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Teen Pregnancy in the United States

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In today’s society, teen mothers are very common. MTV has two television shows that follow the life of young mothers and document their first trimester. They show these girls under the influence, being arrested, and not taking care of their own children. Even though this is a reality television show, there is much truth to what these mothers are doing. Teen pregnancy is a controversial issue because of the negative stereotypes, the health of the teen mothers, and the health risk they are putting their babies through.

Although the percentage of teenage pregnancy in the United States has declined significantly within recent years; it is still a huge problem that needs to be addressed. The rates are still higher in the 1990's than they were only a period ago.” The United States teenage birthrate hits most of the other industrialized nations, even though American teenagers are not more sexually active than the teenager’s that are in Canada or Europe”(Gormly 348). The latest statistics concerning the teen birthrates are frightening. There is about 560,000 teenage girls give birth each year. Eight in ten of these births resulted from unintended pregnancies. Teenagers who become sexually active at an earlier age are at a greater risk primarily because teenagers are less likely to use birth control. “African-American and Hispanic teenagers are twice as likely to give birth as are white teenagers. Teenagers who come from underprivileged neighborhoods and attend segregated schools are at a higher risk for pregnancy” (Calhoun 309). Schools need to start programs that encourage abstinence, and show the consequences of being sexually active. "They are not taught the importance of abstaining from sex nor, at the very least, the proper use o...

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