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The Facts About Teenage Pregnancy & Abortion

According to the National Abortion Federation, the average age at which people lose their virginity is 17. This puts a vast number of teenagers and young adults at a risk for pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. In fact, recent studies state that there are one million teenage pregnancies a year in the US – ten times higher than other industrialized nations such as Japan and the Netherlands. The topic of teenage pregnancy continues to be a controversial one and there are several efforts being made in the areas of education, public health, media, and religious institutions to remedy the situation.

Kids Gone Wild

The issue of teenagers and sex is a sensitive one. The continuing rise in the numbers of teenage pregnancies can be attributed to factors such as lack of proper sex education and the portrayal of sex by the media. In addition to this, teenagers may lack the maturity required to practice safe sex. Unprotected sex in turn increases the chances of an unplanned pregnancy. Teen pregnancies are also often a result of sexual abuse and date rapes. In such cases, dealing with a teen pregnancy becomes even more difficult.

Abortion Rates on the Rise

As the number of teen pregnancy rises, it is not surprising that the abortion rates increase as well. The National Abortion Federation estimates that women younger than 25 account for more than half of the number of abortions performed. Other teen abortion facts state that nearly 35% of all teen pregnancies end in abortion.

Putting the Choice in Pro Choice

The laws regarding teenagers and abortion vary from state to state. As of 2010, 34 states require parental consent before an abortion. While in most cases, at least one parent is aware of the pregnancy, there are still a large number of cases where young girls are unable to obtain parental consent. They then resort to illegal 'back-alley' abortions or dangerous self-induced abortions. These efforts more often than not result in the death of these young women.

A Difficult Decision

Teenage pregnancy can be difficult to deal with for all concerned. It can affect the teen as well as her parents and other siblings. Young teenage mothers are often forced to give up their plans of higher education. An uncertain future and fewer job opportunities can affect the standard of living of both mother and child. Apart from financial circumstances, pregnancies are often dangerous for young girls. Due to an underdeveloped pelvis, girls below the age of fourteen tend to have a difficult labor and complicated childbirth. Lack of family support and mature personal relationships can create a situation where abortion is often the only solution.

In order to find a real solution to the problems of teenage pregnancies, there needs to be a combination of efforts and approaches. These include:

• Sex education needs to be offered in schools with an emphasis on creating awareness of the risks of unprotected sex and STDs.
• Parents need to take more responsibility for the actions of their children and religious institutions should become more involved.
• There needs to be access to free or subsidized forms of birth control. Government policies aimed at tackling the problem of teen pregnancies should also be aimed at improving the education and employment opportunities of young girls who are at a high risk of becoming pregnant.

In this way, society can provide young teens with the resources they require to create a better life for themselves and the generations to come.

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