TEENAGE ABORTION

A RESOURCE FOR TEACHERS By Christina Lambeau

By Christina Lambeau

Introduction
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Many websites providing abortion information are either pro-life or prochoice. This website is neither pro-choice nor pro-life, but merely a presentation of factual information. I have attempted to present the information on this topic clearly, objectively, and accurately.

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On January 22, 1973, Congress granted the right to an abortion to be left between a woman and her physician. This case was the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. Roe v. Wade shifted the power from the states over to the Federal government, eliminating the variety of laws carried out by individual states. Twenty eight years after the landmark case, abortions are still made available to women of all ages, including adolescents.

For more information about the abortion laws see http://members.aol.com/abtrbng/

Today, about 33 percent of all teen pregnancies end in abortion (2) Of the 861,789 abortions reported in 1999, over half were to women under the age of 25 (2). Teenagers accounted for 19 percent of all abortions, or about 172,357 (2). Younger teenagers are more likely to have their pregnancy end in abortion compared with older teenagers. Girls under the age of 15 years old have the highest abortion ratio being 708 abortions per every 1000 births of women under the age of 15 (1). The abortion ratio tends to decrease as the teenager gets older. This indicates that an 18 year old woman who becomes pregnant is more likely to follow through with the pregnancy than 16 year old woman. Yet, teenagers that are older, specifically 18 and 19 years old, have the highest demand for abortion services. They alone demand 60% of all teenage abortions (1). Teenagers under the age of 15 only account for 3.5 percent of teenage abortions. This information tells us that older teenagers demand more abortions because comparatively, older teens have a higher rate of pregnancy. Therefore, they have a higher number of abortions.

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Race and Ethnicity

African American and Hispanic teenagers have higher pregnancy, birth and abortion rates. The rates of pregnancy, birth and abortion rates are based per 1,000 women aged 15-19, by race and ethnicity. In 2000, the pregnancy rate of black women was 153. The birth rate was 77 and the abortion rate was 55. In the same year, the pregnancy rate of Hispanic women was 138. The birth rate was 87 and the abortion rate was 30. Non-Hispanic white teenagers had the lowest rates of the race and ethnicity group. White teens pregnancy rates were 55. The birth rate was 32, and the abortion rate was 15(1).

Reduction in Teenage Abortion

Abortion rates among women under the age of 20 have decreased gradually since 1972. In 1972 it was reported that 32.6 of all abortions were obtained by women in their teens (2). That percentage dropped on average 3.7 percent as time went on. By 1999, 19.2 percent of all abortions were performed on teenagers (2). The declines in the abortion ratio and rate over time may reflect multiple factors. Studies show a decrease in the number of unintended pregnancies. It may also be due to changes in our education programs in schools, including an increased use of contraceptives. Also, it may be due to a reduced access to abortion serves, including the passage of abortion laws that affect adolescents.

What are the Risks and Benefits of Teenage Abortion?

Physical risks

Breast Cancer. The risk of breast cancer almost doubles after one abortion, and rises even further with two or more abortions. Cervical Cancer. Women who have had one abortion face a 2.3 relative risk of cervical cancer, compared to women who have never had an abortion. Placenta Previa. abortion increases the risk of placenta previa in later pregnancies

Emotional risks

Many women rationalize the need for an abortion, repressing any initial feelings of guilt. As a result, emotional reactions to abortion are delayed, sometimes for as long as five to 10 years.

Sad mood Sudden and uncontrollable crying episodes Deterioration of self-concept Sleep, appetite and sexual disturbances Reduced motivation Disruption in interpersonal relationships Extreme guilt and anxiety Psychological "numbing" Depression and thoughts of suicide

Benefits Many teenagers choose abortion for a variety of reasons. They are not ready for parenting, and feel that abortion is their best option. Studies have shown that:

Future prospects for teenagers decline significantly if they have a baby Teen pregnancy is closely linked to poverty and single Children of teens often have insufficient health care

Preventing Teenage Pregnancy

Despite the recently declining teen pregnancy rates, 34% of teenage girls get pregnant at least once before they reach age 20, resulting in more than 820,000 teen pregnancies a year. At this level, the United States has the highest rate of teen pregnancy in the fully industrialized world. High teen birth rates are an important concern because teen mothers and their babies face increased risks to their physical and mental health. Teen mothers are more likely to drop out of high school than girls who delay childbearing. (3) Putting What Works to Work (PWWTW) is a project of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy funded, in part, by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Through PWWTW, the Campaign will translate research on teen pregnancy prevention and related issues into user-friendly materials for practitioners, policymakers, and advocates. http://www.teenpregnancy.org/works/aboutpwwtw.asp?ad=true Advocates for Youth Advocates for Youth believe that people have a right to information that will help protect their reproductive and sexual health; that they deserve to be treated with respect; and that, when provided with information and support, they are capable of making responsible decisions. http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/index.htm

What Does This Mean For Teachers?

With teenage pregnancy comes teenage abortion. It is one of the many options that teenagers have when it comes to becoming pregnant. As teachers, we will be facing these issues with our students. Because abortion is such a controversial issue, it is not pushed by our education system as the preferred choice or a wrong choice. But, information of the procedure is still necessary to communicate to the students as an existing option. We cannot make the decisions for our students. Their decisions will be based on their own values and believes. It is our responsibility to educate our students about sexual education.

Students cite teachers and counselors as second only to their families as the most reliable sources of sexrelated information.(4)
Schools play a vital role in the lives of millions of children each year. By promoting educational success, developing skills that help build a positive future, and by helping young people to feel a strong sense of purpose, schools can help strengthen young peoples motivation to delay pregnancy and parenthood. We must provide students with guidance if they do become pregnant. They need to be educated on their options for their future. Here are some links to help guide teachers provide adequate information to their students.
Abortion: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/pp2/portal/medicalinfo/abortion/ Adoption: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/pp2/portal/medicalinfo/adoption/ Planned Parenthood: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/pp2/portal/medicalinfo/parenting/

Works Cited
(1) AGI Alan Guttmacher Institute. (2004, accessed 2005 September 25). U.S. Teenage Pregnancy Statistics, Overall Trends, Trends by Race and Ethnicity and Stateby-State Information [Online]. http://www.agi-usa.org/pubs/state_pregnancy_trends.pdf#search='teenagers%20abortion'

(2) NCCD -- National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (2002a, accessed 2005, October 1). Abortion Surveillance -- United States, 1999 [Online]. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5109a1.htm (3) PPFA -- Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. (2004a, accessed 2005, September 21). Teenagers, Abortion, and Government Intrusion Laws

(4) National Association of State Boards of Education. (1998) Policy update: The role of education in teen pregnancy prevention. Alexandra, VA: Policy Information Clearninghouse