Preventative Measures for Teenage Pregnancy

What is your narrowed topic? Be detailed in your answer. You can use any of the versions you’ve developed for prior assignments.

The narrowed topic of my research paper is preventative measures for teenage pregnancy. The two preventative measures for teenage pregnancy that I have an argument for are an increase in good parenting practices and expansion of sex education in public schools.

Who is your primary audience or reader? Why? Be detailed in your answer about your audience.

My first primary audience is parents because they need to know how an increase in good parenting practices can prevent teens from becoming pregnant, and what good parenting practices they can execute to become a preventative measure.

My second primary audience is public school administrators and teachers because they need to know how an expansion of sex education in public schools can prevent teens from becoming pregnant, and what elements they need to include in the program to make it a preventative measure.

My third primary audience is adolescents because they need to know how to take advantage of good parenting practices and sex education in public schools in order to make these preventative measures for teenage pregnancy.

In a sentence or short paragraph, what is your thesis statement, including your angle? Write what will appear in your essay.

My point is that an increase in good parenting practices and an expansion of sex education in public schools can be effective preventative measures to reduce instances of teenage pregnancy. Parents can be primary sex educators for children, and public schools can be secondary sex educators for children to reinforce the primary sex educators. More instances of teen pregnancy are occurring because children are not receiving the knowledge they need about sex from parents and/or public schools.

What topic sentences will you use as the foundation of your communication? (If necessary, add more points.)

Teenage pregnancy is a social issue that is closely linked to other social issues—poverty and income, health issues, and education.
Adolescents can become educated on the subject of sex and the consequences of teenage pregnancy.
Parents can become primary sex educators for their children.
Public school administrators and teachers can become secondary sex educators to reinforce the primary sex educators.

What method of organization and development will you use to develop your paragraphs?

Introduction:
- “Three in ten girls will be pregnant at least once before their 20^th birthday” (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2014). Will one of those three girls be your daughter, your girlfriend, your son’s girlfriend, a student at your school, or will it be you? This would not have to be a worry if society would help change that statistic. There are preventative measures that can be provided to adolescents, so we can avoid the social issue of teenage pregnancy.

Teenage pregnancy is a social issue that is closely linked to other social issues—poverty and income, health issues, and education. The problem has a significant impact on society as a whole. So, what if society could help reduce this issue from occurring? An increase in good parenting practices and an expansion of sex education in public schools can be effective preventative measures to reduce instances of teenage pregnancy. If children receive more knowledge about sex from parents and/or public schools, society will start to see fewer instances of teenage pregnancy, therefore making teenage pregnancy less of a social issue.

Teenage birth rates were higher prior to 1980. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (2013), “Teen birth rates in the United States have declined almost continuously since the early 1990s.” There are still instances of teenage pregnancy that can be prevented in today’s world. Adolescents, parents, and public school administrators and teachers all have their part in preventing teenage pregnancy.

Body:
- Teenage pregnancy is a social issue that is closely linked to other social issues—poverty and income, health issues, and education. Teen mothers face financial problems and most likely have to rely on public assistance. The baby can face health issues at birth and later in its life. Teen mothers rarely finish high school and hardly ever get a degree from college.
- Adolescents can become educated on the subject of sex and the consequences of teenage pregnancy. Teenage pregnancy affects the mother, baby, and others related to the situation. Teens need to take advantage of good parenting and sex education in public schools.
- Parents can become primary sex educators for their children. They need to have open and clear communication with their children about sex and relationship decisions. Parents need to include their expectations for their child’s sexual behavior.
- Public school administrators and teachers can become secondary sex educators to reinforce the primary sex educators. They need to include sex education classes in the school curriculum. Children can learn about safe sex and the consequences of unsafe sex.
Conclusion:
- I will state the importance of my claim by stating main points differently than I did in the paper. I will use a dramatic closing that relates to the opening of the paper to hit on the audiences’ emotions and relevance to the topic. I will close with a memorable and logic statement that will keep the readers thinking about what actions they should take after reading the paper.

Preventative Measures for Teenage Pregnancy

“Three in ten girls will be pregnant at least once before their 20^th birthday” (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2014). Will one of those three girls be your daughter, your girlfriend, your son’s girlfriend, a student at your school, or will it be you? This would not have to be a worry if society would help change that statistic. There are preventative measures that can be provided to adolescents, so we can avoid the social issue of teenage pregnancy.

Not only has teenage pregnancy occurred many times in my hometown, but I have witnessed close friends and family members go through it as well. I have observed the consequences they face on a daily basis, the impact it has on their future, and the effects it has had on their baby. I am not an expert on the topic of teenage pregnancy, so I have included ideas from the National Conference of State Legislatures, Swierzewski, and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

Parents can become primary sex educators for their children by communicating with them about sex and relationship decisions. Public school administrators and teachers can become secondary sex educators to reinforce the primary sex educators by including sex education in the school curriculum. An increase in good parenting practices and an expansion of sex education in public schools can be effective preventative measures to reduce instances of teenage pregnancy.

Good parenting practices will help children learn appropriate sexual behavior, and children will have more clear communication about life decisions with their parents. An expansion of sex education in public schools will help children learn the specifics about safe sex and the consequences about unsafe sex. If children receive more knowledge about sex from parents and/or public schools, society will start to see fewer instances of teenage pregnancy, therefore making teenage pregnancy less of a social issue.

Teenage birth rates were higher prior to 1980. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (2013), “Teen birth rates in the United States have declined almost continuously since the early 1990s.” “Teen pregnancy has declined 42 percent, and the teen birth rate is down 52 percent” (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2014). Even though research is showing teenage pregnancy instances are declining, “Just over 305,000 babies were born to teen girls in 2012” (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2013).

There are still instances of teenage pregnancy that can be prevented in today’s world. Adolescents, parents, and public school administrators and teachers all have their part in preventing teenage pregnancy, but we will first address the adolescent’s part. If an adolescent is not open to learning from his or her parents or teachers, then he or she is more likely to face the consequences of teenage pregnancy.

Teenage pregnancy affects the lives of the mother, the baby, and others related to the situation. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (2013), “Teen mothers are less likely to finish high school, more likely to rely on public assistance, more likely to be poor as adults, and more likely to have children who have poorer educational, behavioral, and health outcomes over the course of their lives than do kids born to older parents.” “Only 40 percent of teen mothers finish high school” (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2014). Many teen mothers lose their support system or give up on their goals because they see them as impossible to reach.

Babies born to teen mothers face challenges and sometimes even more than the mother. Many teenage mothers are more likely to give birth to babies with low birthweight. “Low-birthweight babies are more likely to have organs that are not fully developed, which can result in complications, such as bleeding in the brain, respiratory system disorders, and intestinal problems” (Swierzewski, 2011).

Figure 1: Teenage Mother Waits for Her Premature Baby

Premature Baby - Masterfile Image

Figure 1: This teenage mother is waiting to see if her premature baby made it after birth. Giving birth to premature babies is another risk of teenage pregnancy that can emotionally affect the mother and lead to health risks for the baby. Source: Swierzewski (2011).

As shown in Figure 1, teenage pregnancy causes emotional stress on the teen mother, but the child is at risk for stress later on in its life as well. “Children born to teenage mothers are at an increased risk for abuse and neglect” (Swierzewski, 2011). “Boys born to teen mothers are 13 percent more likely to be incarcerated, and girls are 22 percent more likely to become teenage mothers themselves later in their lives” (Swierzewski, 2011).

It is just as important for male adolescents to be knowledgeable about sex and teenage pregnancy consequences as it is for female adolescents. “An estimated nine percent—or 900,000—of young men between the ages of 12 and 16 will become fathers before their 20^th birthday” (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2013). Now, adolescents have to decide how they will help prevent instances of teenage pregnancy from occurring.

“The only certain way to avoid unwanted pregnancies is to abstain from sexual intercourse” (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2013). However, adolescents should be open and honest when communicating about sex to their parents and/or teachers. Adolescents should ask specific questions and request specific answers. They should make sure they are listening to the good parenting practices of their parents and take advantage of sex education classes in school. If the school does not offer sex education classes, approach an administrator or teacher to ask if classes can be an option for the school.

References

National Conference of State Legislatures. (2014, January 22). Teen Pregnancy Prevention. Retrieved from http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/teen-pregnancy-prevention.aspx

Swierzewski, S. J., III. (2011, December 9). Teen Pregnancy. Remedy’s HealthCommunities.com. Retrieved from http://www.healthcommunities.com/teen-pregnancy/children/overview-of-teen-pregnancy.shtml

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2013, December 20). Teen Pregnancy and Childbearing. Office of Adolescent Health. Retrieved from http://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/adolescent-health-topics/reproductive-health/teen-pregnancy/index.html#.UufzeaHnbIU

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