One In Three American Girls Pregnant Before The Age Of 20
Posted by Amber Robinson at 8:50 PM on September 8, 2008
US educators are hoping the national discussion about the pregnancy of the daughter of vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, Bristol, will renew the scrutiny of Federal Government-backed abstinence-until-marriage sex education programs. Sex educators have found the programs ineffective in preventing teenage pregnancy and the US now holds the highest rate of teen pregnancy in the world, with one in three American girls falling pregnant before the age of 20.
Palin opposes any sex education in schools that does not take the abstinence approach, and opposes abortion in all circumstances except where the mother's life is in danger.
Republican conservatives have applauded Bristol Palin for opting to carry her baby to full term. But Logan Levkoff, a sexuality educator, told music video network MTV she should not be lauded.
"We shouldn't hold this girl up on a pedestal because of the mistake she made and then the decision she made afterwards," Dr Levkoff said. "Whether or not she keeps this baby, teen pregnancy isn't a good thing."
In comparison, Australia has the sixth-highest rate of teen pregnancies in the OECD, but numbers are dropping.
My view? It's pretty hard to stop hormonal teenagers from having sex. At least if they know about contraception, they can avoid falling pregnant and picking up HIV.
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