Surname 1

Students Name

Professors Name

Course Title

Date

The Best Way to Prevent Teenage Pregnancy

Teenage pregnancy refers to a situation that involves adolescents bearing offsprings at an

early age due to premarital sex. Pregnancy can be a scary thing if it comes at an early age.

According to the statistics revealed by NARAL Pro-Choice one out of three teenagers is revealed

to be pregnant before reaching the adult age (NARAL Pro-Choice America n.p). The main

reason contributing to the early pregnancy is the innate curiosity teenagers tend to have at their

early age. Also, there is the aspect of incomplete development from the perceptions of mentality,

cognition, psychosocial, and emotional capabilities. Thus, most teenagers often forget the

repercussions of early pregnancy. While the pregnancy can be accidental, it is of equal

importance to take note of the situation and intervene. Various preventive measures can be

embraced but finding the best solution among the proposed solutions can be challenging as it

requires other considerations such as cost-effectiveness and feasibility.

There are many methods that can be used to prevent pregnancy among teenagers and the

best one so far is abstinence (Darroch, Jacqueline E. et al. 244). Embracing abstinence can lead

to a hundred percent control of teen pregnancy. Avoiding sexual intercourse until an individual is

betrothed can be a magnificent way of having decent marriages. Presently this method is referred

to as saving oneself.' It is easy to teach teenagers to abstain, but much challenge comes in the

maintenance part as not every couple fathom their teenage to the required level. Lack of much

understanding of these parents is due to the reason that most teenagers never have open
 Surname 2

relationships with their parents thereby paving the way of abnormal activities. Parents should

make themselves more available to their children and build a stronger relationship which can

enhance openness in a family. This implies that there is a need to embrace group discussions in a

family concerning abstinence. However, one problem comes along with such a strategy. The

more parents and other practitioners talk about sex, the more the teens continue to resist the urge

of indulging in premarital sex. With this in mind, some teens live to rebel against parents, and

this could escalate premarital sex through peer influence. Abstinence talks should, therefore, be

carried out with many precautions as they can trigger teenage pregnancy in one way or the other

through the major saying of curiosity killed the cat.'

Sexual abstinence is effective as it guarantees no risk of contracting pregnancy and also

protects the teenager against getting STDs. For decades measures to prevent teen pregnancy

through enhancing abstinence has been viewed as a religious belief. Nevertheless, in research

conducted by Khouzam Hani R. (709), it is determined that sexual abstinence is not affiliated

with any health risks and it should be presented and promoted as the best method for unplanned

pregnancies. Therefore, it is crucial to teach abstinence as a way of preventing pregnancy rather

than a moral or religious belief. The study of Khouzam involved 7,000 Utah teens who were

subjected to the various teachings of abstinence as the only way of preventing pregnancy. The

participants were surveyed three times based on the attitude they exhibited, and after the

teachings, the studies found that there was a significant reduction in teenage pregnancy as most

of them remained virgin compared to those who never attended the training (Khouzam, Hani R.

710-711). Such a result increases the need for more provision of abstinence courses in schools in

order to make the teens to realize the responsibilities that accompany premarital sex and early

pregnancies. More information from every organization and various people would make the
 Surname 3

teens think critically and make sound decisions. Thus, it is crucial to teach teens the health merits

of remaining abstinent. Apart from health benefit, it is worth taking note that no cost comes with

embracing abstinence and therefore this could be one of the most feasible methods for preventing

teen pregnancy.

Educating the teens about abstinence at a very early age should be taken with many

precautions as it develops their curiosity in many ways towards the whole ideology of sex rather

than reducing it due to the presence of inquisitive and mischievous characteristics of most teens.

Although this might be true, still, if the teenagers are not educated early enough using sound

practical ways then they will continue to indulge in premarital sex without much concern

regarding the badness associated with it. Without proper control measures, it would be more

dangerous following the stage of their life as this is the stage where they are more vulnerable.

Another thing worth taking note of and as a form of refutation is the strict surveillance that

would come with education due to stricter rules. As a result, teenagers rebel and end up

becoming disobedient to their parents (Easton, Mark n.p). With better parenting, it would be

possible to prevent such situations from happening as parents would embrace rational methods of

parenting that would benefit both the teenagers and the parents. Better parenting does not solely

focus on imparting strict rules but also being open-minded and weighing the outcome every

decision would have on both sides.

Besides the embracing of abstinence as a way of preventing teenage pregnancy, most

schools have taught another alternative prevention method that involves the use of

contraceptives. Although abstinence is the best method, some irrational individuals can still

involve in sexual relations. For this reason, it is crucial for the teens to be educated about the

various contraceptive techniques and how to use them in most responsible ways possible.
 Surname 4

Nevertheless, what the schools teach about contraceptives never seem to be enough as most of

the educators only say that never have sex and if you need to then use a condom (Khouzam,

Hani R. 709). So, teenagers end up not being exposed to extensive information regarding the

various methods of birth control and other available methods apart from using condoms alone.

Some educators who have had a chance of teaching about contraceptives only talk about the

inefficacy affiliated with their usage as far as preventing pregnancy and diseases is concerned.

Along with the information that should be provided is the information regarding the various birth

control methods. The lack of information regarding proper usage of contraceptives has made

most teenagers continue indulging in unprotected sex as they do not seek information from their

parents too. Thus, protection is made unavailable to them.

Conclusively, there are various consequences that come with teenage pregnancy. Teens

must be made aware of the harsh reality that comes with raising a kid and the negative effects of

unplanned pregnancy. Parents and schools should step up the teaching methods they have

regarding the effects of unplanned pregnancy. Parents have strong influences on their children

and can make them reconsider their sexual decisions at the adolescent stage. Similarly, schools

can also provide the necessary information regarding prevention of teenage pregnancies and

encourage the teenagers to make the right decision when it comes to matters pertaining to sex.

Therefore, adults should provide teens with thorough acquaintances of abstinence as it is the

most feasible, cost-effective, and workable method of reducing pregnancy. Also, the teenagers

should be taught about the consequences of sex.

 Surname 5

Works Cited

Darroch, Jacqueline E. et al. "Differences in Teenage Pregnancy Rates Among Five Developed

Countries: The Roles of Sexual Activity and Contraceptive Use." Family Planning

Perspectives, vol 33, no. 6, 2001, p. 244. JSTOR, doi:10.2307/3030191.

Easton, Mark. "Is the Teen Rebel a Dying Breed? - BBC News". BBC News, 2012,

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-19786264.

Khouzam, Hani R. "Promotion of Sexual Abstinence: Reducing Adolescent Sexual Activity and

Pregnancies." Southern Medical Journal, vol 88, no. 7, 2005, pp. 709-711. Southern

Medical Association, doi:10.1097/00007611-199507000-00002.

NARAL Pro-Choice America, "Teen Pregnancy: A Preventable Epidemic - NARAL Pro-Choice

America". NARAL Pro-Choice America, 2014,

https://www.prochoiceamerica.org/report/teen-pregnancy-preventable-epidemic/.