Teen pregnancy in the US

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Teen Pregnancy in the US
The most surprising information in the article by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy is the fact that, despite the significant success achieved through birth control practices in reducing teen pregnancies, the numbers for teen pregnancies remain alarmingly high with almost one million pregnancies in the United States each year involving teenage girls. There are many consequences associated with these pregnancies not only for teen mothers but also to the country as a whole. Teen mothers show a high school drop-out rate and are thus associated with low annual incomes. As a result, most of them rely on welfare at some stage in life. Child healthcare and lost tax revenue, as well as foster care, have led to an estimated $ 7 billion cost of teen pregnancies (National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy). Hence, more efforts are necessary to reduce the number of these pregnancies.
Parents have a critical role to play in preventing teen pregnancies through communication. One way to improve the adolescent-parent line of communication is by establishing affectionate relationships built on mutual trust and respect. If teens can feel a secure attachment to their parents, they will be likely willing to discuss and heed parents’ advice regarding early pregnancy and its effects on their lives. Communication can also be enhanced by setting rules and the standards of the expected behavior regarding dating and matters sexuality.

While it is important to accord freedom to adolescents, it is essential for parents to discuss with them the behavior that aids or harms their professional well-being (National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy).
Many factors contribute to teenagers’ involvement in sexual behavior and hence early pregnancies. These include peer pressure, absent parents, lack of knowledge about sex, teenage drinking, and uncontrolled media exposure. The parents’ involvement in a teen’s life is critical in preventing adolescents’ involvement in sexual activity. Parents should establish strong relationships with teens to discuss matters relating to sexuality and professional life, monitor their behavior and choice of friends, and control teens’ access to online sexual content.
Work cited
National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. “Whatever happened to childhood? The problem of teen pregnancy in the United States.” (1997): 6-11.