Adolescents are by nature curious of their sexuality. At this time in their lives where hormones surges to an optimum high especially in puberty, little girls are now blossoming into real women. Teens are now faced with the pressure of engaging into sexual activity. Most kids know that there are consequences in sexual intercourse but when you are caught in the heat of the moment, sometimes the consequences fly out of the window. With all the hype the media contributes to influencing our young teens to sexual behaviors the health risks involved increases.
In the US an approximate 7 out of 10 women had sex before 14 years of age, and 6 in 10 of those stated that sex happened involuntarily, (Teen Sex and Pregnancy, The Alan Guttmacher Institute, New York, 1996). The Center for Disease Control reported that one-third of girls get pregnant before they reach their 20s. It does not come as a surprise if teens are exposed to sexual intercourse at an early age.
Educators are looking into strengthening sex education in school to help teens be informed of the outcomes of early sexual intercourse. Pregnant teens are increasing in numbers which causes these students to drop out of school. Without a proper education they have less opportunity in getting a job thus rendering them incapable of caring for their unborn child. Some teenage pregnant women resort to abortion in the hopes of fixing the dilemma. Some organizations argue that teaching students to use contraceptives will only increase their protection on sexually transmitted diseases but it will not prevent sexual intercourse in such an early age. The decision on when to have sex, the right time and the right person are the individual’s choice which is influenced by his or her own moral values, family upbringing, religion and beliefs.
The best way to address the problem of teen sex and pregnancy lies in the guidance of parents. Encouraging teens to talk about their anxieties and concerns regarding sexual intercourse shows trust in them that they will be able to make the right decision for themselves. Parents need to inform them of the possible consequences of the action they would take. Along with these information parents should also acknowledge that safe sex is better that unprotected sex which can cause sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. Awareness will help young students make informed decisions that will matter greatly in their life.