In the United States, twenty six states allow minors, defined as children twelve and older, to consent to contraceptive services; Michigan allows some minors, such as those who are married or have previously been pregnant, to consent; four states have no standing laws or policy (“An Overview” 1-2). The contraceptive access also varies across the country. Some states require comprehensive sexual education and for teens to be able to access contraceptives. Some lean more towards abstinence only education in the hopes teens will steer away from sexual activities. There are also scattered clinics where teens can receive birth control. For many parents, this term conjures up images of teenage sex or pregnancy, which can cause them to ignore its …show more content…
The parents have since partnered with a conservative nonprofit legal organization, Pacific Justice Institute, in hopes of pulling the program from the schools as they suspect Planned Parenthood is attempting to coerce the teens into having sex in order to receive more funding for abortions (Culp-Ressler 5-6). They are convinced access to contraceptives will increase the rates and risks of teenage sex. The parents believe they should be able to opt their children out of sex education and prevent them from accessing birth control. They decide that removing the ability for safe sex will force children into abstinence.
In truth, contraceptive access will not increase the rates of teen sex, according to a 2017 paper co-authored by five John Hopkins doctors and pediatricians (Gebelhoff 7). The pamphlet used to help teens decide if they are ready should be viewed as a good thing because it gives students reasons not to proceed (Culp-Ressler 4). Additionally, John Hopkins says, teenagers on the pill or other hormonal birth control options are more likely to be protected from pregnancy than those who use condoms because the pill has a lower rate of failure and is not influenced by pressures in the moment (Gebelhoff 8). Hormonal birth control is more effective at preventing pregnancy, but it would be impossible for most teen girls with reluctant parents to obtain if states require parental permission due to the scarcity of clinics and lack of over the counter
In our society today, the topic of birth control and other contraceptives for teens is a stirring debate. Teens are more promiscuous and sexually active than ever before; as early as middle school, we are seeing more teenage pregnancies, STD’s, and abortions than ever. Teenagers are not comfortable discussing their sexual activity with their parents and as a result they are seeking out other ways to gain access to birth control and other forms of contraceptives without parental consent. Access to birth control reduces the number of unintended teenage pregnancies and abortions each year, and access to birth control also fuels teenage promiscuity and encourages sex outside of marriage.
In 2005, nearly half of all high school students have had sexual intercourse. Plainly stating that abstinence programs do not work (USA Today). Abstinence programs were beneficial many years ago, but since they are ineffective in delaying teen pregnancy, then teen pregnancy rate has increased. Abstinence programs teach the “no sex until marriage” clause, but they don’t teach teens about birth control and the consequences of having sex at before they’ve matured. Although many studies argue that abstinence programs are educational and beneficial, other studies will show that they don’t delay teen sex, they don’t prevent the spread of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), and are a waste of taxpayers’
Teenagers should have access to birth control devices. The most compelling argument against this thesis is the idea that they are not emotionally mature enough to be having sex at all, in that it is a meaningful commitment that should be only taken up by adults who have the ability to consent fully and understand the consequences of their behavior. Additionally, sexual behavior contains a lot of risks of many different natures. There is the emotional risk of engaging in such intimate activity, with concomitant development of feelings that may not be reciprocated or healthy. There is also the physical risk of disease. For heterosexual women, pregnancy is an emotional, physical, and economic strain that could severely derail a promising
The goverments use of birth control has been very controversial in the past. It orignally began as a way for the government to give funds to support population control but the Cathlic church disagreed with those methods. Multplie Acts have been involved with distributing controceptives over time. While it wasn't until recenlt that it has been that governemnt insurance like the Affordable Care Act cover birth control, birth control has been around for a while.
Teenage sexuality and birth control have long been controversial topics that many find themselves unwilling to discuss. However, ignoring these issues will not make them disappear. The fact of the matter remains that teens are having sex and need confidential access to prescription birth control to prevent unwanted pregnancies. With the looming possibility of tremendous socio-economic effect upon society from an increase in teen pregnancies, allowing teens to access birth control without parental consent is
One solution to preventing teen pregnancy would be to provide better access to birth control for teenagers. In Jacqueline Sedgwick’s article, “American Adolescents and Emergency Contraceptive Pill Access,” she argues that the American teenage pregnancy and abortion rates are higher than any other nation due to the irregular or improper usage of birth control. Many American teenagers are unaware of how to properly use the contraceptives and mistakenly find themselves in difficult situations, but with more knowledge about birth control, teens will be able to properly protect themselves from unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. According to the article, the federal court order the US Food and Drug Administration to make emergency contraceptive pills available to teens over the age of seventeen without a prescription (Sedgwick). Allowing easy access to birth control will enable teens to be prepared and inhibit them from unintended pregnancies that are likely
One of the most controversial topics in the United States is whether or not teenagers should be allowed to take birth control while they are still in high school. “… teen pregnancy is a serious problem in the United States.” (“Teen Pregnancy”). Girls should be allowed to take birth control because girls and guys are obviously going to mess around in high school; therefore, birth control provides a safe way for teenagers to have sexual intercourse. If they are going to do it, they should undoubtedly be protected. There are many easy ways for a teen to obtain birth control. For instance, birth control is free at the health department. If they
The article “Birth Control for Kids?” was published in 2007 by Time Magazine, and despite being several years old it offers an excellent analysis of sex education in U.S. schools. A middle school in Portland, Maine decided to take a vote on whether it should offer birth control pills to students through the school’s health center. If passed, the vote would allow children as young as eleven-years-old access to contraceptives aside from the traditional condom. In addition, although parental consent would be needed to allow access to the healthcare center, the parents would not necessarily be informed about the nature of the health center visit. Therefore students could obtain birth control without the information ever being disclosed to parent/guardians.
There was a substantial drop in the teen pregnancy rate for both 15–17-[year-olds] and 18–19-year-olds between 2008 and 2010, yet pregnancies among 18–19-year-olds made up the majority of all teen pregnancies (69%). During this same time period, increasing proportions of women aged 18–19 reported having ever had sex, yet fewer of them were getting pregnant. Changes in contraceptive use are likely driving this trend. There is evidence that contraceptive practices are improving among older teens: A recent study found that the proportion of 18–19-year-old women reporting use of long-acting reversible contraceptive methods tripled between 2007 and 2009, and promotion and acceptance of these methods for teens and young adult women has increased. Contraceptive use may
Some people think they know everything about birth control, but don’t know all about the things it can help and solve. Birth control also known as known as “the pill” are just daily pills that contain different hormones, it isn’t harmful to those who take it. From a teenage, girls should be allowed to get birth control without a parents’ permission. Birth control reduces the number of teen pregnancies, safer home life, show responsibility, and also reduces some health issues.
While some speakers on the issue argue their side with the perspective of the students and teens in mind others focus on the parents and how their perspectives relate to the issue. Helium.com presently has a poll and debate occurring that allows the public to review multiple arguments from both sides of the debate, and then vote “Yes” or “No” on the issue of teens receiving birth control at school. Jeannie Kerns, a mother of seven children, says that it’s in the best interest of the teen, and their parents, to allow them to have the option to decide for themselves if they require “the pill”. She supports her argument by informing the reader, no matter how strongly parents push for their children to abstain from sex they’ll most likely engage in it anyway. She closes her argument by asking why parents wouldn’t
Seven hundred fifty thousand teenagers, ages fifteen to nineteen, become pregnant each year (“Facts”). Teenage birth specialists have often debated whether or not teenagers should have access to birth control and other contraceptives. Although some people think teenagers having birth control will promote promiscuity, birth control should be accessible to teens because they will put themselves at a higher risk for disease and pregnancy without it, and more teenage girls would get a high school diploma with it.
Having children is such an amazing thing many women embrace. I cannot say the same thing about an unplanned pregnancy. The invention of birth control was such an amazing invention because; it allowed women to have an option of just advoiding pregnancy, until they are ready. Tuesday, September 19th, Highland Family Planning made a visit to Nazareth College for the Campus Safety Week event. Highland Family Planning (HFP) offers so much to the community. They specialize in affordable and confidential birth control services, as well as STD testing and treatment, pregnancy testing and even counseling. They do not only offer services to women, they also see men and teenagers.
Within the United States, 38 states of the 48 states examined have some form of abstinence only education. Of those 38, 21 have laws in place that require schools to solely teach abstinence only sex education (Stranger-Hall, Kathrin F. and David W. Hall 4). The logic behind such practices is to prevent teenagers from engaging in intercourse and to decrease the rate of teen pregnancies. The curriculum of abstinence only programs stresses that teenagers should not engage in intercourse since that is the only way to guarantee one will not get pregnant. Information about contraceptives and safe sex to prevent pregnancies and the spread of STDs is not mentioned, and in fact is against those 21 states’ laws regarding use of funds to discuss in the class. The only information about contraceptives that is allowed while using those funds is emphasizing the failure rates (Advocates for Youth). Contrary to what these states are trying to accomplish, the rate of pregnancy is much higher than the median of the United States. Of the 48 states studied, the median rate of pregnancy is 62.5 per 1000 girls aged 14-19. However, the median of pregnancies for states with strictly abstinence only education is 76 per 1000 girls (Stranger-Hall, Kathrin F. and David W. Hall Table 3). The top 5 states with the highest pregnancy rates for girls aged 15-19 (recorded age represents the age at which the pregnancy ended) are New Mexico, 255 per 1000; Mississippi, 241 per 1000; Texas, 235 per 1000;
"Teen pregnancy in the United States: In 2015, a total of 229,715 babies were born to women aged 15-19 years old, for a birth rate of 22.3 per 1,000 women in this age group. This is another record for U.S. teens and a drop of 8% from 2014. Although reasons for the declines are not totally clear, evidence suggests these declines are due to more teens abstaining from sexual activity, and more teens who are sexually active using birth control than in previous years. Still, the U.S. teen pregnancy rate is substantially higher than in other western industrialized nations, and racial/ethnic and geographic disparities in teen birth rates persist (cdc.gov)." As teenagers (in the United States), we are peer pressured or tempted to try new things. Some teens tend to try out drugs, and alcohol. However, some are having unprotected sex in which, is leads to having babies. This is called, teenage pregnancy. This has caused the United States to create records based off of the statistics and facts given from, researchers across the United States. In order to help prevent teenage pregnancy in the United States, teenagers must understand why, having a baby now isn’t such a smart move on their part.