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Causes of STDs and Pregnancies in U.S. Teens
By
Ashley | February 24, 2010
Pregnancy is a favorable phase in a couple’s life only if the baby is desired and the couple is capable of bearing the responsibilities of a child. However, if the child is unwanted and pregnancy is the result of unprotected sex, it can be problematic.
According to gynecologists, the right age for a woman to carry a baby is between 18 and 35 years. However, teens in the U.S. are scoring high on pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The probable causes of increasing STDs and pregnancies in U.S. teens can be attributed to the following:
- The foremost reason of the increasing rate of pregnancies and STDs in teens is the lack of awareness on sexual knowledge and contraception. Teens are not being instructed about safe sex and the methods of birth control. Therefore, teens get into sexual relationships without using protection; this leads to unwanted pregnancies. Also, unprotected sex with a partner who is affected by a sexually transmitted affliction transmits the disease.
- Other probable causes for the increasing number of pregnancies and STDs in the youth could be attributed to the increased consumption of alcohol and narcotics, which may cause ignorance when mating. The couple might not use contraceptives out of sheer carelessness.
According to an authentic research, the statistics for the disastrous sexual scenario in the U.S. suggest that one-third of teens have not received proper instructions on birth control, STDs and ways to prevent them. In the year 2004, there have been more than 700,000 cases of pregnancies in teens younger than 18 years. The most astonishing figures have been the number of pregnancies reported in girls in the age group of 10-14 years, the number being 16,000. The number of teens afflicted by sexually transmitted diseases like HIV AIDS, syphilis and gonorrhea has also increased by a significant percentage.
It is crucial to examine the cause of such a horrendous situation in American teens. Some of the ways to reduce and control the increasing rate of STDs and pregnancies in teens are listed below:
- First and foremost, teens must be educated on topics focused on sexual health. They must also be instructed about the use of contraceptives to prevent STDs and avert unwanted pregnancies.
- Also, parents must be supportive towards their children. They must try to control the intake of alcohol and drugs in their teen kids to ensure a sound mind, which would block any room for carelessness when mating.
These are a few tips to avert the increasing rate of pregnancies and STDs among U.S. teens
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