Abstinence is Not Always the Answer

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Recommended: Sexual education in the society

Teenage pregnancy is a new form of epidemic that is sweeping across the nation worldwide. No one can actually point fingers on who is to blame or why this situation has increased in numbers over the past years. As years progress and society changes, people have been adjusting to the fact that teenagers are getting pregnant, and that there is nothing we can do to change it. Although many think that teenagers make mistakes and that pregnancy is an automatic consequence, there is a way to prevent this outcome from happening. By introducing different kinds of sex education programs at an earlier age, the teenage pregnancy rate will decrease. Even though we cannot eliminate the problem, we can educate our teenagers so that this issue can be controlled.

Our babies are having babies. The United States (US) has the highest teenage pregnancy rate compared to any other country in the western hemisphere. More teenagers are becoming sexually active without considering the possible consequences that their actions might have. One of the consequences that are most likely to occur is teenage pregnancy, which results in approximately 750,000 pregnancies annually amongst teenagers between the ages of fifteen and nineteen (Guttmacher Institute). Most teenage pregnancy is unplanned, because of the lack of knowledge they receive from their family or educators. Due to all of the unintentional pregnancies, the US government spends nearly nine billion dollars annually.

When sex education is introduced into someone’s life, it can play an important role in the decisions they make later on in the future. Research studies show that if a student begins to learn something at an earlier age, they will be more likely to retain the information for a longer pe...

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Kingsbury, Kathleen. Time. 18 December 2008. 27 April 2010 .

Lerner, Sharon. "Abistinecne-Only vs. Comprehensive Sex Education." Nelson, David E. Teens and Sex. Farmington Hills: Greenhaven Press, 2008. 25-37.

Pan, Deborah. ABC News/ Health. 19 December 2007. 27 April 2010 .

Spock, Benjamin Dr., et al. "PSYCHOLOGY – “BABY EGG” PROJECT." 1 May 2010 .

Sternberg, Steve. USA TODAY. 10 July 2002. 09 May 2010 .

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