Did you know that the rate of teen pregnancies in 2010 was the lowest it’s been since 1946? Either teens are actually starting to pay attention or adults are getting involved and are willing to talk about it so they can make a difference. Either way, something is clicking with teens. The pregnancy rate dropped 37% between 1992 and 2005 and the birth rate dropped 33% in that same time period. These numbers, posted in a document developed by Advocates for Youth is helping to spread the word for National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month (NTPPM) which is going on right now, during the month of May.
Are you a teen? Are you at risk? Having unprotected sex and keeping your fingers crossed? According to statistics posted by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, in the US 3 in 10 girls get pregnant by the time they are 20 years old. Although girls in the United States begin to explore and experiment with sex at the same age as their European counterparts, they are more likely to get pregnant. Girls who become pregnant during their teen years are less likely to complete high school or college and more likely to live in poverty. Using contraception and delaying the start of sexual intercourse has made a huge difference in our numbers and teen pregnancies are the lowest they’ve been in 40 years, but we still have quite a ways to go.
Are you a parent, a business person, a religious leader? Reaching out to the teens in your life, supporting movements like this and encouraging open communication about the risks of teen pregnancy and prevention could change someone’s life. Advocates for Youth supplies communities and organizations with materials to promote teen pregnancy prevention using the vision of the “3Rs”. Teens have the Right to information and healthcare necessary for proper sexual health care and pregnancy prevention. They deserve the Respect of involving them in the planning and development of programs that affect their reproductive health. Society has a Responsibility to provide teens with the tools they need to make the right decisions and protect their own reproductive health and futures. Teens deserve access to pregnancy and STD testing and information to choose the right prevention method for them, whether it be celibacy, condoms, or hormonal birth control. We owe it to our future generations to pay attention so that they can have the brightest future possible.
Written by www.labtestingnow.com