There was a time when pregnancy among teenagers became rampant. There were even reports that some teens got pregnant at the very tender age of 14. These findings now seem moot and academic since a huge decline in teen pregnancy has been noted in the past few decades. The numbers of American teens who become mothers are slowly declining, and the figures are only getting lower every year.
According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there has been a constant drop in the number of teens giving birth from 2007 up until 2011. The rate in the decline is pegged at 25% in all states. The most significant drop rate is noted amongst Hispanic teens, with a 34% decline.
Probable reasons
Experts believe that the decrease in number of American teens becoming very young mothers is due to the popular use of birth control methods. The current statistic is also a consequence of sex education programs. These days there are more organizations that are specifically created to administer programs to various states in helping youngsters to become more aware about relevant issues concerning teen pregnancy.
The benefits of being aware
A lot of teens do not have any concrete conceptualization of motherhood. The consequences of this ignorance only come out later on after they had already given birth. And problems just keep piling up from then on. This is the reason why organizations dedicated to administer programs regarding teen pregnancy were created. One of the largest and most active prime movers in this field is the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. One of the highlights of this program is educating teens on the use of contraceptives. According to Bill Albert, the chief program officer of the organization, there is now a wide variety of available contraceptives that teenagers may choose from.
A parent’s role
Programs regarding sex education and teen pregnancy awareness can only be as good as it gets. Studies have showed that such programs can be more effective if teens are being supported by their parents. According to Albert, teenagers say that their parents are the ones that influence them in making life decisions. It was also determined that teenagers feel safer in using contraceptives if supported by their parents.
Other factors influencing decline in teen pregnancy
Bill Albert has also attributed the decline in teen pregnancies to cultural trends. Studies conducted in areas where the effects of the recession are evident show that the occurrence of teens becoming mothers is quite rare. This finding suggests that teenagers can somewhat relate to the hardships their friends and families are facing and adjust their behaviors and activities accordingly.
The use of social media is also a huge factor in the decline of teen pregnancies according to recent studies. Reality TV shows showcasing teen mothers has been effective in making teenagers more aware about unplanned pregnancy. “16 and Pregnant” is one of the best examples of TV shows about teen pregnancy. A research was conducted among teen boys and girls that watched the show. According to the participants, watching the show made them realize about the hardships of teen pregnancy.
Photo Credit: Anti Teenage Pregnancies
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