Teen Pregnancy Arguments

This page will contain all of our different arguments on Teen Pregnancy. Some of our views are more conservative while others are more open. Our goal for this page is to offer information to people that they might not have had before.



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KATIE

Abstinence and Safe Sex



Looking back twenty-six years ago most of the parents today would be teenagers. My mother is forty-two years old now and twenty-six years ago she would’ve been sixteen. Now we all know that times have changed dramatically in those twenty-six years. Technology has advanced, entertainment has expanded, and etc… There is also one thing I want to point out that has also changed in those twenty-six years and that is the rate of teen pregnancy.


According to Sociology professors, “Rates of teen pregnancy in the United States are significantly higher than those in most other industrialized nations.” (Allison Chappell, Scott Maggard, Sarah Gibson) Some of the adults of today’s society may ask, Why our nation? We don’t understand? Our teens are educated about sex and abstinence. Our nation shouldn’t be rated of the highest. What those adults don’t see is that from their twenty-six years pasted we may have brought sex education classes for our teens but they aren’t teaching everything they should. Sex education classes should teach kids more methods of safe sex rather than teaching only abstinence.


It’s always been said kids do the opposite of what their parents tell them to do just to spite them. An example of this could be, a mother telling her child not to wear a certain shirt because it’s inappropriate, but the child wears it anyways. Same goes at schools with teachers and students. Students may do the opposite of what a teacher may advise to them just to spite. An example, teacher telling a student to use a certain method to solve a problem but the student solves it in the most opposite way there is. I believe that some teens that are having sex in today’s society, just to spite whoever has told them it is wrong.


Who do you think should teach a teen about sex? Who should teach a teen ways to be safe and prevent them from getting pregnant? I believe that parents should be the main teachers in the sex talk but unfortunately they aren’t always the most effective thus in today’s society we have sex education classes. Most teens are required to take a health class their freshman year of high school. This class was designed to teach teens about sex, STDs, and to stay abstinent. All those things are something very important for teens to know since statistics of teen pregnancy keep increasing. They want to prevent this reoccurring matter but only teaching abstinence to all teens will not help. The teachers are telling them the only way to not get pregnant is to not have sex. It’s back to the spite game with teens, the teacher is telling them not to do something thus most of the time they will do it just because of that reason.


Teens aren’t just having sex because of the spite game. Teens are having sex for many other reasons as well, such as peer pressure. It may also make teens feel more mature, and even something as simple as it just feels good. Teaching teens more methods of having safe sex would be more effective for the sex education classes. If these classes would spend more time teaching ways to have safe sex it would decrease the rate of teen pregnancy. If they are left with the knowledge of how to be safe during sex I believe the teens would use it to their advantage. For the kids playing the spite game even they may use the knowledge. They are having sex for spite, but being careful is something that is more in their benefit of the consequences.


Times are changing and as long as the years go by things will continue changing in everything around us though some things stay constant. Teens having sex I believe will continue with the years and may increase. The thing we can change today is to acknowledge teens through the sex education classes on methods of safe sex rather than just abstinence. I believe I can speak for the teens I know today that have had children and say, they want their kids to know safe sex methods to help prevent pregnancy if they are going to have sex. We don’t want to rely on the thought all teens are abstinent, so we have to change the teaching of the sex education classes now. Teach not just abstinence but safe sex too.

Work Cited


Chappell, Allison T., Scott R. Maggard, and Sarah A. Gibson. "A Theoretical Investigation of Public Attitudes Toward Sex Education." Sociological Spectrum 30.2 (2010): 196-219. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 6 Apr. 2010.

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ANNA

Teen pregnancy has become a bigger issue in the United States in the past few years. Some teens just get pregnant because they don’t care about using protection since they are acting upon their hormones in the heat of the moment. We all know teens usually act before they think so of course they are not worried about protection; they just want to get it on, literally! Since teens do not take the time to think before they act, they need to be educated on the benefits of protected sex while also being aware of the risks and options that are available after pregnancy.


Becoming pregnant while you’re a teen shouldn’t be a goal in your life. I grew up with two girls who happened to be sisters. While I was a senior, the older sister was a junior and the youngest was a sophomore. The oldest sister became pregnant because she had had unprotected sex. The younger sister honestly felt outdone by her sister so she also became pregnant. They both felt as if they were ready to have a child, but neither one of them had a job while their children’s fathers could barely hold a steady job themselves.


You might plan to get pregnant while in your teen years, but at least make sure you would be able to support the child. If not, your life and the child’s will be extremely hard, which is preventable. Another reason why I say becoming pregnant while you’re a teen shouldn’t be a goal is because you’re still a child yourself. A child raising a child can be challenging and may not be beneficial for either one.


Some teens may feel as if they could run the world if the opportunity raised itself, but in all actuality you wouldn’t be able to. You would be able to say you want this and this for yourself, but if you’re trying to rule the world you would need to take into consideration of what others want. This would be like trying to raise a child. You may want to go out with your friends and party like you used to but now you would have a child to take care of and you would have to think what is best not only for you but also the child.


“The teen pregnancy rate in the USA rose 3% in 2006, the first increase in more than a decade, according to data out today. The data also show higher rates of births and abortions among girls 15-19” (Jayson, 2010). More and more teens are having abortions because of becoming pregnant unexpectedly. Everyone has their own thoughts on abortion but I feel like there could be a better outcome for the child besides abortion. Instead of aborting the child, the teenage parents could consider adoption.


Adoption may not be someone’s first thought for their unborn child. During the pregnancy they may come to the conclusion that abortion would erase the problem. Adoption may be the better choice of the two because they would be giving a precious child a life that they know they couldn’t provide. Also, they would be providing a family who is possibly unable to have children, a child; which most people think of as the most valuable gift in the world.


Although teenage pregnancy may have its downsides, it also has its ups. The downside would be being not able to fully support the child yourself or even with the father. If you decide to keep the child make sure you also have your families support because that will play a big role in how successful of a parent you are. It is possible to be a successful parent without the support of your family, but having the extra outside motivation can always be a big plus. If you feel like you’re unable to grow up and be a parent then place the child up for adoption. It might be extremely difficult but at least you know you would be giving the child a life that you just couldn’t give it at the time.


Most people can figure out what to do after getting pregnant, but what can teens do before they get pregnant? Most sexual education classes are based on abstinence. Abstinence is when a person decides not to have sex until they are married. According to kidshealth.org, abstinence is 100% effective in preventing pregnancy. While this is true, it also throws away any fears of potentially catching STD’s by having unprotected sex. If abstinence is not in your mind frame, at least choose to have sex protectively.


“The best thing sexually active guys and girls can do is use protection every time.” This was stated by the director of teen health services at Harboview Medical center located in Seattle in an article written by Melissa Daly titled “Operating Intructions: What You Need To Know About Safe Sex and Reproductive Health”. This article explains the dos and don’ts of male and female condom usage. It also explains other precautions teens may use in order to keep from contracting STD’s, STI’s and of course, becoming pregnant.


Teen pregnancy is slowly but surely making its come back and people need to be aware of it. Most teens nowadays know some sort of information about unprotected sex, safe sex, adoption, abortion, and anything else to do with pregnancy. The problem is teens not knowing enough about it. You may be too nervous or scared to ask someone for information so use other resources such as your local library or even Google, Yahoo, or MSN


Works Cited


Jayson, S. (2010). Teen pregnancy, abortion rates rise. USA Today.


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LEAH

Teenage Pregnancy


Teen pregnancy has been a growing problem in the United States. Teenagers have become careless to their physical activity resulting in unplanned pregnancies. No teenager plans to have a child by the age they are 16, it is just careless activity. There has recently been a movie broadcasted on Lifetime called The Pregnancy Pact, which shows how these certain teens made a pact to get pregnant together while they are in high school. Teenagers are not mature enough, educated, or financially stable enough to raise a child. Schools should enforce sex education more so that teenagers have more knowledge on how to prevent pregnancies from happening.


Each year more and more teenage pregnancies occur. This is due to careless physical activity between couples. Pregnancies are cause by the lack of contraception methods such as condom, birth control, or abstinence. Some schools in the U.S have sex education courses in which students must take during their high school career. It educates them on what to do in a situation where sex is occurring.
There have been arguments based on the pros and cons of sex education in schools. One pro of sex education is, "Studies show that many teenagers become sexually active before the inclusion of the educational classes. Early inclusion of classes has proven to help students remain either abstinent or to at least be responsible if they are active."(Anderson). By participating in a sex education program at school, teenagers are building knowledge of what may go wrong and how to have sex the right way and the protected way. Sex education may not be the answer for the decrease of unplanned pregnancies, but it sure helps.


On the television station, Lifetime, the new movie broadcasted called The Pregnancy Pact is a true story about a group of young girls who made a pact with each other to get pregnant together. The girls wanted to get pregnant so their kids could grow up together but by doing this is caused denial and questioning by the public,“but none of these ideas is teased out as the movie tumbles forward, straining to make the obvious point that teen pregnancy is no holiday.” (Gilbert). This article is more of a review but it shows how people do not like the movie because they do not like the idea of teenage pregnancy which makes the reviews of the movie more harsh than if it were a different topic. I have not seen the movie yet, but I have read quite a few reviews and they all seem to make the same point. The public are not very accepting of teenage pregnancies because of the careless activity taking place without thinking. But teenage pregnancies seems to be more common the our generation so to us it is becoming somewhat normal.


By being pregnant cheats teenagers of their own childhood. To have a child you need to be financially secure, mature and responsible enough. Not everyone is able to handle this task. Most people who get pregnant are married and financially stable, but when you are young and pregnant, the other partner may not help contribute to the new baby as much as you would like because they have 'better things to do'. On MTV, there is a show called 16 and Pregnant. It shows the stories of these 16 year old girls starting from the beginning of their pregnancy all the way up to birth, and a little bit afterwards. Shows like this make young pregnancies look glamourous and the 'hip' thing to do. “Some of the friends of these pregnant girls seem excited about the possibility of their friends having a baby. However, the show does showcase some of the difficulties related to motherhood.” (Hanlon). I have seen plenty episodes that end tragically with the partner not wanting to do anything with the mother and child. It is so sad to see this happening to the baby because the parents were just being careless and irresponsible teenagers.


I know quite a few people who have been pregnant before they ended high school or college. Luckily for them, things worked out for the best and they are now happier than ever. I have one friend who is married and has a two year old and she is only 22 years old. Having a child is a gift and once you have the child it is a feeling like no other, but someone should only experience this feeling when they are old enough and can handle their own. Also, I know someone who just had a baby and her mom is the one who is always taking care of the baby. It is sad to see that because that baby does not deserve that at all. That baby was not wanting to be a result of spur of the moment, unprotected sex.
Teenage pregnancies have become more and more common and there is nothing society can do to stop it. These pregnancies have projected into movies such as The Pregnancy Pact and the MTV TV show, Sixteen and Pregnant. These movies and shows may make pregnancy like fun but in reality it isn't, especially when you aren't financially stable or able to hold your own.


Work Cited


Anderson, Deanna. “Pros and Cons of Sex Education in School.” Essortment.com. 2002. Web. 28 March 2010


Gilbert, Matthew. “Sex, lies, and sensationalism.” The Boston Globe. Television Review. 22 January 2010. Web. 28 March 2010


Hanlon, John P., “REVIEW: MTV’s ’16 and Pregnant’ Rewards Teen Mothers With Reality Show.” Newsrunner.com. Review. 31 March 2010. Web. 1 April 2010

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STEVIE

Teen Pregnancy: To Prevent or not to Prevent??


Imagine smelly diapers, spit up on a new shirt, or even being up all hours of the night with a newborn baby. This is a hard pill to swallow for most teenage girls, but it is becoming more and more prevalent in today’s times. Their worries went from boy drama to having to care for a newborn baby. From staying out all night, partying and having fun, to being up all night, sleep deprived with a sick child. Having a baby is no easy task, and it’s even harder when you’re still a kid yourself. So why is teen pregnancy once again on the rise you may ask?

The reasons why teens have sex have shifted over the years. The main reason used to be all of the promiscuity in the media, portraying to teens that it is ok to be sexual. A recent survey in the June 2006 issue of Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health shows the new reasons why teens are having sex. This survey shows that “Teens want their relationships to bring them intimacy, social status and sexual pleasure- and they have a strong expectation that these goals will be fulfilled if they have sex” (qtd. in Habib). Teens now feel obligated to fulfill these desires and needs that once never existed. I find it hard to believe that teens now want to have sex because of social status, but teens are pressured a lot more now than they used to be. I still feel that the media plays a major role in how teens feel about sex. Forty years ago you never would’ve seen two people making out on national television. In today’s times, you can be flipping through the channels on your television and see two people practically having sex. Boy has times changed.
This portrayal of sex in the media has rubbed off on teenagers and has shown them that sex is becoming more socially acceptable. It has been proven that teenagers who become pregnant are less likely to succeed in life because of the challenges they will face with having a child. A report published in January of 2010 by Child Trends, a Washington based research group found: “Only half of teen moms went on to receive their high school diplomas by age twenty-two”(qtd. in Viadero). This is a startling number compared to eighty-nine percent of teens who weren’t mothers earning their diploma by that age. There is no doubt that it is much harder to receive your education when you have a child to take care of. With teen pregnancies on the rise, we must do something to reduce the rate of this occurrence.


In today’s high schools, abstinence education is taught, with nothing being said about safe sex or contraceptive use. This online article called Abstinence only Sex Education mentions some startling statistics during President Bush’s tern in office: During the Bush administration, he nearly tripled the budget on abstinence only education “from $73 million in 2001, to $204 million in 2008. Though there was an increase in the budget for sex education, seventeen states pulled out of this and swapped to abstinence education along with the teaching of contraception use. These states based their decision off of similar studies that were conducted to test the effectiveness of these abstinence only programs. The first report was conducted by the Cochrane Collaboration. They found that abstinence education programs had no ‘enduring effect’ on teen’s sexual behavior (qtd. in Thomas). As a teen, I would say that I have to agree with the Cochrane’s findings. In my high school, we were prompted to go through the abstinence only education course. Everyone in my class, including myself found the course a bit amusing and years later I can honestly say that the course taught me nothing. I based my decision for abstinence strictly off my moral beliefs.


Another shocking study on abstinence education was conducted by Janet E. Rosenbaum of the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. In Rosenbaum’s study, she examined one of the key elements of the abstinence only education program which was the virginity pledge. Her studies found: “no immediate effect on teens for taking the virginity pledge and that they were just as likely to have sex as those who did not pledge” (qtd. in Thomas). So what do all of these studies tell us?


These studies tell us that millions and millions of dollars are wasted annually on abstinence only education and that teaching of contraceptive use needs to be brought into schools. By teaching contraceptive used, we can reduce the amount of teens that get sexually transmitted diseases and unexpected pregnancies.


Though having a child when you’re in tour teens is challenging, it’s not completely impossible. Many teens can manage the stress of school, work, and a baby. My older sister became pregnant when she was seventeen, in her senior year of high school. My family had a hard time accepting it at first, but tension died down after my nephew was born. Kristen married her baby’s father six months before Clayton was born and they are still together to this day. Kristen missed her high school graduation due to the fact that she was in labor, but she did receive her high school diploma on time. After she graduated high school, Kristen went onto college and was accepted into the nursing program shortly after. She spent many sleepless nights up with Clayton while also trying to study for her tests that she’d be taking the next day. After two years of hard work and sacrifice she became a Registered Nurse.


Like I said before, my sister’s story is far from the usual mishap of most teen pregnancies. I recently spoke to her and asked her why she made the choice to have sex when she was a teen. Kristen told me that she does not regret one bit how her life turned out, but she wished that she would’ve known more about contraceptive use. She said that this could have prepared her to know how to use contraceptives and to use them effectively.


When a teen mom becomes pregnant, I personally don’t feel that they regret it I just think that they wished they would’ve done things a little different. By teaching sex education in the classrooms, along with how to use contraceptives, I feel that we can lower the number of teen pregnancies. By taking these actions, young teens can become more educated and successful in life.

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ERIC

Teen Pregnancy




Imagine your life as it was a couple years ago as a junior and senior in high school, and all of the activities that you were involved in. Now imagine that aspects of your life would’ve changed if you had an 11 month old son. What would you have to change and incorporate to accommodate for the well being of your child. I believe that some reasons that teens are having sex is because they don’t feel that they are a risk for getting pregnant and they don’t have the resources to have safe sex. A way to prevent teen pregnancy is to educate about the lives of pregnant and single teens parents.


There are many solutions that can be thought of to stop the rise in teen pregnancy such as the teaching of abstinent, but only using that method isn’t effective that is why the teaching of safe sex should also be used. There has been a decline in the rate of teen pregnancy in recent years. According to the national Campaign, per 1000 women, 67 of were unplanned in 2002 as opposed to 82 in 1994 ("National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy").


A solution that should be used to prevent teens from getting pregnancy is abstinence. Abstinence is that act of abstaining from sexual activity. Abstinence is used a lot in a religious context. Along with preventing pregnancy, abstinence also prevents sexually transmitted diseases. I feel that this option is a sure-fire was to prevent unplanned pregnancies. Not all teens respond to the abstinence message though.


In addition to the abstinence the method, there should also be teachings on how to make sexual intercourse safer with the use of contraception such as condoms made for males and females and birth control pills. This option gives teen the ability to still have sex but in a safer way with minimal risks of getting pregnant. It is important to note that this option is not a 100% effective and pregnancies can still happen.


I also believe that teen pregnancy has been over glamorized by the media and celebrities. Over the few years we have had a large amount of teen celebrities give birth to children, most notably being Jamie Spears, little sister of Britney Spears. Her pregnancy was constantly being covered in the news showing all the items that was being purchased for her child. This glamorization has made teens think that having children at a young age will be easy to handle. Personally coming from a family where my sister got pregnant her senior year of high school and seeing her struggle to take care of her son and her school work, which caused her to fail her senior year and have to retake it over, has put the aspect of teen pregnancy into perspective for me.



"Unplanned Pregnancy and Birth Data ." The National Campagin to Preent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. The National Campagin, 2010. Web. 1 Apr 2010