Contraception in Schools Essay Paper

Despite the fact that in recent years the availability of information about contraceptives and family planning services for American teenagers has increased, an alarmingly high incidence of teenage pregnancy remains a burning social problem. Among the developed countries the United States have the highest pregnancy rate of teenagers under 20 (Lawlor 2004).

Current statistics show that almost a million of unmarried American women-teens (about one-fifth of all sexually active girls in this age group) become pregnant every year. And it accounts for 13% of all births in the U.S. (Farber 2009). This rate of teenage pregnancy is approximately 4 times greater than in some Western European countries, although it is known that the level of sexual activity of adolescents in these states is the same as in the U.S. (Farber 2009). Involuntarily, a natural question arises: Is it possible that teenagers of the United States incorrectly or insufficiently use contraception? ”“ Yes, it is possible.

All these statistics once again confirm the fact that schools should teach students about contraception. Back in the early 2000s an American schools implemented lessons of sex education, but they were aimed at sexual abstinence programs. There was conducted an advocacy of monogamy and the refusal to have sex before marriage, as a major strategy to combat the spread of sexual diseases, including AIDS. But in the mid 2000’s for the first time in many years in the USA there was noticed an increase in the number of teenage pregnancies, so it was concluded that the lessons of sex education have not given the expected result. Issue of sexual activity of adolescents is still considered to be one of the most pressing in the United States, as in the past few years, the number of cases of sexually transmitted diseases and non-marital pregnancies among adolescents increased.

Therefore, the U.S. government decided to go the other way – to start in schools sex education program, which will include instruction on contraceptive use. For these purposes, the U.S. government has planned to spend 375 million dollars.

Introduction of alternative classes of sexual education in schools has already begun, although it remains one of the controversial issues among politicians, parents and teachers.

The introduction of such programs in schools is necessary because according to statistics: the majority of adolescents are becoming sexually active at 13-14 years. Nowadays abortion at the age of 15 becomes a usual thing.

That is why the age of 13-14 this is the best age when teens should study contraception at school. At this age they are already interested in the topic and they are able to accept, understand the information adequately.

The question “whether schools should distribute condoms to students or not” is very as controversial and is a subject of active discussion. On my opinion, they may distribute condoms to students, as this can have a positive impact on reducing unintended pregnancies among adolescents.

There are a lot of topics (subjects) that could be added to school curriculum and could be interesting and useful for students. The questions about sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS, contraception, family planning are of great use for teens. Every young person needs to know why he should protect himself and how to do it right. Each student should have access to birth control. As to his parents, they can be informed only with the personal permission of the student. So, parent (s) of individuals younger than 18 be can be informed that their child has obtained birth control only from the child and none else shouldn’t have right to inform them without his agreement. Contraception is a private thing and if the relationships between adult and his parents are good, he will tell them himself. Otherwise, it will be his secret, his choice.

On my opinion, only condoms should be available at school as they can feet anyone. The use of pills, uterine cap, diaphragm and other contraceptives should be discussed and agreed with the doctor individually, so these types of contraceptives can’t be widely spread at schools.

Sexual health, functioning, and development are impossible without general health and well-being. Sexual health is a part of general health of a person. If, a person has some serious disease, for example mental, so he is not able to be sexually active and get pleasure fully.

Adolescent pregnancy is a burning problem in the modern society. One of the right ways to solve this problem is to provide educational programs about contraception at school. This implementation can help to stop an increasing number of unwanted pregnancies and spread of sexually transmitted diseases among teenagers.

Work Cited:

Farber, Naomi. (2009). Adolescent pregnancy: policy and prevention services. pp. 56-67.

Lawlor, Debbie A. Shaw, Mary. (March 2004). Teenage pregnancy rates: high compared with where and when? The Royal Society of Medicine. 97(3): 121”“123. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1079321/