Taking a Look at Teen Pregnancy

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Recommended: An introduction on prevention of teen pregnancy

In 2012, there were 29.4 births for every 1,000 females ranging from the age 15-19. This is 305,420 babies total born to females in this age group. Eighty-nine percent of these births occurred outside of marriage. The 2012 teen birth rate shows a decline of six percent from 2011 when the birth rate was 31.3 per 1,000 girls. The teen birth rate has declined pretty steadily over the past 20 years. In 1991, the teen birth rate in the U.S. was 61.8 births for every 1,000 teenage girls, compared with 29.4 births for every 1,000 females in 2012 that’s pretty good. The U.S. teen birth rate is still higher than that of many other developed countries, including Canada and the United Kingdom. Although the teenage pregnancy numbers are decreasing, there’s still a lot of pregnant teens in today’s society. Many of the teens that do get pregnant sadly do not know very much about the whole process. They know about the actual act itself obviously, but they do not know the harm that can come from it. They are not aware of the things that can protect them for the repercussions of their actions. One of the main reasons teens fail to use birth control( if they even know about it) is that they were using alcohol and or drugs at the time. In one recent study of teen pregnancy 1/3 of the 14-21 year old's that were studied said they had gotten pregnant while they were drinking or drunk. Ninety one percent said that they had not planned on having sex at that time. The teenagers who are actively participating in these activities are not aware that what they are doing doesn't only impact them. People who have children while still in their teenage years not only will be affecting their own lives, but will also be affecting the lives of the children involv... ... middle of paper ... ...hat can and most likely will happen. “ If we as a nation are to break the cycle of poverty, crime and the growing underclass of young people ill equipped to be productive citizens, we need to not only implement effective programs to prevent teen pregnancy, but we must also help those who have already given birth so that they become effective nurturing, bonding parents.” (Jane Fonda) Knowledge is power, power to prevent this cycle from continuing its destructive path. Everyone will without a shadow of a doubt benefit from this prevention. Our society will be better as a whole because of it. It will be better in the fact that teenagers will act like teenagers. The kids that are born will be born from older wiser parents who are willing, and able to provide for them. Society will no longer have to bear the burden of paying for those who can’t provide for themselves.

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