Birth Control Teenage Birth Control

Birth Control

Teenage Birth Control

Teen pregnancy continues to be one of the biggest problems facing many teenaged girls. One writer notes, "One of every 10 teenage girls in the United States now becomes pregnant each year" (Kasun). Even though more sex-education programs have begun throughout the United States, many preach abstinence as a form of birth control, and studies indicate abstinence simply does not work. Studies indicate that many parents avoid the topic of sex with their children, and leave education up to the schools (Curran, and Witt), which can create a lack of education choices for many teens. Studies also indicate teens are having sex earlier.

There are many opponents of teen birth control who argue allowing teens easy access to birth control without parental notification will simply increase teen sexuality. They encourage teens to engage in abstinence as a form of birth control. However, anyone, young or old, who has found themselves in a romantic situation knows that often common sense and morals are tossed aside in the heat of passion. Abstinence does not work, and teens should be allowed to obtain birth control as protection against teen pregnancy.

Many conservatives want to shut down clinics that offer birth control choices to teens (Scully 4). However, even when birth control is available, but parents must be notified, many teens do not take the steps to obtain birth control, and they suffer the life-changing results - pregnancy. Studies indicate that most teen mothers do not finish high school, and spend much of their lives in poverty. They also indicate many children of teenage mothers will grow up to be teenage mothers themselves (Simmons A21). Thus, teenage pregnancy has ramifications far beyond the birth of a child. To give a fair chance to all children, teens should have access to birth control without parental consent, allowing older, more mature women to have children, and reducing the number of teen pregnancies across the country.