Each year in the United States, over 11% of all women ages 15-19 become pregnant; this is twice as high as most industrial nations, including Canada, France, and England. Efforts to combat teen pregnancy have become increasingly more dependent upon school systems exposing the harsh realities of teen parenthood. This year, York High School has adopted one of the most cutting-edge programs in the country: Baby Think-It-Over. This program gives students a chance to experience pregnancy first-hand for one weekend.

When a student participates in the program, he or she is entrusted with a lifelike vinyl baby doll about 21 inches long, weighing as much as a newborn baby. Inside the baby is a computerized monitor that documents how well the head was supported, how long the baby cried, how often it was neglected, and how many times it was roughly handled. The box also contains a control that regulates the temperament of the baby. Settings include easy, normal, and cranky, which commands the baby to cry every 15 minutes. Easier settings require attention nearly every 6 hours. The participating student is given a key on a red medical bracelet that must be inserted into the baby each time it cries to imitate bathing, feeding, diaper-changing, and soothing. This time-consuming process may last anywhere from 5 to 35 minutes. At the end of the session—usually just one weekend—the baby must be returned to the school, where the sponsoring teacher may print off a “report card” stating how well the student took care of the baby during his or her designated period.

School nurse Caroll Register instituted the program at York High School using a grant from the York-Poquoson Family Services. “I think there is a need for this program, whether you see pregnant girls walking down the hall or not,” she said. “Statistics are showing that kids are becoming sexually active at younger and younger ages.”

Baby Think-It-Over is being used in conjunction with the sex education curriculum at the school, with teachers such as Susan Wiker even offering extra credit for participation. Wiker said, “It is a good opportunity to see what it’s like to set it up and take it everywhere. [Register] programs it to the ‘cranky’ setting.”

Over one million teens have participated in the program through their schools since its inception in 1993. Studies have revealed that the program is indeed an effective way to battle the teen pregnancy epidemic, stating that it has decreased teen pregnancy rates at certain schools by over 50%.

“All it takes is one moment of sexual activity for it to result in a lifelong commitment. That’s really what I want students to realize through this program,” Register said.