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Teen Pregnancy

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TEEN PREGNANCY

Teen pregnancy is a very social issue in America. As some parents try to teach their sons and daughters to abstain from putting themselves in a teen pregnancy situation, it is evident that it is rapidly still occurring. In 2012 the teen birth rate was 305,388, which is 29 births per 1,000 girls. (The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancies, 2014) According to statistics this a “42 percent decline between 1990 and 2008.” (Health, 2014) MTV has a series of shows pertaining to teen pregnancy that some say glamorize it. 16 and Pregnant is one of those shows, and Teen Mom is another that follow the lives and pregnancies of young teen girls. While watching these shows rarely do you see actual struggles the girls are going through with their babies and parenting, it is more the struggles of the teens and their relationships and friendships. How could these shows possibly help young teen and pre-teen girls abstain from sex or make smart choices when it comes to pregnancy prevention? While society sees these shows as ridiculous and glamourizing, statistics show a decrease in teen pregnancy since the airing of the shows. According to Neilsen ratings, google searches, and social media studies have shown that there were increased searches on birth control methods and abortion. (Wilson, 2014) I believe that most teens that are surrounded by family, enrolled in school, allowed to play sports, and attend church are more likely to abstain from teen pregnancy. Parents that are involved in their children’s lives and activities can also help. Society helps with this cause by teaching sex education in school, promoting teen pregnancy prevention programs, and after school programs where teens can interact with an adult mentor. “Teen pregnancy is estimated to cost U.S. taxpayers between $11 and $28 billion a year. However, research suggests that implementing evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs, expanding access to Medicaid family planning services, and utilizing mass media campaigns to promote safe sex may reduce teen pregnancy and lighten the burden for taxpayers.” (Health, 2014) Teen pregnancy can have negative effects on society. Teen moms typically drop out of high school, teen moms usually do not have the means to care for a baby, and a baby raised by a single teen mom could promote social problems within the child. Daughters of teen mothers are three times more likely to follow in their mother’s footsteps. (The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancies, 2014) The church addresses teen pregnancy by promoting abstinence. Some churches promote the True Love Waits program, which teaches about the biblical standard of sex and purity. With this program teenagers can sign commitment cards where they pledge their purity to God. There is also a line of jewelry were teen girls can wear rings with the true love waits message inscribed on them. However, in my experience, I have seen teen pregnancy as a topic rarely spoken about in church. Having grown up in church my whole life, there was never a time when we were talked to about that subject specifically. We were basically just reminded of morals and how we are supposed to act. I believe that teen pregnancy would fall under the Class Conflict theory. Conflict theory is defined as “a social theory that views conflict as inevitable and natural and as a significant cause of social change.” (Basirico, Cashion, & Eshleman, 2012) Teen pregnancy is inevitable as it will always happen. It does require an immense amount of social change to get the message of teen pregnancy across. Teen pregnancy most commonly occurs in non-Hispanic and Hispanic communities. (The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancies, 2014) Great emphasis should be put on programs in these areas. Schools need to be very diligent in their teachings on sex education. Also emphasis can be placed in not only thoroughly educating teen girls but also teen boys and teen pregnancy prevention. Society focuses so much on the females when young boys need to be just as informed. Teens need to be taught that teen pregnancy can lead to a plethora of issues such as poverty, health issues, and care of the child.
Social classes should come together to help today’s youth and provide mentorship and advice along with other social influences. Teens should be encouraged to join programs where they can learn about the social issues that teen pregnancy can cause, and the different types of pregnancy prevention if they do choose to be sexually active.

Basirico, L. A., Cashion, B. G., & Eshleman, J. R. (2012). introduction to Sociology 5e. Redding, CA: BVT Publishing, LLC.
Health, O. o. (2014, April 16). Trends in teen pregnancy and childbearing. Retrieved from www.hhs.gov: http://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/adolescent-health-topics/reproductive-health/teen-pregnancy/trends.html#.U1Vpmv1OUeE
The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancies. (2014). Retrieved from thenationalcampaign.org: http://thenationalcampaign.org/data/landing
Wilson, J. (2014, Janruary 13). CNN Health. Retrieved from CNN.com: http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/13/health/16-pregnant-teens-childbirth/

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