Teen Pregnancy: PSA

Several teens make the mistake of giving into sexual urges without thinking about it. Sex is more than just a pleasurable act because it comes with physical risk and is an emotional gamble. There are several myths about sex, and below a few of the most popular myths are observed.

MYTH #1: Everybody else is doing it!

Everybody is NOT doing it! Although it may seem like everyone is having sex, less than half of all high school students have ever had sex.

MYTH #2: You cannot get pregnant the first time you have sex.

It does not matter if it was your first time, your second time, or your fiftieth time having sex, you can still get pregnant.

MYTH #3: Having a baby will make your relationship even stronger.

Unfortunately, this is infrequently true. About eighty percent of teen fathers do not marry the teen mother of their child.

How do you see your future? Becoming a parent as a teenager is the leading reason why teenage girls drop out of school, and less than half of teenage mothers ever graduate from high school. Did you know that less than 2 percent of teenage mothers receive a college degree by age 30? 

What kind of future do you want for your future children? The daughters of teenage mothers are three times more likely to become a teenage mother themselves, and the sons of teenage mothers are two times more likely to be incarcerated.

See why having a baby as a teenager can be a bad idea? So, what can you do to prevent teenage pregnancy? Abstain from sexual activity, delay initiation of sexual intercourse, and increase contraception or condom use.

Remember, it is okay to say NO to sex if you are not ready.  Sex is NOT about what others think about you, but it is about what you think of yourself.

YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CHOOSE!

References

Teitelman, A. M., Bohinski, J. M., & Boente, A. (2009). The social context of sexual health and sexual risk for urban adolescent girls in the United States. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 30(7), 460-469. doi:10.1080/01612840802641735