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Teen Birth Control Birth Control

Last reviewed: November 27, 2009 ~7 min read

Teen Birth Control

Birth control is a global issue, with people everywhere having come across the problem at a certain point in their lives. The matter is critical because an unwanted pregnancy or a sexually transmitted disease can have a devastating effect on one's life. People generally prefer to avoid the topic, immaturely believing that they are immune to problems relating to their sexual life. In spite of its rather boring character, the most effective method of keeping away from pregnancy is abstinence. Of course, one does not have to be abstinent their whole life from fear of an unwanted baby. In the present, birth control is one of the most divisive problems discussed among teenagers, as, unlike most adults, the general number of adolescents is unprepared both psychologically and financially to have a baby.

Sexually active teenagers need to be instructed properly by their families and by people specially assigned to do so, so that they do not affect themselves and their future. In spite of the fact that men generally prefer to evade having to use condoms, motivating that their sensation is being limited by them, teenagers should always use one, since it is virtually one of the easiest methods of birth control.

It is rather difficult for teenagers to make good use of the advices that they hear concerning their sexual life. Their entourage definitely has a more profound effect on them and on their thinking. Adolescents generally believe that a healthy sexual life is one without any form of outside intervention that involves birth control. Considering this, a teenager might be inclined to suppose that he or she can control the consequences of their sexual intercourses by choosing the right partners and by knowing when to avoid insemination.

The general public's opinion relating births outside marriage is that teenagers are the main reason for such occurrences. However, it seems that the outside marriage births provoked by teenagers only represent a small number from the overall percentage. According to Isabel V. Sawhill, women over 20 are accountable for 70% of all births that occur outside marriage.

Apparently, it seems that adults are less capable of controlling child birth than are teenagers. Even with that, one cannot take this assumption for granted, since there are several variables intervening in the situation.

There are a lot of chances for first child births outside marriage to occur during adolescence, and, once having gave birth, people are less capable of preventing another unwanted pregnancy. Births among teenagers are known to cost the state large amounts of money every year. These are two strong determinants in preventing childbirth during teenage years, as the happening would bring distress both to the persons involved in the problem and to the whole nation. It is difficult for a single mother to raise a child on her own, not to mention the difficulties that emerge when the respective woman is a teenager. An adolescent single mother is inclined to abandon school in favor of raising her child, and, thus, has smaller chances of being able to support her offspring later in the future. Most children that are a result of an unwanted birth during their mother's adolescence are likely to encounter a great deal of problems when concerning their health condition and their relation to society.

It is generally believed that religious communities have smaller chances of coming across problems such as teen child birth. Apparently, despite of the fact that "only half of the states listed among the ten most conservatively religious also appear in the list of ten states with the highest teen birth rates, researchers behind the latest study say increased religiosity in residents of states in the U.S. strongly predicted a higher teen birth rate." (Eric Young 2009) Most probably, the main reason for the high birth rate during teenage years in religious districts is that religion has a tendency to discourage the use of contraceptives. Religious communities in schools encourage various programs with the intention of having teenagers ready to go through diverse social difficulties. However, they constantly tend to go over the topic of contraception, as religion does not support it.

Even after seeing the effect that unwanted births have on teenagers, religious communities are not supportive towards birth control. Irresponsible adults condemn birth control, claiming that the government should finance proper education, instead of investing into something that they believe is not a true necessity.

Even with the fact that religious communities do not support birth control programs, Americans generally appear to be encouraging teenagers to use contraception. A large percentage from the general public believes that birth control should be covered by health insurances. Also, they believe that sex education should involve issues concerning contraception through abstinence. There are a number of educational institutions supporting the concept of teaching teenagers that they have to be abstinent. However, these respective institutions fail from addressing matters such as birth control. Cheryl Wetzstein claims that birth rates among adolescents are not influenced by the fact that they are being taught that they should be abstinent.

Having teenagers learn a great deal about sexual abstinence and nothing about birth control means that the state is willing to invest into programs that actually have little to no effect on adolescents.

The best method for governments to prevent high birth rates among teenagers would be for them to teach adolescents how to have sex, instead of teaching them that sex is bad and that they should avoid performing the act.

The fact that a teenage mother is not physically prepared to support child birth in good conditions can have a bad effect on the child's birth. In addition, there is a large probability for the child to be affected by his or her mother's inadequate abilities to raise them. Studies show that mothers that give birth during adolescence are likely to become inseminated again shortly after giving birth to their first child.

With the countless measures of contraception existing in the present, it is very easy for teenagers to prevent unwanted pregnancies. There are a number of adolescents complaining that they cannot use contraception because of the costs that such methods involve. However, government-supported programs are known to give away condoms and birth control pills to teenagers, for free. Taking this into account, it is virtually impossible for unwanted pregnancies to appear, with the only thing that teens have to do in order to avoid child birth being to consult their sexual education teachers.

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PaperDue. (2009). Teen Birth Control Birth Control. PaperDue. https://www.paperdue.com/essay/teen-birth-control-birth-control-16995

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