Teen pregnancy in the US is a major problem that impacts society in many ways. Adolescent pregnancy leads to serious health problems and underachievement in school for the teens and an increase in public expenditure for the government (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2019). The key factors contributing to the issue are poverty and the low educational level of the family members (CDC, 2019). While teen pregnancy rates have been declining for the past decades, it remains one of the most serious public health concerns in modern American society.
Many resources are dedicated to reducing adolescent pregnancy rates through educational programs, community initiatives, and so forth. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have developed the Teen Access and Quality Initiative agreement, under which they support local health centers in adjusting health services to the needs of young people (CDC, 2019). CDC has also created reproductive health guidelines for health care providers and parents to educate their children (CDC, 2019). Throughout the years, the organization has participated in numerous studies to develop teen pregnancy prevention programs (CDC, 2019). Overall, this source offers the most comprehensive approach to the problem. “Power to Decide” is another website dedicated to the issue. It represents a public organization that provides statistics on adolescent pregnancy, offers consulting services, and works with the legislators to improve relevant federal policies (Power to Decide, 2020). The ultimate goal of “Power to Decide” is to provide young people with science-based reproductive health information and ensure universal access to quality medical care.
Texas has been historically one of the states with high teen pregnancy rates. However, during the past decade, teen birth rates have decreased by more than 50% (CDC WONDER Online Database, 2019). It is reasonable to suggest that public initiatives in education and healthcare played an essential role in changing the situation. Funding for sex education and planned parenthood programs is vital in achieving further success in dealing with the issue.
References
CDC WONDER Online Database. (2019). Natality public-use data. Web.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019). Reproductive health: Teen pregnancy. Web.
Power to Decide. (2020). Web.