Teen Pregnancy It Is Now Term Paper

Moreover, an 'abstinence-only' education program is sometimes perceived by teenagers as providing one-sided and medically inaccurate information. (Studies by Kirby, 1997 and Huberman, quoted in "Reducing Teenage Pregnancy" 2006) shift in attitudes towards teenage sexuality must occur in the U.S. To facilitate the development of appropriate policies and programs to reduce teenage pregnancy. Presently, sexual activity, rather than the pregnancies that can result from it, is seen as the problem requiring intervention. Teaching young people that premarital sex is a moral failure does not prevent pregnancy -- studies show that those with fearful and negative attitudes about sexuality are less likely to use contraception when they have sex than those who believe they have a right to decide to have sex (Reiss, 1990).

It is, therefore, important to have a more comprehensive program of sexual education for teenagers that gives due recognition to the fact that sexual expression is a crucial component of teenagers' development and provides them with honest, accurate information about sex, and access to high quality reproductive health services. It is also imperative that a multi-pronged strategy is adopted for tackling teen pregnancy and other sex-related problems of young people. For instance, combining "abstinence education" with promotion of safer sex practices for those who choose to become sexually active, and involving the parents in the sexual education of their children, is almost certain to prove more effective than a program that ignores one or more of these aspects.

As we saw in this essay, providing accurate and more open information about safe sex practices to the youth is far more effective in controlling teenage pregnancy as compared to a policy of withholding information about sexuality from children. The countries which have adopted such a stretegy have far lower rates of teen pregnancy than the ones that only emphasize abstinence, and are hesitant about freely providing birth control devices such as condoms to teenagers.

References

American Opinion on Teen Pregnancy and Related Issues 2003." (2004). Science Says: A Project of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. Retrieved on May 18, 2007 at http://www.teenpregnancy.org/works/pdf/American_Opinion.pdf

Kirby, D. (2001). "Emerging answers: research findings on programs to reduce unwanted teenage pregnancy." National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. Retrieved on May 18, 2007 at http://www.teenpregnancy.org/resources/data/pdf/emeranswsum.pdf

Reducing Teenage Pregnancy." (2006). Planned Parenthood. Retrieved on May 18, 2007 at http://www.plannedparenthood.org/news-articles-press/politics-policy-issues/teen-pregnancy-sex-education/teenage-pregnancy-6240.htm

Reiss, Ira L. (1990). An End to the Shame: Shaping Our Next Sexual Revolution. Buffalo, NY: Prometheus Books.

Teen Birth Rates: How Does the United States Compare?" (2007). The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. Retrieved on May 18, 2007 at http://www.teenpregnancy.org/resources/reading/pdf/inatl_comparisons2006.pdf

Why it matters?" (2007). National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. Retrieved on May 18, 2007 at http://www.teenpregnancy.org/wim/pdf/introduction.pdf

The teenage abortion rate in the Netherlands is also is more than three times lower than that of the U.S., and its AIDS case rate is more than eight times lower. ("Reducing Teenage Pregnancy," 2006)

According to a 2003 National Campaign Survey, 88% of teens felt that it would be easier to postpone sexual activity and avoid teen pregnancy if they were able to have more open, honest conversations about these topics with their parents ("American Opinion on..." 2004)

Teen Pregnancy