Teen Pregnancy
Q. Why do teens start having sex?
A. There are many reasons why students start having sex. Teens often say
they are having sex because "everyone else is doing it" or "its
fun". But there are hidden reasons why teens have sex. It may sound silly
or stupid but one of the reasons is the playboy and playgirl magazine. Playboy
magazines are interesting to males and females of the age range of 15-19 and
teens enjoy looking at them. With the thought of the things they have scene
within the magazine they expect (or at least some do) that having sex will give
them the same pleasure and they will have a partner as good looking as the
person in the magazine. Another reason is the media. For example I will suggest
one show called Friends. The characters in the how are around 25-30 but they
often have sex on the show. On the show none of the characters have ever had to
deal with the problems with sex and it is rarely suggested that they use any
anti-pregnancy devices.
Q. How can we support teens when they are pregnant?
A. We should make is illegal for parents to either neglect their teenaged
children or ditch them when they become pregnant. This often happens, no matter
how offal it sounds. We should also bring up minimum wage for teenaged mothers
and fathers who have jobs and are trying to support their family. The final
suggestion is lowering teenaged parents' rents if they are living on their own.
Q. What statistics are there in Canada about sex and pregnancy in teens?
A. 1994 survey-in 1994 49.5 out of 1000 girls 15-19 were pregnant-that is
up 20.1% from 1987 when the rate was 41.2 out of 100 girls were pregnant-in
Canada there were approx. 48,000 pregnancies within teens ages 15-19-in 1994
more than half (50.2%) pregnancies within teens ended in live births-survey in
1994 showed more and more teens keeping their babies-25.1 girls had live births
out of 100 women in 1994-22.1 girls had live births out of 100 women in 1987.
Recent survey in Kelowna BC says 80% of grade 10 students surveyed have never
had sex. 60% have never taken drugs or have tried and didn’t like it and
aren’t going to do it again.
Q. How can we get through to teens?
A. To get through to teens, we must first of all provide teens with a
chance to meat people who have numerous effects to having sex when they were
teens (e.g. children, or sexually transmitted diseases). We should also tell
them all of the effects of drugs and alcohol in a situation like the ones they
are in right now, with real people, not bad actors pretending to be in
situations acting as if they were really being pressured, when it sounds like
they have a gun to their back being forces to read lines!
Q. What situations are teens in when they start drinking/doing drugs/having sex?
A. The many situations teens are in when they start having sex/doing
drugs/drinking are these: being at a party and being forced to drink/do drugs/or
have sex because of pier pressure. They are also in such situations as they are
full of stress and are told these things relieve it.
Q. Where do teens usually do drugs/drink alcohol/have sex?
A. Teens usually have sex, drink alcohol and do drugs are at parties or
on their own or with a small group because they are stressed or are pressured
into it.
Q. What do parents say about their children doing drugs/drinking/having sex?
A. Most parents do not approve of their children doing drugs. Some even
kick their children out of the house (12% of Canadian parents). But there are
the rare parents that do not care (22% of Canadian parents). The other 66% of
parents either disapprove or have no comment.
Q. What pregnancy prevention tools are out there right now that are safe for teens?
A.
Drugs suggested to be used by teens: Continuous Abstinence · Outercourse ·
Norplant® · Depo-Provera® · The Pill · The Condom · The Diaphragm or
Cervical Cap · Over-the-Counter Birth Control for Women
Q. What choices do you have when deciding to have sex?
A. Choices you have in this issue of having sex: You choose when you are
ready and when you want to wait. · You choose your partners. · You choose what
you want to do and what you don't want to do with your partners. · You can
choose to do it in the safest way.
Q. What questions do you ask yourself when deciding on a birth control?
A. Questions to ask when deciding on a birth control: -How will it fit
into your life style?-How effective will it be?-How safe will it be?-How
affordable will it be?-How reversible will it be?-Will it protect against
sexually transmitted infections?
Q. What is birth control methods not suggested for teens?
A. Four methods not usually suggested for teens: -Sterilization
effectiveness: 99.5 - 99.9%-The IUD (Intrauterine Device) effectiveness: 98 -
99.4%-Withdrawal effectiveness: 81 - 96%-Periodic Abstinence or Fertility
Awareness Methods (FAMs) effectiveness: 75 - 99%