What are the reasons? I would prefer if young people answered this question im talking about people under the age of 18. I work at a hospital and not a day goes by that I don't see a 15 or 16 year old girl who comes in for a pregnancy test or she herself is having a baby...she knows what a pregnancy test is yet for some reason birthcontrol never seemed to have crossed her mind. Do people want babies this young? I want honest feedback...Im not trying to be mean to anyone who has children young but what can we do to stop this problem?
2006-09-18 07:54:53 · 32 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Pregnancy
kids are ignorant.
seriously... that is as far as it goes. all of them.
the only way to combat ignorance is with knowledge and truth. i think the fights over birth control and sex ed make them suspicious of what they are told... in a way that makes them disbelieve until it is too late. birth control does prevent pregnancy if you are taught to think of sex as mechanical use of parts, and pills or condoms as a necessary evil for their enjoyment.
if you just tell them loads of flowery crap about respecting themselves, they probably won't take you very seriously. i did use birth control, but i didn't have sex until i'd dated the person for 2 years. it can be done if you talk to kids honestly in ways that make them take you seriously.
2006-09-18 07:56:18 · answer #1 · answered by uncle osbert 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
In many cases it's a lack of education...
I was a teenage mother my oldest is 19... I had her when I was a senior in High School... Yes I used birthcontrol but she was that 1 in 100 where the condom failed... (It broke) this was prior to the morning after pill so that was not a option... Yes if I could go back I would have waited a few more years to start having children but I am always going to be glad I have her even if her time of arrival wasn't ideal...
I went to a special school my senior year there were 27 girls (ages 14-18) at the school over 1/2 of them had no idea having sex could result in pregnancy and they were pregnant...
There were many theorys as to why they were pregnant from masturbation to two girls there who firmly believed they became pregnant due to french kissing and who planned to not become pregnant again by avoiding french kissing but sex was ok because it didn't result in pregnancy.. (yes that one floored me too)
Other girls at the school wanted babies to have unconditional love.... They would talk about a baby being perfect because it was thiers it would never leave them would be dependant on them and they were going to be better parents than thier parents who either physically or emotionally abandoned them at an early age...
I firmly believe education along with availablility of birthcontrol will greatly reduce the number of teen pregnancies... Ideally children should be taught about sex and birthcontrol by thier parents but as that is not happening schools should step in at an early age (10-12) and teach the basics to both girls and boys... Every community should have a clinic where kids can go anonomously and have a pap smear and aquire birthcontrol at little or no cost...And the clinic needs to educate the children in proper use or the birthcontrol devise...
While I don't believe this will eliminate teen pregnancy I do believe it will greatly reduce the numbers...
2006-09-18 08:26:05 · answer #2 · answered by Diane (PFLAG) 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some have very unpleasant home lives and nothing to look forward to in life. They want to be mothers because they think the newborn will love them unconditionally and their lives will be complete, etc. They want to feel a purpose or feel needed or they've romanticized motherhood/pregnancy. They want the attention it brings.
They think becoming a mother will give them a whole new life, allow them to get away from their unhappy home lives, allow them to go on welfare or to live with the father of their babies.
Another rampant problem is the lack of sex education. There are SO MANY MYTHS, you see them every day on this bulletin board. I can't believe what I read. These kids just don't seem to know which acts put them at risk of becoming pregnant, and what time of the month they are most fertile, and what forms of birth control really work, among other things. They think if the man withdraws before, they won't get pregnant. Or if they drink vinegar after having sex, they won't get pregnant, etc.
I suggest that you use your position as a healthcare provider to help influence policymakers to create effective sex education in our schools. Tell them what you see every day at work, maybe that will help them see the light. Promoting abstinence alone does not work because some (or many) kids will have sex anyway.
2006-09-18 08:54:21 · answer #3 · answered by EmLa 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi! I got pregnant with my son at seventeen. I was on my own with my husband. I really did want to have children. I have been lucky and experinced a lot in my life. I've lived overseas, I've seen famous plays, gone to operas, I've had a great life pretty much. I've lead a life that the average american would only dream about. When I finally moved back to the states, I lived with my husband--we've both been really lucky but one thing we have never had was family. I was on birth control when I was sixteen--the shot and only took one dose. I have always wanted to be a young mother--so we tried to concieve--a year and a half later, I was pregnant. I understand what you are saying. Some young mothers really need to know about birth control. I think this should be a discussion that all parents should have with their kids--but seem uncomfortable if they do, therefore making kids think it is a bad thing to do. As far as I'm concerned sex is something that happens with teens. Birth control should be a parents number one concern--not only their children having sex but making sure their child is protected from STD and pregnancy. Providing condoms and birth control. Hope this helps! Great question!
2006-09-18 08:14:43 · answer #4 · answered by .vato. 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its all in the parenting in my opinion. I'm 28 so sorry to be answering but I just had to say it. So many people don't educate their kids about birth control and STD prevention its really a shame. I remember in high school there were a few girls and guys rumored to be having sex without brith control because it was against their religion and their parents would freak if they ever found condoms or pills. This is my biggest beef with catholicism and its offshoots. How far does it have to go before they will endorse protection? And how far does it have to go before people realize that young people are going to have sex no matter what their parents say so at least tell them the importance of protection?
2006-09-18 08:06:33 · answer #5 · answered by Hans B 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
YES! Being a mom is the hardest job out there and you dont need a degree for that. When i was 14-15 i was like most of these girls out there, talking about i want a baby, what was i thinking most of them dont know whats in store for them. I am 21 and i have a 2 1/2 year old and i am 16 weeks pregnant, i am so scared i wont know what to do with 2 babies its allready hard going to the store with one now screaming i told my mom yestersday, what am i gonna do when this other baby gets here, she said youll make it, i am scared to death of child birth again, i didnt have a bad birth with my son its just its alot of pain, i know what ur thinking ya i should of thought about that before i got pregnant again but right like most young girls have sex and dont even think they can get pregnant.....so the most of u teen girls that wants baby....please wait as long as u can!!!!!!!! no rush
Anyone can be a mom but its takes a real mother to take care of something so small....
im 21 so i dont know if that counts but im telling all these young girls who read this that aint pregnant..hold them horses, the time will come please dont rush.BEING A MOM IS THE HARDEST JOB IN THE WORLD!
2006-09-18 08:16:29 · answer #6 · answered by Deshawn & Keshawn's mom 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Not under 18, but I'll throw out an answer.
Teen pregnancy rates in the US are twice as high as in Canada and the UK.
Teen pregnancy rates in the UK and Canada are twice as high as continental europe.
Studies show that sexual activity levels among teens are roughly the same in all three regions.
So what's different?
Couldn't be attitutes towards education, could it?
'Abstinance only' education - in schools, is not working. It is not preventing kids from having sex. The only part of the lesson that is sticking is that 'birth control is unrelilable'. Other studies have shown that kids whose parents have false impressions of the effectiveness of birth control (invariably thinking it is riskier then it is) use birth control less often.
Birth control is not perfect, but we are making a huge mistake in not stressing how effective it can be if you do choose to have sex.
2006-09-18 08:02:44 · answer #7 · answered by kheserthorpe 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am older than 18 but I can tell you about my experiences of being younger than 18.... on some levels I found that it was the girls who said to go ahead without "birthcontrol" It was odd....I know that it probably goes both ways ...
I think it all together has to do with an outlook on life, I mean well before I woke to BE VEGAN it was all different. I think a lot of the "risky sex behavior" like many of our other problems have to do with a NON-VEGAN Society.
pennstate.20fr.com
2006-09-18 08:00:27 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I know that when I was younger ( I'm 20 now) I was affraid to ask my mom to take me to get it. There are still alot of parents out there that would rather not take thier children becuase of what other people will think leading thier own children to be ashamed to request it and resulting in an unplanned pregnancy. I also think that being that young they have NO CLUE what a huge responsibilty a baby is and dont think about it in the heat of the moment. This is an epidemic that I have no clue how to even begin to fix.
2006-09-18 07:59:26 · answer #9 · answered by Mommy2Be 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Ok I'm not under 18 but I just thought I'd add this. Wasnt it in the papers not long back that scientists have discovered that teenagers dont use the part of their brain that is responsible for emapthy and realising consequences?! That could very well be it, I remember being a teenager and not using birth control ( I was lucky, god only knows how), I knew I should I just didnt care!!!
2006-09-18 07:59:10 · answer #10 · answered by Claire O 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, Im 22 now, but when I was that age and was sexually active I always used protection, and of course I still do. I went to Planned Parenthood cause it was free and confidential but I saw alot of my friends get pregnant or go in only for the morning after pill, and I never got why.
I think that these girls are just are not secure enough to ask their partner to do something. Girls just feel like they don't want to tell their partner what to do because then he would leave them for being 'psycho and controlling'.
Some of them do want to have kids though. I have a cousin who had her first child at 15, and now she is 17 and pregnant again, and she won't abort because 'he doesnt want to' though he never helps her with her first child in anyway. Its crazy!!
My middle sister got pregnant at 18; but then my younger sister (she's 17) would much rather ask me for a condom than have to go without one. Personality wise though, the younger one is more confident and I think that is why they tackle situations differently.
Well, I hope that gave you some insight.
2006-09-18 09:10:41 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋