Sexuality Education
Teens must be given the information necessary to protect themselves against unintended pregnancy and STDs.
The most successful programs aimed at reducing teenage pregnancy are those targeting younger adolescents who are not yet sexually experience.
The most effective programs in the U.S. combine medically accurate information on a variety of sexuality-related issues, including abstinence, contraception, safer sex, and the risks of unprotected intercourse and how to avoid them, as well as the development of communication, negotiation, and refusal skills. Teens who have sex education are half as likely to experience a pregnancy as those who attend abstinence-only programs ("Teen pregnancy: A," 2013)
Educational programs are most effective when they provide accurate information on both abstinence and contraception, are developmentally appropriate, encourage skill development, including decision-making, assertiveness and negotiation skills as well as life skills, training and goal setting.
Contraceptives
Greater access to and consistent use of birth control is essential to significantly reducing the number of unplanned pregnancies and abortions in the U.S.
A recent study found that 86 percent of the recent decline in teen pregnancy rates was due to more teens using contraceptives. Highly effective methods of birth control such as the pill or the intrauterine device (IUD) are more than 99% effective when used consistently and correctly, and there are encouraging studies showing the steep declines in unplanned pregnancy and abortion that can result when cost and access barriers to birth control are removed.
Teens having access to contraceptives at low cost as well as education on how to use them will help reduce teen pregnancies.
Services
After-school programs reduce risky behavior by involving teens in activities that provide safe settings and positive role models. One study found that the likelihood of teens having sex for the first time increases with the number of unsupervised hours teens have during a week.
After-school programs help reduce the rate of teen pregnancy by instilling good decision-making skills and positive role models in a supervised setting.
Teenage girls who play sports are more likely to delay sex, have fewer partners, and are less likely to become pregnant
Focusing on High Risk Populations For those teens at highest risk of pregnancy, effective prevention strategies include improving educational and economic opportunities and/or intervening in the numerous social and psychological factors associated with sexual risk-taking. Strategies should be designed for the individual young people and need to include access to…
-Psychosocial counseling, including treatment for sexual abuse, drug and alcohol use, and/ or family distress
-Mentoring programs for youth to develop a close relationship with an adult
-Educational opportunities, including tutoring and access to higher education
-Recreational activities such as sports, drama, and social club
- Vocational and job skills, including job placement
- Community service opportunities
Reference
Teen pregnancy: A Preventable Epidemic . (2013, January 1). Retrieved from http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/media/fact-sheets/teen-pregnancy-preventable- epidemic.pdf
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