Abstinence only education prevents youth pregnancy
By: Megan Coyle
Issue date: 12/5/08 Section: Opinion
Unplanned pregnancy is a problem that needs to be addressed. About 3 million pregnancies in the United States were unplanned in the year 2001, which was approximately half of the 6.4 million pregnancies. Of these unplanned pregnancies, two-thirds were unwanted and 1.3 million ended in abortion. While legal restriction on abortion is a very divisive issue, both sides can work together to reduce abortion.
Education can work to correct these issues. President-elect Barack Obama supports reproductive choice, but also supports the Prevention First Act that aims to prevent unintended pregnancy and therefore reduce the number of abortions. The bill also intends to increase funding for family planning and comprehensive sex education, end insurance discrimination against contraception, and provide compassionate assistance to rape victims. The most important of these is a comprehensive education.
Knowledge is the most powerful source of prevention and one of the best tools for fostering responsible individuals and promoting safe sex. Schools should provide a comprehensive sex education that stresses abstinence until marriage. Students need medically accurate information that includes both the benefits and failure rates of contraception. They also need to be aware of the realities of unsafe sex, including information on the consequences of unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.
Teens account for 21 percent of unplanned pregnancies, and women in their twenties account for 55 percent. Overall, two-thirds of unplanned pregnancies occurred among unmarried women. Some effects from this are the facts that a child raised by an unmarried mother is six times more likely to live in poverty, three times more likely to be expelled from school, twice as likely to drop out of high school, and three times as likely to suffer emotional problems.
While progress has been made in dealing with sexually transmitted infections (STIs), it remains a public health challenge and the Center for Disease Control estimates that approximately 19 million new infections occur each year. Among young people ages 15 to 24, about one in four acquires an STI, which accounts for almost half of new STI cases.
Education can work to correct these issues. President-elect Barack Obama supports reproductive choice, but also supports the Prevention First Act that aims to prevent unintended pregnancy and therefore reduce the number of abortions. The bill also intends to increase funding for family planning and comprehensive sex education, end insurance discrimination against contraception, and provide compassionate assistance to rape victims. The most important of these is a comprehensive education.
Knowledge is the most powerful source of prevention and one of the best tools for fostering responsible individuals and promoting safe sex. Schools should provide a comprehensive sex education that stresses abstinence until marriage. Students need medically accurate information that includes both the benefits and failure rates of contraception. They also need to be aware of the realities of unsafe sex, including information on the consequences of unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.
Teens account for 21 percent of unplanned pregnancies, and women in their twenties account for 55 percent. Overall, two-thirds of unplanned pregnancies occurred among unmarried women. Some effects from this are the facts that a child raised by an unmarried mother is six times more likely to live in poverty, three times more likely to be expelled from school, twice as likely to drop out of high school, and three times as likely to suffer emotional problems.
While progress has been made in dealing with sexually transmitted infections (STIs), it remains a public health challenge and the Center for Disease Control estimates that approximately 19 million new infections occur each year. Among young people ages 15 to 24, about one in four acquires an STI, which accounts for almost half of new STI cases.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Megan Coyle
posted 12/06/08 @ 12:55 AM CST
I would just like to comment that I did not submit this under "Abstinence only education prevents youth pregnancy" and that it misrepresents the content of my article. (Continued…)
Joshua Gavin
posted 12/21/08 @ 4:38 AM CST
Although I couldn't agree more that young students need to receive comprehensive sex education, I fail to see why an abstinence only component should be included. (Continued…)
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