Sexually Active Teens

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Adolescence can be a time filled with uncertainty and excitement. Boys and girls alike worry about their looks, grades, peer pressure, dating, and their futures. When sex is added to the mix, another layer of anxiety or concern can bring about more complications to an already overwhelmed teen. The consequences of becoming sexually active during adolescence can include pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and depression.

One obvious consequence teens face when they become sexually active is pregnancy. Pregnancy at any age can be taxing on the body, and spirit. However, adding in a third factor-lack of maturity in most adolescents-can create a disastrous combination. According to an article titled Teen Pregnancy: Overview, Consequences of Teen Pregnancy, found on Women’s Health Channel, the health risks associated with teenage pregnancy can be severe.

“Teen pregnancy is an important issue. There are health risks for the baby and children born to teenage mothers are more likely to suffer health, social, and emotional problems. Women who become pregnant during their teens have an increased risk for complications, such as premature labor and socioeconomic consequences as well” (Teen Pregnancy, 2009)

Despite a noticeable decline in US teen pregnancy rates from 1991 to 2005 (from 60 out of 1000 teenagers in 1991 to 40.5 out of 1000 in 2005), more recent years-2006 and 2007-have seen an increase in these numbers. In addition, statistics show that roughly one-third of teens in the United States become pregnant, and more than 80% of these pregnancies are not intentional. More alarming facts indicate that almost 1 million teenage girls become pregnant every year in the United States, and among those teens who give birth, almos...

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Works Cited

Center for Disease Control. (2003) Most Teens Not Provided STD or Pregnancy Prevention

Counseling During Check-Ups. Retrieved from

http://www.cdc.gov/stdconference/2000/media/Teens2000.htm

Johnson, K., Ph.D., Noyes, L.R., & Rector, Robert E. (2003) Sexually Active Teenagers Are

More Likely to Be Depressed and to Attempt Suicide. The Heritage Foundation. Retrieved

from http://www.heritage.org/research/abstinence/cda0304.cfm

Sexual Activity-Consequences of Adolescent Sexual Behavior. (2009) Retrieved from

http://social.jrank.org/pages/567/Sexual-Activity-Consequences-Adolescent-

Sexual-Behavior.html

Meier, A. (2007) Teen Sex and Depression Study Finds Most Teens’ Mental Health Unaffected

by Nonmarital Sex. Science Daily. Retrieved from

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070523113756.htm

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