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Comprehensive Sex Education: the Most Effective Way to Prevent Teen Pregnancy

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Comprehensive Sex Education: the Most Effective Way to Prevent Teen Pregnancy
Charmion Roberts
Professor Kari Miller
English 1101-003
22 April 2013
Comprehensive Sex Education: The Most Effective Way to Prevent Teen Pregnancy
Americans are affected everyday by unplanned pregnancies. “Every year 400,000 babies are born to girls younger than age 19” (Foreman 26). There is no arguing that the teen unplanned pregnancy rate is high and according to The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, the American rate is still the highest in the industrialized world. The argument comes with what approach should be taken to reduce that rate. Two major approaches are abstinence only education and a more comprehensive approach that is all-encompassing. Abstinence-only education is usually provided by school based curriculum and it sometimes begins as early as age 10. The main component of these programs are just what the title says, abstinence only. We can all agree that abstinence is the only 100% way to prevent pregnancy, but a comprehensive approach teaches youth the importance of responsible sexual behavior, the selection of appropriate birth control, and aids in the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. Offering a multi-faceted approach, medically correct information, a birth control network, and disease prevention, the comprehensive approach to sex education has been proven to be the most effective way to reduce teen unplanned pregnancies.
The multi-faceted approach that is used with comprehensive sex education provides many options for being sexually responsible. A comprehensive approach to sex education provides young adults with programs through their school and many websites that are full of information. In consideration of those who support abstinence only programs I would like to point out that comprehensive sex education does teach abstinence and the fact that abstinence is the one true way to prevent pregnancy. However, what it does in addition to that is provide teens and young adults with additional,


Cited: Bearman, Peter and Hannah Bruckner. “Promising the Future: Virginity Pledges and First Intercourse” American Journal of Sociology Vol. 106 (Jan. 2001): 859-912 Print. “Comprehensive Sex Education: Research and Results” Advocates for Youth Web. 12 Apr. 2013 www.advocatesforyouth.org storage/advfy/documents/fscse.pdf Melby, Todd. “The End of Abstinence-Only?” Contemporary Sexuality 43.7 (2009): 1-7 Academic Search Complete. Web. 01 Apr. 2013 “Sex Education.” Advocates for Youth Web. 02 Apr. 2013 www.advocatesforyouth.org/sex education-home. “Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance 2010.” Centers for Disease Control Nov. 2011 Web. 03 Apr. 2013 www.cdc/gov/std/stats11. “Teenage Pregnancy.” Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection. Detroit: Gale, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 03 Apr. 2013. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. 2012 17 April 2013 Web. www.thenationalcampaign.org
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