Have you wondered how teen pregnancy can affects us? According to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancies (NCPTUP) every year more than 750,000 women or young girls get pregnant between the age 13 and 19. Furthermore, 3 in 10 girls in the U.S. get pregnant once by the age of 20.

Women or young girls are educated on how to prevent pregnancy, but the problem seems to be growing. According to this campaign, it is estimated that 85% of all teenage pregnancies are unplanned.

More than half of the teens who get pregnant report using some type of contraceptive and 90% of teen pregnancies could be a result of inconsistent use of contraceptives or failure in using them properly. It’s important to educate ourselves about teen pregnancy and to be knowledgeable about methods of how to prevent pregnancy. The methods to educate ourselves and to make the right choice of not getting pregnant at young age are many, but the one that works best and is safer is abstinence. According to NCPTUP, "Abstinence is the only guaranteed way for a teen to avoid pregnancy, and many teens find that abstinence has other benefits too." The benefit that abstinence has is of not getting sexual transmitted diseases such as AIDS.
  As we all know, teen pregnancy does affect us all the time. Students in SJHS tell us that it is problematic to get pregnant and be responsible with a baby at a young age. As senior Sherley Boursiquot said, "Well I think people should be very cautious between the ages of 13-19, especially if you’re not financially stable. Also, it’s the principle of things."

Senior Imani Ragin agrees with Sherley. She said, "Pregnancy between the ages 13 and 19 is not okay in my opinion because you are still a child yourself. With the pregnancy rate being 750,000, it is just showing irresponsibility, which is just outrageous. At those ages, kids shouldn’t be having sexual relations anyway; I think it’s ridiculous. To prevent pregnancy, the use of contraceptives should be used more consistently," she said.

 The media constantly teaches us how teen mothers struggle with their lives and with their education during their pregnancy and after they give birth. Television shows and movies that relate to teen pregnancies are "16 & Pregnant," "Teen Mom," "Secret Life of the American Teenager," "Juno," and "The Pregnancy Pact." Some students of SJHS have mixed feelings about the shows. Senior Kristeen Saint-Laurent says that teens should know what the consequences of being pregnant are and the struggles that they have to pass through. "At first I thought ‘16 and Pregnant’ was a great show because it showed the consequences of teenage pregnancy and the trials and tribulations of a teenage mother; but then there started to be sequels like ‘Teen Mom’ and the teen mothers became celebrities," she said. "They are encouraging girls to get pregnant and sign up for the show."

Senior Darielle Hickson feels that the show teaches us what could happen to us if we don’t take care and to be aware of the consequences of your actions. "It teaches you about what might occur in the future if you ended up pregnant but it also has its extremes," she said.

Raising a child is not just about dressing him or her with cute clothes; there’s a lot more responsibility that comes along with it. Guidance counselor S. Pat Lucas said she thinks that girls and boys should finish their education first. "Personally I think most girls don’t have the maturity and the meaning to really be a mother of a child. She should finish her education and earn enough money to raise the child," she said.

Young people need to hear strong and consistent messages about responsible sexual behavior. Positive life options give teens hope for the future and the motivation to avoid early childbearing.

For more information visit:

www.stayteen.org and www.kidshealth.org.