Teenage pregnancy is a socially, economically, physically and emotionally complex issue. The good news is that teenage pregnancy is avoidable. The vast majority of teen pregnancies (at least 82 percent) are unintended.
But research has shown that science-based, comprehensive sexuality education, contraceptive access and youth development programs can help young people make choices that can protect them from unintended pregnancy.
Teens need youth-friendly services and complete, accurate information about abstinence, condoms, and contraception in order to protect themselves from unintended pregnancy. But they also need to be able to envision a positive future for themselves: one in which education, employment, and healthy relationships are possible.
What can parents do to prevent adolescent pregnancies?
- Providing candid personal views about sexual morals and attitudes
- Having early, frequent and to-the-point talks with children about sex
- Supervision and monitoring of children and teenagers
- Finding out who your children's friends and families are
- Shunning early, repeated and constant dating
- Discouraging girls from dating boys significantly older than they are and sons from having strong relationships with girls much younger than they are
- Motivating teenagers to have higher goals for their future that are much better than premature pregnancies and parenthood
- Being clear about how highly you value education and your equally high expectations for their future
- Establish the media your children are exposed to with an aim to discourage any that propagates behavior that may lead to early sex and pregnancies
- Build a strong and close relationship with your children right from the start so as to effectively communicate all these preventative steps listed above.
About video: Stephanie sits down with teen specialist Vanessa Van Petten, author and creator of RadicalParenting.com to get information on how to prevent teen pregnancy.
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