Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month

We all know and understand the emotional and psychological toll unwanted or unintended teen pregnancies have on our children, families and friends. It often tears at the fabric of families and forces them to deal with a situation that they thought would “never happen to them.”

For many of us, the month of May signifies the birth of spring with all its hope and optimism. The month of May is also when we celebrate Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month. During this month, we remind teens, parents and family members about the importance of REAL and HONEST sex education and the consequences of unintended pregnancies.  Giving teens information about their reproductive health, family planning and the proper use of contraception is a critical component of reducing the numbers of unintended pregnancies, particularly in poorer, rural communities where sex education and reproductive health care services are often in short-supply.

Fortunately, California passed legislation in 1992 that expanded family-planning services to low-income women and teens.

Family planning clinics and services, such as Planned Parenthood affiliates across the state, are the leaders in providing programs for teens across the socio-economic spectrum.  Planned Parenthood has committed the majority of its time and resources to limiting the number of teen pregnancies each year. Their mission is to provide our teens with medically accurate materials and counseling about the effects of unintended pregnancies. Planned Parenthood ensures that young men and women are provided with information and options about everything from pap smears and cancer screening to treating sexually transmitted infections and providing birth control.

Planned Parenthood believes that the best way to protect teens is to give them the strength and courage to stand up for themselves when the subjects of sex and reproductive health come up. They are committed to ensuring that our teens, with all of the outside influences on them, make the best decision for themselves about their health. The fact is, Planned Parenthood does more every year to prevent unwanted pregnancies than any other organization in the country.

I am proud of the work Planned Parenthood does every day and look forward to continuing to help them in their mission. 

As a state legislator, I know firsthand that the crisis of teen pregnancy has a significant financial and economic impact on families and the community at large.

Overall, unintended teen pregnancies in California cost taxpayers approximately $896 million in 2004, according to an analysis by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. What is even more disturbing is that 53% of those costs came directly from the state and local level -- money that could have found its way into other health care or education programs.

Throughout the process of a pregnancy, teenagers and their parents/guardians are confronted with enormous expenses in pre-natal and post-natal care including doctor visits, ultrasounds and prescription medications – expenses that many families are ill-equipped to handle over the long-term.  In the case of low-income families, the burden of paying for unintended teen pregnancies is even greater and the financial impact is more immediate for them.

In 2006, California was recognized as a national leader for its efforts to reduce unintended pregnancies and providing the state significant cost savings as a result. According to a recent study by the Guttmacher Institute, the results of California’s progressive approach to sex education has been a big factor in this state’s forty percent (40%) reduction in the number of unintended pregnancies over the last decade.

As a community, our greatest concern is over the health and well-being of our teenagers.  As parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, guardians, educators, coaches, health care professionals and elected officials, we all have some role in guiding a teenager’s future. We want them to know and understand that parenting is for life -- a real responsibility not to be entered into a casually.

As a guiding influence in their lives, we should ensure that our teenagers receive comprehensive and medically accurate information so that they have a real understanding of sex and what it takes to have long-term reproductive health.

So, as we succeed in lowering teen pregnancy rates, there is more we must do as parents, teachers, educators, faith leaders and mentors.

First, parents need to be involved. As parents, we all need to find a way to talk intelligently to our teens about sex. Studies show that teenagers are more likely to go to their friends or peer group to ask questions about sex and contraception. Parents’ awareness of this may explain why over seventy-five percent (75%) of California’s parents support comprehensive sex education.

Second, we need to ensure that our schools are teaching medically accurate comprehensive sex education programs that provide information on reproduction, contraceptives, STI/STD’s and family planning.

Third, while the active role of parents, grandparents, guardians and teachers is critical, we cannot overlook the positive impact spiritual leaders can have in preventing unintended pregnancies. Indeed, statistics from a recent study by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy show that the overwhelming majority of teens (72%) and adults (75%) want more involvement from the faith community in teen pregnancy prevention.  

Finally, we have to recognize that today’s teenagers face more pressure regarding sex than any previous generation. They are surrounded by it through every possible media and marketing angle available through television, radio and, more recently, the internet.

The bottom line is clear: we need to give our teenagers the tools to make wise choices and protect themselves from unintended pregnancies and STI/STD’s.  The month of May gives us the opportunity to ensure we do more to prevent unintended or unwanted teenage pregnancies and to keep our young people healthy.

Assemblywoman Loni Hancock represents the 14th Assembly District, served by Planned Parenthood/Shasta Diablo and Planned Parenthood: Golden Gate affiliates.  She is a member of the Assembly Health and Education Committees and Chairs the Natural Resources Committee and the Select Committee on Bridging the Achievement Gap.  She has seven grandchildren.