Teen Pregnancy Prevention

The relationships that parents develop with their teens has a great influence on whether or not the teenager becomes sexually active, and as a consequence becomes another teen pregnancy statistic. Parents may think their teens do not value their opinion or rank them very high when it comes to knowing all the information on hip new ideas, but most teenagers actually rate their parents high when it comes to trusting someone to give them accurate information about birth control and sex. You are a better resource for teen to get information on sex and birth control than a book or a friend. If they do not get it from you then you do not know what kind of false information they may be getting. You have a better chance of helping your teenager understand the risks of teen pregnancy than another teenager, or resource.

Here are ten things The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy recommends you can do to help prevent teen pregnancy:

1. Talk to your teenager about sexual values and attitudes. Openly telling your teen how you feel about sexual activity can help guide your teenager into thinking about these issues for themselves. It can be especially helpful for them to know how you feel about the importance of birth control.
2. Talk about sex early and often. By openly talking about sex in an age-appropriate way, you can teach your child from a young age how to behave responsibly. Having "the talk" once is not helpful. Make sure you also include conversation about the positives of appropriate sex. This will help them understand the meaning of sexual relationships, and help them feel more comfortable developing their own values, avoiding teenage intercourse, and insisting on birth control. Don't make this a one-sided lecture, be sure to ask them what they think, then listen.
3. Establish rules and behavioral standards. Your teenager needs to be very clear on what the rules are and what is expected of them. These expectations should be reasonable. Teen behavior contracts can be a great way to do this. Know where your teenager is, who they are with, and establish a curfew with the help of respectful and reasonable discussion with your teenager.
4. Know your teen's friends and their parents. You can help prevent teen pregnancy simply by knowing who your teenager hangs out with. Get to know your teen's friends, and arrange to meet their parents. This way you can establish common expectations. Make sure your home is an open environment that other teens feel comfortable in.
5. Discourage early steady dating. Teen pregnancies are more likely to happen as the result of young serious relationships. By encouraging your teen to date a variety of people and to date in groups while in high school, you can help cut the risk of teen pregnancy.
6. Discourage your teenager dating others with significant differences in age. A teenage girl who dates a much older boy is more likely to become pregnant. You should take a stand against your daughter dating guys more than about two years older than her. You should also take a stand against your son dating much younger girls.
7. Show your teenager that there is more to life. Make sure you encourage your teen to experience a variety of things and help them see that there are many other options of things they can do prior to becoming a parent.
8. Express your value for education. By paying attention to your childs school progress, taking an active role in their education, and encouraging your teen to get a good education, can go a long way toward teen pregnancy prevention.
9. Know what your kids are doing. What does your teen watch, listen to, and read? Society today is full of messages about sex and pregnancy, most of which does not consist of consequences. Know the video games, Internet site, books, music and TV shows your teen watches. Talk about them. Ask your teen what he or she thinks, and whether or not it is realistic. Explain why they are not allowed to view certain types of media.
10. Develop a close relationship. You must form a relationship built on trust and communication. The foundation for a close relationship with your teen and teen pregnancy prevention should be laid years before they become teenagers.

Ending a Teen Pregnancy

As part of the teen pregnancy series we have been posting it is important that we cover all choices, and the consequences of teen pregnancy choices. This post will cover the consequences of abortion.
The main reasons teenagers choose abortion are: (1) They are concerned about how having a baby is going to change their life. (2) Concerns that the teen is at a level of maturity to be a parent. (3) Concern over whether they will be able to financially support a baby.

Abortion statistics show almost 40 percent of teen pregnancies end in abortion. The consequences do not end just because the pregnancy has ended. As with any medical procedure there is always a health risk, and complications could occur. Most abortions are performed by healthcare professionals in medical facilities which are considered fairly safe. However, because abortion is such a controversial issue there are some clinics that are not completely certified, so you should do research to make sure you use a reputable clinic. The consequences associated with teen pregnancy ending in abortion has a lot to do with a teen's belief system and attitudes. Teens who believe a fetus is just an extension of their body and not a life, are less likely to suffer long-term emotional consequences from an abortion.

Initially teens feel a sense of relief that the ordeal is over. When a pregnancy ends in abortion, it is certainly easier to continue with life without peers even knowing, as opposed to a pregnant teen who chooses to keep the baby or give the baby up for adoption. However, teenagers often feel a sense of remorse at some point in their lives. The consequences teens may feel emotionally because of their choice to terminate teen pregnancies include shame, guilt, remorse and clinical depression. The idea that a life was terminated at a teen's discretion can be an emotionally traumatic experience.

Consequences - Keeping the Baby

This post is a follow up post to Teen Pregnancy - Keeping the Baby. Good or bad there are consequences to every decision we make. Hopefully, if you are a pregnant teen and reading this blog you are trying to make the most educated decision you can on what is best for you and your baby. And, if you are a pregnant teen right now you are already realizing that there are consequences to every choice.
The consequences of choosing to keep the baby are going to last a lifetime. If you have the support and help of family your chances of success are much greater. You should be aware that finishing high school is going to be more difficult. But, it can be done! At the very least you should get your GED. There is only 1.5% of pregnant teens that decide to go on to college, even out of those who completed high school. Teen pregnancy statistics 80% of teenage pregnancies result in the teen and the child living in poverty, and often relying on the welfare system just to get by. Reports show that children born under these conditions are more susceptible to poverty, mental health issues, developmental issues, and health problems.
However, if a teenager decides to keep the baby and has the emotional and physical support of a loving family the chances of success for both the baby and mother are much greater. A pregnant teen or teenage mother is more likely to get her high school diploma. The chances of poverty, welfare, and abuse go down significantly if the mother, father, and baby have the help and support of friends and family.
Deciding to keep a baby comes with a lot of responsibility, hard work, and maturity. The rewards of being a parent can also be immeasurable. Be sure you make the decision that is best for you and your baby.

Pregnant Teens - Not Keeping the Baby

In our last post we talked about pregnant teens and what the options are if they decide to keep the baby. In this post we are going to talk about what other pregnant teen options are available if the teen chooses not to keep the baby. There are many teens that do not feel like they are in a position to care for a baby and choose to give the baby up for adoption in hopes of giving their baby a good home with parents who will love and care for them. There are two types of adoption:

1. "Open adoption" where the mother allows someone else to adopt the baby but the birth mother remains a part of the baby's life. In this situation the birth mother and adoptive parents may agree upon and set up guidelines that work for both of them. These details are best set up early on so everyone is clear on what they expect, and there are no hassles later on.
2. "Closed adoption" is when the birth mother's identity is hidden and there is no relationship with the child.

Some pregnant teens find an open adoption helps them to be able to cope with adoption better because they do not feel so much like they are giving a child away. While others feel that a closed adoption will allow them to break ties with the past and move on, and give the baby a better chance to adjust to their new family without confusion.

Whether you choose open or closed adoption is is important to choose a reputable adoption agency to work through. If you get to the opportunity to choose the family for your baby, make sure you choose a family you feel will give your child the best chance of success.

Abortion is the other option if you choose not to keep the baby or give it up for adoption. Abortion is when a pregnancy ends before a fetus is able to live outside the mother. If a pregnancy ends spontaneously within the first 24 weeks it is called a miscarriage. If the pregnancy is deliberately terminated it is called an abortion. Every state is different when it comes to abortion laws so if you are considering this option find out what the law is in your state. Some states will notify parents of teens who are seeking an abortion prior to the abortion. You should also educate yourself on the procedures and medical implications.

When you are a teenager and pregnant these decisions do not come easy. You should carefully consider all of your options and do what you feel is best for you and your baby.