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Ngozi Ozumba
Professor Collins
ENGL 1302
04 May 2016
Preventing Teen Pregnancy
Teen pregnancy and birth rates have dropped in the United States generally over the past
years. A remarkable headway has been made in all fifty states across all racial or ethnic divides.
Nonetheless, teen pregnancy and childbearing in the United States still constitutes a crucial
public health issue with rates exceeding those of other industrialized nations. The National
Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, a private, non-profit, non-partisan
association with a goal to enhance the lives and future potentials of children and families was
created to help deal with the issue. They help to ensure that children are born into secure, dualparent families devoted to the demanding task of raising the next generation. The campaign
reports that the teen pregnancy rate in the United States (US), which takes into consideration all
pregnancies, not just those resulting in births, as of the year 2011 was fifty-two pregnancies per
1,000 teen girls from fifteen through nineteen years of age. This represents 553,000 teen
pregnancies. This rate has decreased by fifty- five percent compared to its peak in 1990, and by
nine percent since 2013 (2014). As of 2010, the United States government spent $9.4 billion on
teen childbearing.
Teenage pregnancy rates differ considerably from state to state. Currently Texas ranks
forty-five out of the fifty states with regards to the teen pregnancy rate, and forty-six in teen birth
rate (The National Campaign, 2014).The National Campaign reveals that in Texas, though the
teen pregnancy rate has reduced drastically by forty-four percent since 1988, and by eleven

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percent from 2010, it still remains at sixty-five pregnancies per 1,000 teen girls from fifteen to
nineteen years of age, comprising 59,570 teen pregnancies. This along with the birthrate in Texas
remains comparably higher than that of other states. The public expenditure in Texas in 2010 on
teen childbearing totaled 1.1 billion dollars (The National Campaign, 2014). Dr. Danawi, who
has a doctorate in Epidemiology from the University of Texas at Houston, in his collaboration
with fellow epidemiologists, Bryant and Hasbini, observes that prevailing social and cultural
components such as education, income, living environment, social support networks and cultural
perceptions may influence the teen pregnancy rate (Targeting Unintended Teen Pregnancy,
2016). Pregnancy in teenagers is a health concern that profoundly impacts the teen parents
involved, their offspring, as well as the society in general. Teen mothers are likely to encounter
serious social issues such as disruption of education, poverty, dangerous behaviors that give rise
to poor health issues, repeat incidents of teen pregnancy, and dependence on child welfare.
Educational accomplishment is hard for the young, burdened, unprepared mother and this limits
economic opportunities and lifetime earnings. Kirby, a Senior Research Scientist, hypothesizes
that the offspring of teenage mothers are likely to experience less encouraging and stimulating
home environs, more behavioral problems, educational deficits, lower cognitive development,
and increased rates of both teenage childbearing and incarceration especially for males
(Emerging Answers 2007). The financial burden of teen pregnancy and subsequent childbirth is
devastating. To prevent teen pregnancy, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) should partner with
schools to implement Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programming by including appropriate,
comprehensive sex education as part of the curriculum for grades five through twelve.
Comprehensive sex-education programs, also referred to as abstinence-plus education
programs emphasize improving the outcomes of sexual and reproductive health by promoting

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sexual abstinence, teaching about contraceptive methods including the use of condoms, and
engaging young teens in age-appropriate discussions about sexually transmitted diseases
(STD)/Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and abortion. The key objectives of
comprehensive sex education from one perspective center on empowering adolescents to delay
the initiation of sexual intercourse until such a time as they are adequately prepared for mature
relationships. This educational approach imparts young people with a knowledge base which
enables them to make informed decisions towards molding a healthy lifestyle. For
comprehensive sex education to be effective, it should comprise a strong abstinence message as
well as accurate information about pregnancy prevention and safe sex practice. Emerging
Answers suggests that the common features of effective programs include their content or subject
matter, development and application. Furthermore, such programs alter contributory factors such
as knowledge, peer norms, self-efficacy, attitudes and intentions, and consequently influence
behavior (Kirby, 2007). A school-based comprehensive sex education program with a designated
curriculum will evidently yield desired outcomes because the school is the institution second
only to the family in regular contact with a substantial proportion of the teen population. A fairly
considerate number of young teens attend school prior to the initiation of risk-taking sexual
behavior.
In order to design an effective program model, an assessment of the needs and resources
of the school communities should be carried out prior to the onset of the program. Focus groups
with teens, parents or guardians, and school faculty should also be conducted. This helps to gain
an insight into their views and opinions about teen sex, teen pregnancy, communication between
the students and their parents with regards to these topics, abstinence, contraception, sex
education, relationships, and the goals as well as aspirations of the teens. Such programs would

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be implemented in schools as full school-year programs or multiyear programs involving
student-educator interactions, homework assignments, interactive video-based, drama, and
computer-based sessions, small, accessible group discussions and participation. Comprehensive
sex education classes will be taught by trained teachers who will function as facilitators. These
could be school nurses, guidance counselors, social workers, health education teachers and new
teachers who express an interest to teach sex education. Instructors can also include unbiased
educators with an ability to understand the importance of fidelity to the curriculum as well as
teachers who have a cordial relationship with students and also serve as positive role models for
the students. Facilitators will undergo training for certification which will entail refresher courses
about the fundamentals of sex and reproductive health, a Sex 101 of sorts. During this training
the significance of student retention, accuracy of the program, and pre/post surveys for the
overall success of the project will be discussed. The objective of the training is to build
confidence and make the educators conversant with the curriculum. The TEA will assume the
role of providing continued support to schools and facilitators to ensure success of the program.
Necessary materials and incentives such as pencils, pens, stickers, and mini snacks can be
provided to help faculty promote classroom participation by the students.
Sex education should be started early, prior to students becoming sexually active,
preferably in late primary school. The curriculum at every point of comprehensive sex education
should be designed at a level appropriate to the age of the students. At the late primary stage,
students would be instructed about the early stages of puberty, which many fifth graders are
beginning to experience. This program will help the older primary school students comprehend
the physical and psychological changes they experience during puberty, and recognize such
changes as a normal part of growth and development. Students will also learn the physiology of

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their bodies and correct terminologies for various parts of the reproductive system. They will
also grasp the importance of personal hygiene. The curriculum for older students will include
instructions on sound communication and decision-making competence, sexual abstinence,
media influences, strategies to refrain from early sexual behavior, and reproductive biology.
Additional lessons will include sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), proper usage and
effectiveness of various contraceptive methods, decreased frequency of sexual activity, fewer
sexual partners, and consequences of unplanned teen pregnancy and parenthood. In Emerging
Answers, Kirby acknowledges that increasing proof exists to demonstrate that programs with a
parental involvement component can result in improved communication between parents and
their young wards concerning sexual behavior, and this positively influences adolescent sexual
behavior in adolescent recipients of comprehensive sex education.
The relevant type of sex education that should be taught in public schools in the US
remains a major topic of debate hinged upon whether abstinence- only or comprehensive sex
education should be the education of choice. In their publication, Collins et.al report that
abstinence-only education stresses total abstinence from sex, and entails discussions about
morals, character-building, and refusal skills. According to this article, this type of sex education
fails to acknowledge the fact that many teenagers will ultimately become sexually active.
Consequently, it provides no instructions about contraception, the use of condoms, or abortion,
and mentions STDs and HIV as the rationale to remain abstinent (Abstinence Only vs.
Comprehensive Sex Education). On the other hand, comprehensive sex education while typically
encouraging abstinence as the best recourse for young teenagers, equips them with information
about how to protect themselves should they engage in sex (Abstinence Only vs. Comprehensive
Sex Education, 2002). The proponents of abstinence-only education argue that comprehensive

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sex education promotes sexual activity in young teens. Stanger-Hall et.al, of the University of
Georgia, Athens, asserts that this view has been largely supported and generously funded by the
US government which advances abstinence-only education through a host of initiatives. Such
policies include the Adolescent Family Life Act (AFLA), Special Projects of Regional and
National Significance-Community-Based Abstinence Education (SPRANS-CBAE), and the
Welfare Reform legislation of 1996 (Abstinence-Only and Teen Pregnancy Rates, 2011). These
programs essentially advocate teaching that abstinence from sexual activity outside the confines
of marriage is the expected norm for all children of school age, and that pre-marital sex is likely
to have detrimental physical and psychological effects.
In the article, Abstinence-Only and Comprehensive Sex Education and the Initiation of
Sexual Activity and Teen Pregnancy, published by health and epidemiology experts at the
University of Washington, Seattle, Kohler et.al conclude based on research evidence that there is
no association between teaching about contraception and increased risk of sexual activity or
STDs in adolescents. Studies also confirmed that teens who received abstinence-plus education
had a decreased risk of pregnancy compared to the recipients of abstinence-only or no sex
education (Kohler et.al, 2007). In an independent study, Kirby observes that no strong evidence
exists to support the claim that abstinence-only programs delay sex or reduce sexual behavior.
He concludes that comprehensive programs neither hastened sexual debut nor escalated the
frequency of sex, but rather had a positive effect on factors that influenced behavior and
ultimately reduced pregnancy rates as well as STD risks. (Emerging Answers, 2007). StangerHall et.al also concur that evidence exists to prove that increasing emphasis on sexual abstinence
correlates positively with teen pregnancy and birth rates (Abstinence-Only Education and Teen
Pregnancy Rates, 2011).

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In spite of multiple evidential proof demonstrating that abstinence-only education is
neither effective at reducing teen pregnancy and birth rates, nor does it decrease the rate of
occurrence of STDs amongst teens, Texas continues to promote this type of sex education in
schools. The choice of what program works to prevent teen pregnancy should be informed by
accurate, evidence-based data, not conceptions fueled by sentiments, religiosity or cultural
norms. Federal, state, congressional and local stipulations that direct public funds to finance
abstinence-only programs should be re-channeled towards funding comprehensive programs. In
order to bring about a lasting and effective solution to the growing problem of teen pregnancy in
the state of Texas, it is imperative for the TEA to switch gears by including comprehensive sex
education as part of a state-wide curriculum to be taught in schools. To continue fostering
abstinence-only education would be a great injustice and disservice to young people.

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Works Cited
Collins, Chris, Priya Alagiri, Todd Summers, and Stephen F. Morin. "Abstinence Only vs.
Comprehensive Sex Education: What Are the Arguments? What Is the Evidence?"
Abstinence Only vs. Comprehensive Sex Education: (n.d.): n. pag. Ebooks on Everything.
2002. Web. 12 Apr. 2016.

Danawi, Hadi, Zenobia Bryant, and Tala Hasbini. "Targeting Unintended Teen Pregnancy In The
U.S." International Journal Of Childbirth Education 31.1 (2016): 28-31. Health
Source:

Nursing/Academic Edition. Web. 12 Apr. 2016.

Kirby, Douglas. "Emerging Answers: Research Findings on Programs To Reduce Teen

Pregnancy." ERIC. National Campaign To Prevent Teen Pregnancy, 2001. Web. 12 Apr.
2016.

Kohler, Pamela K., Lisa E. Manhart, and William E. Lafferty. "Abstinence-Only and
Comprehensive Sex Education and the Initiation of Sexual Activity and Teen
Pregnancy." Journal of Adolescent Health 42.4 (2008): n. pag. Science Direct. Elsevier,
2016. Web. 27 Apr. 2016.

Stanger-Hall, Kathrin F., and David W. Hall. "Abstinence-Only Education and Teen Pregnancy
Rates: Why We Need Comprehensive Sex Education in the U.S." PLOS ONE:. Ambra,
14 Oct. 2011. Web. 27 April 2016.

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"Texas." The National Campaign. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned
Pregnancy, 2016. Web. 20 Apr. 2016.