Prevention of Teenage Pregnancy

Prevention of Teenage Pregnancy
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Teenage pregnancy has been marked as a high priority conundrum by the US health practitioners. This is because this vice traverses many aspects of life starting from cultural, to social, to political, to economic, to emotional, and to physical aspects. A report by CDC shows that three out of ten teenage girls in America are likely to get pregnant at least once before the age of 20. A separate report done by the NCPTUP (National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unwanted Pregnancy) points out that virtually 48 percent of all students in high school have had sexADDIN CSL_CITATION {“citationItems”:[{“id”:”ITEM-1″,”itemData”:{“DOI”:”10.1016/j.ogrm.2011.03.001″,”ISBN”:”1751-7214″,”ISSN”:”17517214″,”abstract”:”Teenage pregnancy (TP) rates in the UK are high, and are associated with high levels of socio-medical morbidity. Correspondingly, in the UK, teenage pregnancies are considered undesirable, but this is not the case in many non-European cultures. Recent education and enhanced contraception services are initiatives which have met with variable success. In this summary, we discuss these, and the welcome recognition of other contributing factors, such as poverty; unless such contributing factors are addressed, any prevention initiatives are threatened. The gynaecologist should be constantly prepared to consider the issue in any young woman.”,”author”:[{“dropping-particle”:””,”family”:”Baird”,”given”:”Aisling S.”,”non-dropping-particle”:””,”parse-names”:false,”suffix”:””},{“dropping-particle”:””,”family”:”Porter”,”given”:”Charlotte C.

“,”non-dropping-particle”:””,”parse-names”:false,”suffix”:””}],”container-title”:”Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Reproductive Medicine”,”id”:”ITEM-1″,”issued”:{“date-parts”:[[“2011″]]},”title”:”Teenage pregnancy: strategies for prevention”,”type”:”article-journal”},”uris”:[“http://www.mendeley.com/documents/?uuid=91f57967-065e-4bcc-95d3-61546e14435a”]}],”mendeley”:{“formattedCitation”:”¹”,”plainTextFormattedCitation”:”1″,”previouslyFormattedCitation”:”¹”},”properties”:{“noteIndex”:0},”schema”:”https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json”}1. These studies reveal a worrying trend that should be arrested before it worsens. This paper, therefore, seeks to talk about the different primary, secondary, and tertiary measures that can be adopted in the fight to avert the vice of unwanted pregnancies among teenagers.
Primary teenage pregnancy prevention measures are the first line of action against this vice. These measures include providing the teenagers with counseling and education on pregnancy prevention, family planning, education on family life, and the need to postpone pregnancy to adulthood stage of life. A good primary prevention program has three critical goals. The first goal involves educating teenagers on the need to halt or delay their engagement in sexual activities. This method is also referred to as abstinenceADDIN CSL_CITATION {“citationItems”:[{“id”:”ITEM-1″,”itemData”:{“DOI”:”10.1016/j.ogrm.2011.03.001″,”ISBN”:”1751-7214″,”ISSN”:”17517214″,”abstract”:”Teenage pregnancy (TP) rates in the UK are high, and are associated with high levels of socio-medical morbidity. Correspondingly, in the UK, teenage pregnancies are considered undesirable, but this is not the case in many non-European cultures. Recent education and enhanced contraception services are initiatives which have met with variable success. In this summary, we discuss these, and the welcome recognition of other contributing factors, such as poverty; unless such contributing factors are addressed, any prevention initiatives are threatened. The gynaecologist should be constantly prepared to consider the issue in any young woman.”,”author”:[{“dropping-particle”:””,”family”:”Baird”,”given”:”Aisling S.”,”non-dropping-particle”:””,”parse-names”:false,”suffix”:””},{“dropping-particle”:””,”family”:”Porter”,”given”:”Charlotte C.”,”non-dropping-particle”:””,”parse-names”:false,”suffix”:””}],”container-title”:”Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Reproductive Medicine”,”id”:”ITEM-1″,”issued”:{“date-parts”:[[“2011″]]},”title”:”Teenage pregnancy: strategies for prevention”,”type”:”article-journal”},”uris”:[“http://www.mendeley.com/documents/?uuid=91f57967-065e-4bcc-95d3-61546e14435a”]}],”mendeley”:{“formattedCitation”:”¹”,”plainTextFormattedCitation”:”1″,”previouslyFormattedCitation”:”¹”},”properties”:{“noteIndex”:0},”schema”:”https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json”}1. The second goal involves the provision of contraceptives to teenagers and ensuring that they are adequately informed on how to use them. Lastly, this stage of teenage pregnancy prevention involves teaching them about the need to strengthen their life goals and plan on a long-term basis.
The secondary teenage preventive measures involve actively dealing with adolescents that have already gotten pregnant. Some of the measures in this stage involve early identification of pregnant teenagers and recognizing factors that have led to the failure to diagnose their pregnancy early and give them the necessary careADDIN CSL_CITATION {“citationItems”:[{“id”:”ITEM-1″,”itemData”:{“DOI”:”10.1097/MOP.0b013e3283555bee”,”ISBN”:”9780226475813″,”ISSN”:”1040-8703″,”PMID”:”22790099″,”abstract”:”Since 2005, New York City has undertaken several initiatives to reduce the city’s unintended teenage pregnancy rate, aiming to change the context of decisions to engage in sexual activity and to use contraception. These strategies included developmentally appropriate comprehensive sex education from middle school onward, the removal of barriers to access contraception, and reproductive health services that are youth friendly—particularly male youth friendly. Rates of teenage pregnancy and sexual activity declined while these programs were under way.\r\n\r\nThis brief is one in a series examining selected social service initiatives undertaken during the Bloomberg administration.”,”author”:[{“dropping-particle”:””,”family”:”Lavin”,”given”:”Claudia”,”non-dropping-particle”:””,”parse-names”:false,”suffix”:””},{“dropping-particle”:””,”family”:”Cox”,”given”:”Joanne E.”,”non-dropping-particle”:””,”parse-names”:false,”suffix”:””}],”container-title”:”Current Opinion in Pediatrics”,”id”:”ITEM-1″,”issued”:{“date-parts”:[[“2012″]]},”title”:”Teen pregnancy prevention”,”type”:”article-journal”},”uris”:[“http://www.mendeley.com/documents/?uuid=60af2610-20cd-492c-852c-e81477d2dda5″]}],”mendeley”:{“formattedCitation”:”²”,”plainTextFormattedCitation”:”2″,”previouslyFormattedCitation”:”²”},”properties”:{“noteIndex”:0},”schema”:”https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json”}2. These processes are then followed by highlighting pregnancy options that they have. Some of the pregnancy options available at this stage include abortion, adoption, or keeping the pregnancy. While providing these options it is important to be sensitive about the whole issue, look at the probable support systems for the teenager, enable therapeutic relationships between the teen and the parents and other social networks, consult the father of the baby, and provide the teenager with counseling choices.
Finally, tertiary preventive measures should include advising the teenagers on ways of preventing themselves from other unwanted pregnancies. Also, provision of positive support systems for the mother and infant interaction are essential at this stageADDIN CSL_CITATION {“citationItems”:[{“id”:”ITEM-1″,”itemData”:{“DOI”:”10.1097/MOP.0b013e3283555bee”,”ISBN”:”9780226475813″,”ISSN”:”1040-8703″,”PMID”:”22790099″,”abstract”:”Since 2005, New York City has undertaken several initiatives to reduce the city’s unintended teenage pregnancy rate, aiming to change the context of decisions to engage in sexual activity and to use contraception. These strategies included developmentally appropriate comprehensive sex education from middle school onward, the removal of barriers to access contraception, and reproductive health services that are youth friendly—particularly male youth friendly. Rates of teenage pregnancy and sexual activity declined while these programs were under way.\r\n\r\nThis brief is one in a series examining selected social service initiatives undertaken during the Bloomberg administration.”,”author”:[{“dropping-particle”:””,”family”:”Lavin”,”given”:”Claudia”,”non-dropping-particle”:””,”parse-names”:false,”suffix”:””},{“dropping-particle”:””,”family”:”Cox”,”given”:”Joanne E.”,”non-dropping-particle”:””,”parse-names”:false,”suffix”:””}],”container-title”:”Current Opinion in Pediatrics”,”id”:”ITEM-1″,”issued”:{“date-parts”:[[“2012″]]},”title”:”Teen pregnancy prevention”,”type”:”article-journal”},”uris”:[“http://www.mendeley.com/documents/?uuid=60af2610-20cd-492c-852c-e81477d2dda5″]}],”mendeley”:{“formattedCitation”:”²”,”plainTextFormattedCitation”:”2″,”previouslyFormattedCitation”:”²”},”properties”:{“noteIndex”:0},”schema”:”https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json”}2. Other tertiary measures include subjecting adolescent parents to relevant support groups that will guide them through the process of parenting and those that would enable them to accomplish their educational goals.
Some of the evident economic impacts of these measures include the costs of running the three prevention stages. The economic implications of sex education and provision of contraceptives are quite significant considering the large number of adolescents in the US, however, donor funding and federal budgetary input can easily offset these economic challenges. Some of the ethical implications of such interventions, especially those of abortion and adopting off their children, are quite dire and can easily divide a country on political groundsADDIN CSL_CITATION {“citationItems”:[{“id”:”ITEM-1″,”itemData”:{“DOI”:”10.1016/j.ogrm.2014.06.002″,”ISSN”:”17517214″,”abstract”:”Teenage pregnancy rates in the UK are amongst the highest in the developed world and are associated with high levels of socio-medical morbidity. Correspondingly, in the UK, teenage pregnancies are considered undesirable, but this is not the case in many non-European cultures. Recent education and enhanced contraception services are initiatives which have met with variable success. In this summary, we discuss these, and the welcome recognition of other contributing factors, such as poverty; unless such contributing factors are addressed, any prevention initiatives are threatened. The gynaecologist should be constantly prepared to consider the issue in any young woman.”,”author”:[{“dropping-particle”:””,”family”:”Ross”,”given”:”Sylvia”,”non-dropping-particle”:””,”parse-names”:false,”suffix”:””},{“dropping-particle”:””,”family”:”Baird”,”given”:”Aisling S.”,”non-dropping-particle”:””,”parse-names”:false,”suffix”:””},{“dropping-particle”:””,”family”:”Porter”,”given”:”Charlotte C.”,”non-dropping-particle”:””,”parse-names”:false,”suffix”:””}],”container-title”:”Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Reproductive Medicine”,”id”:”ITEM-1″,”issued”:{“date-parts”:[[“2014″]]},”title”:”Teenage pregnancy: strategies for prevention”,”type”:”article-journal”},”uris”:[“http://www.mendeley.com/documents/?uuid=eed4da2e-3fc4-4cb9-9a11-c114e08ace2c”]}],”mendeley”:{“formattedCitation”:”³”,”plainTextFormattedCitation”:”3″,”previouslyFormattedCitation”:”³”},”properties”:{“noteIndex”:0},”schema”:”https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json”}3. The issue of abortion is quite contentious both morally and politically, hence, it should be explored with a lot of caution.
In conclusion, teenage pregnancy is a dangerous vice that needs to be addressed direly. This paper thus elaborates on some of the primary, secondary, and tertiary measures that can be taken to arrest teenage pregnancy. In short, while there are many legal, ethical, economic, and political implications that are associated with some of these measures, the issue of teenage pregnancy has to be dealt with urgency to avoid its consequences, which are at times quite debilitating.
References
ADDIN Mendeley Bibliography CSL_BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Baird AS, Porter CC. Teenage pregnancy: strategies for prevention. Obstet Gynaecol Reprod Med. 2011. doi:10.1016/j.ogrm.2011.03.001
2. Lavin C, Cox JE. Teen pregnancy prevention. Curr Opin Pediatr. 2012. doi:10.1097/MOP.0b013e3283555bee
3. Ross S, Baird AS, Porter CC. Teenage pregnancy: strategies for prevention. Obstet Gynaecol Reprod Med. 2014. doi:10.1016/j.ogrm.2014.06.002