Abstinence Education to Blame for Rise in Teen Pregnancy Rates, Report Finds

Every locality that institutes an abstinence only education policy sees a dramatic rise in teen pregnancy rates....EVERY ONE.

Of course abstinence should be taught as the most reliable option for children to avoid pregnancy and STD's, but a fully rounded education is a must. The lack of education about have sex is what is leading to these pregnancy rates. You people who push this abstinence only education are like ostriches with your heads buried so deep in the sand that you won't allow yourself to learn from your own mistakes. And that would be fine if you were the only ones who had to deal with the consequences of your chosen ignorance, but it's the kids and the rest of society who have to then support them through welfare, etc, who are the ones dealing with the consequences of YOUR chosen ignorance. Enough already. If you want to prevent children from having sex, EDUCATE them. Nothing is more powerful than cold, hard facts. Nothing will scare them away from early sex more effectively than a frank conversation about STD's and what they REALLY do to their bodies. Nothing will create responsibility in them than exposing them to the reality of what awaits them if they choose to engage in early and unprotected sexual relations before they are capable of dealing with them. Quit foisting off your ignorance onto the next generation. Enough is enough.

I couldn't agree with you more. This is actually a followup article that focused the blame on the former Bush administration because he supported abstinence programs also. As a fierce prolifer, I am offended by the fact that Planned Parenthood claims to help teens. They use this as a ploy to engineer and run an abortion industry that continues to pull in a gross amount of money per year. Research shows that Planned Parenthood is a farce. Stats show that these girls actually get very little, if any, counseling from these places. Former abortionists have gone on record to say that these girls are actually often talked into having abortions once they are pregnant rather than exploring all options, which is what their mantra was suppose to be initially. As the adoptive mother of two great kids and a Roman Catholic, I will preach abstinence because their sexuality is too important not too. I realize that they will make their own choices, but my husband and I will outline that we will not support teen pregnancy if the unthinkable should happen. The only option will be carrying the pregnancy to term and making an adoption plan. Abortion will never be considered if they wish to continue living in our home. As a parent, I believe you have to send a strong message, "If you play, you pay.' And it isn't going to be a quick fix such as seeking an abortion and pretending as if nothing happened. A very adult decision to have sex should be followed by the very adult action of seeing it through to the end. Parents need to be hyper-vigilant when it comes to teen sex.

Excellent work, Shanachie13! You flushed out the Guttmacher Institute and revealed it for what it is. As long as the press continues to treat it as an objective source of information, the press will be equally guilty in spreading misinformation about pregnancy, contraception and abortion.

I have read a number of studies, non-Guttmacher studies--from around the globe. In each case, abstinence education has resulted in the reduction of teen pregnancy and disease. Likely the same is true here. We may never know since our press is so overwhelmingly anti-life and anti-human dignity.

Thanks

From a Department of Health study, reported by the Daily Mail that dozens of girls at the age of 12 and 13, are having abortions regularly. In England, girls under 14 that were having abortions rose 21 percent from 2006 to 2007. At the same time, girls under 16 that were having abortions rose 10 percent. Also in England, repeat abortions were on the rise dramatically.

The Daily Mail said that there were over 64,000 repeat abortions just in the last year. In this same year, over 40 women terminated over 8 pregnancies each. Girls, below the age of 18, terminated four or more pregnancies between 2005 and 2008. The number of abortions performed on teenage girls since 1991 has risen 70 percent, stunning isn’t it?

Parents are turning away from their duties and they are causing irreparable harm to their children. If you notice these days, so many of our children are insecure, lonely, unhealthy, emotionally immature, unruly, disrespectful to their elders and rebellious toward authority. - itrustgodonly.com

Yes, abstinence reduces Planed Parenthood's business but that's not really the issue. Abstinence is 100% effective when teens actually abstain from sex. But the problem with abstinence-only education is that it doesn't deal with reality. Does the name Bristol Palin ring a bell?

Chene, when I was in Catholic high school, I had a friend who's parents had the same idea as you. So when she found herself pregnant as a junior she went and had an abortion because she couldn't bare to give the child up for adoption. I'd have a lot more respect for you and your supposed Catholic values if you were willing to aid your child whether she chose to keep the child or give it up for adoption but truthfully your adoption or else attitude is just as bad as the coercion you accuse Planned Parenthood of. I have two little girls, both being raised Catholic and they will be taught comprehensive sex ed; abstinence is best but here is what you need to know just in case.

OMG shanachie, you are so paranoid and suspicious! Planned parenthood is trying to prevent unwanted pregnancies, not encourage more of them. Are you so ignorant and insensitive to believe that people take abortion lightly or that there are people who WANT to increase the number of unwanted pregnancies? Shame on you.....I urge you to TURN OFF FOX NEWS and tune into a real news station that will share the facts.

I'll take a long shot here, but I bet you do not have one shred of evidence to back up what you are saying.

Part of Planned Parenthoods approach is to talk about abstinence also but lets get real......teens love to have sex because it is a biological imperative to reproduce. It human history 101 , idiot... ABSTINANCE FAILS!

it is no wonder most of the young women are very irresponsible and dont care about any one but them selves,the other half know the fed govt has their back and shell out millions of my tax dollars to pop out kids ,useless twits

The best sexual education my mother ever gave me was the day she sat me down and stated that if I were to become pregnant, not to expect her to take care of the kid or buy me anything. That may seem harsh but it kept me from "forgetting" to use anything. It kept me out of lala land like so many of these teens and even tweens get caught in. Worked like a charm all they way thru college. Thank you mom, I love you! I think a lot of these girls already know about birth control, they just get caught in la la land or don't have any respect for their bodies.

I don't agree with you. I have spoken to both my kids about sex and contraception. I asked my 18 year old daughter to take some birth control, because she was in a relationship that was getting serious. I spoke to both my son and my daughter about safe sex and using condoms.

My son now has a son, and I discovered my daughter was having sex and not on any birth control, and didn't practice safe sex by using condoms.

I had to buy her boyfriend condoms in the hope they would have safe sex in the future. He thought it was her responsibility to take birth control!

First of all, the government has taken alot of our rights as parents away from us. My daughter is now 18. Her daughter is 14 months. I did everything I could to keep her on the right path. She was an A student in school. In the gifted programs. But her choice in friend's, and me having to work 12 hour shifts, put her the statistics. Well by the time she was 15, she stop going to school. Was hooked on pills, and other drugs. When I tried to discipline her, or ground her, she would call the sheriff on me. I was the one to get in trouble. There is also no law in Florida on runaways. They refuse to help me. Instead gave custody to my sister, who in turn allowed my 16 year old daughter's 22 year old b/f to move in. Out of control, is what these kids are, and the laws protect them, instead of the children who really need to be protected by murdering parents...

Here here well said. Some of the more conservative responders ought to remember Sarah Palin I believe she tried to teach her daughter abstinence and look what happened. How soon todays "elephants" forget. Sorry mom by the way I don't wish to make this a political thing especially when you speak from real experience but many of the people that you are commenting to do have that agenda behind their input. To you I say spread the word maybe one day they'll wise up.

I couldn't agree more! You seem to be the only one who gets it! Parents need to go back in time and remember how it was when they were in their teens and not just themselves remember their peers as well and the things that were going on in their lives too. Not all children make sound decisions but if they are informed they can make better ones.

Shazam- Discrediting the report won't change the facts or make the problem go away.

If you don't feel that teen pregnancy is your problem and you don't want to deal with this issue, then skip the post and move on to another story. You have added nothing substanial to the discussion.

The ignorance about Planed Parenthood is just so Republican. You people who believe this crap that they are there just to provide abortions are just trying to push your own agenda. Can't believe stats? Look around and see more and more kids having kids and you tell us why.