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UHCL Counseling Program Teenage Sexual Interactions & Teenage Pregnancy By: Sarah Neimeyer How many teens are having sex and at what age? The younger a teenaged girl is when she has sex for the first time, the more likely she is to have had unwanted or nonvoluntary sex. Close to 4 in 10 girls who had first intercourse at 13 or 14 report it was either non-voluntary or unwanted. One of every three girls has had sex by the age of 16, 2 out of 3 by age 18. 2 of 3 boys have had sex by age 18. During the 1990s, about 80-90% of teens had sexual intercourse by the time they were 20. Reference #1, 11 Why Teens are having sex Inner drives Seductive messages Lack of Supervision Overbearing/overprotective supervision Peer pressure Lack of reasons and desire to wait Reference #1, 7, 9, 14 Consequences of Teenagers having sex. Sexually transmitted diseases Teenage Pregnancy Emotional consequences: bad reputation, unable to deal with the feelings of loss, regret, or guilt they may experience after sex. Reference #1, 7, 9, 14 Sexually Transmitted Diseases There are 12 million new cases of STDs every year, three million of them among teens. 1 in 4 sexually active teens gets an STD by age 21 Every day, 8,000 teenagers in the United States become infected by a sexually transmitted disease. Teens have higher rates of gonorrhea, herpes, syphilis and Chlamydia. Only ½ of all teens used a condom during their last sexual encounter. Reference #12 http://www.ncsl.org/programs/health/birthrates.htm How many teenage girls get pregnant? Each year, approximately one million teenage females in the U.S. experience pregnancy. 74-95 % of teen pregnancies are unintended. Since 1991, U.S. teenage pregnancy, abortion, and birth rates have declined steadily in every age and racial/ethnic group. Reference #6 Teen Birth Rates Fell Among Teens In All Age Groups Among all teens ages 15-19, the U.S. birth rate declined by 26% over a ten year period, from 62 per 1000 women in 1991 to a record low of 46 in 2001. Reference #10 Teen Birth Rates Fell Among Teens In All Racial and Ethnic Groups African Americans ages 15-19 experienced the steepest decline in birth rates-37%-from 116 per 1000 women in 1991 to 73 in 2001 Among non-Hispanic white women ages 15-19 declined 30%, from 43 to 30 per 1000 in 2001. The birth rate for Asian or Pacific Islander teens ages 15-19 dropped 22%, from 85 to 66 per 1000 in 2001. The birth rate for native American teens ages 15-19 dropped 23%, from 85 to 66 per 1000 in 2001. The birth rate for Hispanic teens ages 15-19 declined 13%, from 107 to 92 per 1000 in 2001. Reference #10 Why have teen pregnancy rates declined? Some researchers attribute 75% of the decline in U.S. teen pregnancy rates to better contraceptive use among sexually experienced teens and 25% of the decrease to increased abstinence. Reference #10 The United States’ teenage pregnancy rate is the highest The birth rate in France was 10 per 1000 women ages 15-19 The birth rate in Canada was 25 per 1000 women ages 1519 The birth rate in Britain was 28 per 1000 women ages 15-19 The birth rate in the United Sates was 62 per 1000 women ages 15-19. Reference #10 Many Births Occurred To Teens Living In Poverty and to Unmarried Teens Poor and low-income teens are somewhat more likely to be sexually active and somewhat less likely to use contraceptives or to use contraception successfully. Poor and low-income adolescents make up 38% of all women ages 15-19, yet they account for 73% of all pregnancies in that age group. Nearly 60% of teens who become mothers are living in poverty at the time of the birth. Reference #1 Risk Factors for the babies born to teenage mothers 4 times more likely to die within the first year of life Complications because of smoking during pregnancy Preterm labor Low birth weight More likely to have organs that are not fully developed Long-term illness Developmental delays Reference #4, 5 more likely to experience social, emotional, and other problems less likely to receive proper nutrition, health care, and cognitive/social stimulation underdeveloped intellect attain lower academic achievement greater risk for being abused or neglected Boys are 13% more likely to be incarcerated Girls are 22% more likely to become teenage mothers Reference #4, 5 Risk Factors for the teenage Parents Adolescent mothers are less likely to complete their education. Only 1/3 obtain a high school diploma. Only 1.5% have a college degree by age 30. They are more likely to face limited career and economic opportunities compared to women whose first children are born after age 20. About 25% of teenage girls who give birth have another baby within 2 years. Teenage births are associated with lower annual income for their mother. 80% of unmarried teen mothers end up on welfare Increased rate of delinquent behaviors in the fathers, including alcohol and substance abuse, lower educational level, and reduced earning potential. Reference #4, 5 Teenage Pregnancy is costing the United States Money President Bush’s budget for fiscal year 2003 provides $135 million for abstinence funding. In the United States, the annual cost of teen pregnancies from lost tax revenues, public assistance, child health care, foster care, and involvement with the criminal justice system is estimated to be about $7 billion. Reference #2 What can we do? Parents need to talk with their kids. 7 out of 10 teens interviewed said that they were ready to listen to things that their parents thought they were not ready to hear. Implement Sex Education programs that don’t just focus on abstinence. #13 Reference Sex Education Programs Most only give facts on STDs, reproduction, and puberty. They teach how to say “no.” 93% of schools in the U.S. teach about the benefits of abstinence and dangers of sex only. Only 43% of the sex education programs teach how to correctly use a condom. Reference #2, 8 How are we trying to prevent teen pregnancy? The Department of Health and Human Services directly funds teen pregnancy prevention programs in nearly 2,234 communities – about 47% of all communities across the country. Reference #2 Programs to Prevent Teen Pregnancy The Abstinence Education Program Grants for Community-based abstinence education The Adolescent Family Life Program Community Coalition prevention demonstrations Working with boys and young men School-based prevention work groups Reference #3 Electronic Resources 1. Advocates for Youth. http://www.advocatesforyouth.org 2. National Conference of State Legislatures http://www.ncsl.org 3. Almanac of Policy Issues. http://www.policyalmanac.org 4. Women’s Health Channel http://www.womenshealthchannel.com 5.Virginia Department of Health. http://www.vahealth.org 6. Pregnancy Info. http://www.pregnancy-info.net 7. Troubled With. http://www.troubledwith.com/ 8. The Heritage Foundation. http://www.heritage.org Resources Roleff, T. (2001). Sex. Sandiego, CA. Greenhaven Presss, Inc. Perlstein, Steve. (2003) Birth Rates Drop. Pediatric News, v37 i8 p44. Sullivan, Michele G. (2004) Discuss Birth Control At Every Teen Girl’s Exam. Pediatric News, v38 i3 p44. Splete, Heidi. (2003) STDs in Pregnant Teens. Pediatric News, v37 i3 p12. Albert, Bill. (2003) What Teens Want Adults To Know About Teen Pregnancy. Nation’s Cities Weekly (ISSN: 01645935) v26 i31 p6. Berger, Kathleen (2003). The Developing Person Through Adolescence and Childhood. New York: Worth Publishers.