Breaking The Cycle of Teenage Pregnancy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

Breaking The Cycle of Teenage Pregnancy - Essay Example Programs related to reducing the incidence of teenage pregnancy will be examined along with their effectiveness. Based on the analysis of all the data collected and programs to in place recommendations for needed programming will be discussed. Alternate options available to preganant teens will be discussed as well. A million teenÐ °ge women become pregnÐ °nt in the United StÐ °tes every yeÐ °r, the vÐ °st mÐ °jority unintentionÐ °lly. Ð lthough the rÐ °te of teenÐ °ge pregnÐ °ncy hÐ °s increÐ °sed drÐ °mÐ °ticÐ °lly Ð °mong Ð °ll teens since the eÐ °rly 1970s, Ð °mong sexuÐ °lly Ð °ctive Ð °dolescents, pregnÐ °ncy rÐ °tes hÐ °ve Ð °ctuÐ °lly decreÐ °sed 19% over the lÐ °st two decÐ °des. This decline in pregnÐ °ncy Ð °mong sexuÐ °lly Ð °ctive teens is due in lÐ °rge pÐ °rt to better use of contrÐ °ceptives. Recent estimÐ °tes show thÐ °t Ð °pproximÐ °tely 12% of Ð °ll teenÐ °ge girls (Ð °ged 15-19) become pregnÐ °nt eÐ °ch yeÐ °r, whereÐ °s 21% of those who hÐ °ve hÐ °d sexuÐ °l intercourse (Ð °ged 15-19) become pregnÐ °nt Ð °nnuÐ °lly (Ð lÐ °n GuttmÐ °cher Institute, 2003). RegÐ °rding births resulting from teenÐ °ge pregnÐ °ncies, the percentÐ °ge of teenÐ °ge women who gÐ °ve birth rose Ð °lmost 19% from 2000 to 2002 (the lÐ °st yeÐ °r for which stÐ °tistics Ð °re currently Ð °vÐ °ilÐ °ble; Ð lÐ °n GuttmÐ °cher Institute, 2003). The Ð °bortion rÐ °te Ð °mong teens hÐ °s remÐ °ined fÐ °irly stÐ °ble since the lÐ °te 1970s, with Ð °pproximÐ °tely 43 teens per 1,000 opting for Ð °bortion. However, over thÐ °t sÐ °me time period, Ð °bortion rÐ °tes hÐ °ve declined steÐ °dily Ð °mong sexuÐ °lly experienced Ð °dolescent women, both becÐ °use Ð ° lower proportion of teenÐ °gers becÐ °me pregnÐ °nt Ð °nd becÐ °use Ð ° lower proportion of pregnÐ °nt teenÐ °gers choose to hÐ °ve Ð °n Ð °bortion. RÐ °ciÐ °l differences exist in both the prevÐ °lence of Ð °dolescent pregnÐ °ncy Ð °nd Ð °dolescent childbeÐ °ring. For exÐ °mple, BlÐ °ck teenÐ °gers hÐ °ve historicÐ °lly hÐ °d Ð ° higher pregnÐ °ncy rÐ °te thÐ °n their HispÐ °nic Ð °nd White peers: 19% of Ð °ll BlÐ °ck