Lower Teenage Pregnancies in America: Due to Contraceptive Use and Sex Education?

Teenage pregnancy is one of the most alarming population problems that bring about adverse sociological and financial consequences to the American population. In the 1980s, the rate of teenage pregnancies in America has significantly increased. However, as the idea of sex education and contraception has been introduced in the 1990s, teenage birth rates have significantly declined.

Teen birth rates in America

In 1997, the overall teenage birth rate was significantly lowered to 52.9 births for every one thousand women who belong to the age group of 15 to 19 years old. The rate was significantly fifteen percent lower that the teen birth rate in 1991.

According to population researches, almost all states in America achieved a significantly decreasing teen birth rate in almost all of its states. Among all the states in the U.S., only North Dakota, Delaware, and Rhode Island did not experience a decreasing rate for teenage births.

The reasons for the declining teenage birth and pregnancy rate

Various methods have been employed in order to significantly lower the incidence of teenage pregnancies in America. In fact, there have been many national campaigns that have been made by various non-profit organizations and non-governmental organizations in an attempt to solve the teenage pregnancy problem in America. Thankfully, the recent health statistics noted that the teenage birth and pregnancy rates have indeed steadily declined since 1991.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP), the main reason for the decline in teenage birth and pregnancy rates is the increased contraceptive use of sexually active teenagers.

It should be noted that prior to the 1990s, contraceptive use and family planning were not very popular. In fact, information regarding these methods for population control was only disseminated during the last two decades.

According to population experts and researchers, eighty percent of the decline in the teenage pregnancy rates can be attributed to the choice of many sexually active teenagers to use “highly effective and long acting contraceptives.” Among the most preferred contraceptives are condoms, injectable contraception, and contraceptive implants. Note that in 1995; most sexually active teens (64 percent of sexually active male teenagers and 36 percent female teenagers) have reported using condoms during their latest sexual intercourse.

Apart from increased contraceptive use, health experts noted that the twenty percent in the decline for the rate of teenage pregnancies in America can be attributed to increased abstinence. Since 1990, a great proportion of the once sexual active teenagers have otherwise lessened their risky behaviors.

Why contraceptives and abstinence gained popularity

According to the recent health surveys involving teenage sexual activity, most sexually active teenagers have turned to contraceptives and abstinence primarily because of their increased awareness of the negative consequences of sexually risky behaviors.

Basically, the wide spread youth development programs have been effective in disseminating pertinent information about various ways on how teenagers can actually lessen the risk of their sexual activities. Such programs have been successful in propagating information regarding the use and efficiency of contraceptive use and family planning. Thus, teenage pregnancies in America have been reduced.

In addition to sex education, the government and NGO efforts in providing access to low-cost contraceptive services has contributed to the popularity of contraceptive use among sexually active teens. GP