What works to lower rates

Who woulda thunk? Educate people...and they won't have to make decisions like abortion in the first place.

TAKE THIS, AND BRING IT TO AMERICA. I'm sick of abstinence only. It's not helpful, and breeds ignorance and poor choices.

Oh yeah...in America, it's an abortion if an egg, fertilized or not, is killed. We're practically forced to mourn the death of the egg every time a woman menstrates. :: rolls eyes ::

Abstinence doesn't work for everyone, unfortunately. If it did, the world would be a better place.

And, I didn't say PRACTICING abstinence was bad. (unfortunately, I forgot the word "education" in that post) Abstinence-only education is horrible. For kids that don't follow those "rules" the educators set up (and believe, as a teacher myself...students will always break the rules), they are in trouble because they don't know how to protect themselves.

Parents have the right to pull their students from sex-ed classes they don't agree with, and I feel THAT would be better than forcing all students to abstain from sex because it just won't happen.

However, I am glad your choices worked for you.

Abstinence is fine for those who wish to practice it. I do feel young teens should not be having sex. However, the reality is, they *are* having sex, and it's better for them to have the knowledge of how to use protection than for them to be kept in the dark. Studies are consistently showing that comprehensive sex ed works best. Anyone who would wish to implement a method that is *not* working (abstinence only ed) is *not* looking out for the teens' best interests, but is trying to push their agenda.

Abstinence is not working as a whole. And you were not abstinent until marriage, Nightie.

Education and proper birth control are working.

It is pretty clear that abstinence-only sex education has never ever worked, because it is very hard to say "no" to something that feels so good when you're a horny teenager. There is nothing wrong with teaching abstinence, but information about birth control that is actually effective should also be instilled into young people. They should know where to find condoms and BC pills, the locations of the nearest abortion clinics and I think doctors should ull their heads out of their backsides and allow nulliparous teen girls to get IUDs. There is no such thing as too much protection, and I see no issues with allowing teen girls to have IUDs inserted.

Unfortunately, since the current generation of parents are of the mindset that ignorance equals safety, they will continue to keep their children uninformed about important issues until said issues become raging problems. I also think that parents need to quit being lazy and stupid and start talking to their kids about sex, since schools are too incompetent to do it now. If someone doesn't explain to young people the consequences of sex and how to prevent them, they will end up pregnant or riddled with STDs and have no idea what to do. And then the parents will blame the media because they can't admit they messed up bad and will have to deal with the embarrassment of having a knocked-up or diseased teenaged child.

Here's what could lower the rates of both abortion and teen pregnancy - rehashing the lessons of history and begin shaming pregnant teens rather than worshipping them. There was once a time when getting pregnant as a teen was one of the most shameful things a girl could do, and she would get sent off to live with a relative until she had the kid and then she'd be forced to give it away. I vote for not treating these harlots like gold when the pee stick turns blue and make them feel ashamed about being knocked up. Make them feel like like trash, and when everyone gives them dirty stares and refuses to talk to them and they can't get dates, abortion will begin to look like a desirable alternative. It would be nice, but in this baby-worshipping country, I don't ever see it happening again.

I don't agree with "shaming" pregnant teens, but I do think that teen pregnancy should not be treated as "okay". The same attitude should go to the males - that getting a teen lover pregnant is not okay.

I do believe that if parents were doing their job, and actually paying attention to their children, spending time with them, letting them know they are loved etc., there would be far fewer teens having sex and consequently, far fewer teen pregnancies. I think that many teens, have sex to feel "loved", misguided though that is.

Combine comprehensive sex ed with parents paying more attention to their children and I'd bet the teen pregnancy rate would drop dramatically.

Shaming teens eh Cambion?. Which teens percisely? Oh .. I see.. just the girls. So you don't really want to shame teens you want to shame teenage girls, not teens. Why? Who gave teenage boys a right to spew sperm and walk away? Oh ya.. I see . you did.
I hate to bring reality into your fantasy but to create a pregnancy require both a sperm and an egg. Girls can't get pregnant alone, we aren't worms. For the record as well Cambion a harlot is a woman who sells sex not one who has sex. Harlot? What centuary did you grow up in? I'm sure you think giving girls a bad self image is a good thing and I sincerely hope you never have any because it is twisted little misogynysts like you that lead women to think they deserve abuse.
Isn't it time you grew up just a bit?

Practising abstinence isn't very effective -- you actually have to be an EXPERT at it for it to work.

Really? That's strange.

"Teenage mothers are much less likely than older women to receive timely prenatal care and are more likely to smoke during pregnancy. As a result of these and other factors, babies born to teenagers are more likely to be preterm and of low birth weight and are at greater risk of serious and long-term illness, of developmental delays, and of dying in the first year of life compared to infants of older mothers."

Ventura SJ et al. Births to teenagers in the United States, 1940-2000. National Vital Statistics Reports 2001; 49(10):1-19