Teen Pregnancy in the United States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Teen Pregnancy in the United States - Essay Example The focus of the article then moves on to the steps that could be taken in order to ensure that this issue is dealt with in the most effective manner. It is seen that a multi-dimensional approach is necessary to find out the best solution to the problems related to teenage pregnancy in the United States. Not only there is the need for a more comprehensive educational plan, there is also the need to introduce programs that support the further education and the career of the adolescent mother. In addition, support is also necessary for the mother to understand how to raise the child. The article concludes by discussing the need for a combination of the programs so that there is a comprehensive method to prevent both teenage pregnancies and to support adolescent mothers. Adolescent pregnancy has become a social issue that attracts a very high level of attention because the United States has the highest rate of teen pregnancy among the industrialized countries. The rate of teen pregnancy in the US is almost double of that of Great Britain and over 10 times that of Japan (unc.edu, 2005). Therefore, it is no longer an issue that concerns just the teenager and the family, but it has become a social issue that has larger implications and repercussions that has the local and national impact. The peak period for teenage pregnancies was during the early 1990s when the teenage birth rate was over 60 births per 1000 women. Over a period, this rate has come down slowly. During 2006, this number reduced to 41.9 births per 1000 women (guttmacher.org, 2006). Researchers feel that there are two main reasons for this high rate of teenage pregnancy. One is that the age of menarche is now much lower than what it has been before. This results in an increase in sexual activity without the awareness of its consequences at a much earlier age, resulting in teenage pregnancy (Kaplowitz, 2006).