must be fought by parents and adults as well as teenagers.// 30.43 (2001): 24. //EBSCOhost.//. Web. 17 May 2011. Focuses on the prevention campaign against teen pregnancy in the United States. Accounts on the results of the survey conducted by Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, a non-profit advocacy group; Factors influencing the sexual decision of teenagers; Causes of teen pregnancy; role of parents in the sexual orientation of teenagers. I used this source to explain a solution that is suggested but don’t always work which is talking. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Coffey, Laura. "Survey: Unprotected sex common among teens." //TODAY.com//. msnbc, 15 Nov. 2008. Web. 6 June 2011. <http://today.msnbc.msn.com>. The Tyra Banks Show surveyed 10,000 young women across the country about sex and found shocking results. TODAY’s Matt Lauer talks about the survey with the show’s host, Tyra Banks. I used this source to show statistics of teens having sex in high school and also a video that I showed in class. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Fiore, Marrecca. "Teen Pregnancy Rate Hits 15-Year High." //FoxNews.com//. FOX News Network, 11 July 2008. Web. 11 May 2011. <http://www.foxnews.com>. This article talks about the health and well being of teens. It consists of statistics and some causes of teen pregnancies. I used this source to help me write my bridge. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">J. Swierzewski, Stanley. "Teen Pregnancy - Sex Education, Birth Control." //Healthcommunities//. Healthcommunities.com, Inc., 3 June 2011. Web. 5 June 2011. <http://www.healthcommunities.com>. Why teenagers should be educated and informed about how to use contraception. I used this source to show the numbers of schools In U.S that teach sex education classes. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Pazol, karen. "Vital Signs: Teen Pregnancy--United States, 1991-2009." //Teen Pregnancy--United States, 1991-2009// 60.13 (2011): p. 414-420. //SIRS Knowledge//. Web. 16 May 2011. This report describes trends in birth rates among U.S. teens aged 15-19 years and percentages of high school students having sexual intercourse and using contraceptives. I used this source to shoe consequences and disadvantages of teen pregnancy. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">"Teen Pregnancy." //4parents.gov//. Office of Public Health and Science,, 13 Aug. 2009. Web. 27 May 2011. <http://www.4parents.gov>. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Vorvick, Linda. "Adolescent pregnancy." //MedlinePlus//. National Institutes of Health, 2 May 2011. Web. 17 May 2011. <http://www.nlm.nih.gov>. this article has everything you need to know about adolescent pregnancy like Causes, symptoms, treatment, outlook, and prevention and many more. I used this source to define teen pregnancy and abstinence sex education.

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