Two Truths and a Lie

To start this lesson we are going to play a little game. You will read three statements. Two of them will be true, one of them will be a lie. Can you guess which one?

What is Teen Pregnancy?

Before defining teenage pregnancy, we must first define what signifies as a teenager. A teenager is a human between the ages of 13 and 19 years old. A teenager is different from a child because a teenager goes through a phase called puberty. This is a time where boys can sire babies and where girls can become pregnant. A pregnancy is defined as a period in which a woman has a child or fetus growing in the uterus (Merriam Webster, 2022). Thus that would make teenage pregnancy be defined as a girl between the ages of 13 and 19 years old with a child or fetus growing in her uterus (Akella & Jordan, 2015).

What are the effects of Pregnancy at a young age?

Pregnancy at such a young age can really be detrimental. A teenage girl is in no financial position to take care of a young child. A journal article from the Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice, writes that a teen is just an older child having a baby. After a teen girl has a baby there's a financial toll. The education that a teen tries to obtain is harder for them to grasp and the chance of getting a well paying job is significantly lower. There are other effects that take place besides a lack of education and they are poverty and lower quality healthcare (Journal of Adolescent Health, 2009). On top of that, we can only imagine what it would be like for a young girl getting pregnant at such a young age. The emotional stress, the rejection of peers and family, and the decision she would have to make that could alter the life of everyone around her (Akella & Jordan, 2015).

“How is Teenage Pregnancy Preventable?”

Sex is a part of life. It is how we have all come to be on this earth and it is how we will become Grandparents someday (or not). Sexual health is just as important as any other health problem we face as humans. So, that is why it is so important to educate the youth. By educating teens, we are protecting them. I do not believe in programs that only preach abstinence. There are many states that only preach abstinence in their schools which is completely shocking to me (Abstinence Only Education States, 2022). They are only doing teens a disservice. Sexual urges are not something that should not be shamed. Teens should be able to receive birth control without being harassed; they should be able to grab condoms in safe locations, so as not to be ridiculed or shamed (Condom Availability, 2017). Overall, I will say that Teen pregnancy is preventable.

Conclusion

Sex is a part of life. It is how we have all come to be on this earth and it is how we will become Grandparents someday (or not). Sexual health is just as important as any other health problem we face as humans. So, that is why it is so important to educate the youth. By educating teens, we are protecting them. I do not believe in programs that only preach abstinence. There are many states that only preach abstinence in their schools which is completely shocking to me (Abstinence Only Education States, 2022). They are only doing teens a disservice. Sexual urges are not something that should not be shamed. Teens should be able to receive birth control without being harassed; they should be able to grab condoms in safe locations, so as not to be ridiculed or shamed (Condom Availability, 2017). Overall, I will say that Teen pregnancy is preventable.

Quiz Time!!!!

1. Which option was NOT in the lesson for ways that girls can get help with their sexual health?

A. Health pamphlet

B. Birth Control

C. Emergency Pills

D. Closest Clinic

2. After watching the video, in what way can a teenage girl's life be affected by pregnancy?

A. There is no affect

B. A Teen can become depressed

C. A Teen can become unaffected

D. A Teen can be act like everything is normal

Answers: A. , B.

References

Abstinence Only Education States 2022. Abstinence only education states 2022. (2022). Retrieved February 8, 2022, from https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/abstinence-only-education-states

Akella , D., & Jordan , M. (2015). Impact of Social and Cultural Factors on Teen Pregnancy (1st ed., Vol. 8). Journal of HD RP . Retrieved February 7, 2022, from file:///C:/Users/eliza/Downloads/f9f58c27-0905-44b9-bd98-d5567f8d564d.pdf .

Garwood, S. K., Gerassi, L., Jonson-Reid, M., Plax, K., & Drake, B. (2015, July 20). More than poverty: The effect of child abuse and neglect on teen pregnancy risk. Journal of Adolescent Health. Retrieved February 8, 2022, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1054139X15002207?casa_token=nBBdIx3rCEwAAAAA%3AJPYduWJI1GZT1J1x8X1B2v6K_YKzqilGdvLZNL24Qek-Av_3Cixhz2xC2QswpT2b3M2XYyGsTzU

Jaccard, J., & Levitz , N. (2013). Counseling Adolescents About Contraception: Towards the Development of an Evidence-Based Protocol for Contraceptive Counselors. Define_me. Retrieved February 8, 2022, from https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(13)00060-8/pdf

The Journal of Adolescents Health . (2017). Condom Availability in Schools: A Practical Approach to the Prevention of Sexually Transmitted Infection/HIV and Unintended Pregnancy. Define_me. Retrieved February 8, 2022, from https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(17)30160-X/pdf

Journal of Adolescents Health. (2009). What Is to Be Done about the Rise in Teen Childbearing? Define_me. Retrieved February 8, 2022, from https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(09)00169-4/pdf

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Pregnant definition & meaning. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved February 8, 2022, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pregnant