Analysis_on_Us_Pregnancy_Rates

U.S. Teenage Pregnancies, Births and Abortions: National and State Trends and Trends by Race and Ethnicity The Guttmacher Institute collected data for this topic using quantitative research by means of using and analyzing data other institutions had previously created. After combining years of secondary data they created their own statistics to demonstrate a correlation between rates and instances of teenage pregnancy in relation to race and geographical location. The negative effect of the social forces that impact and even “nurture” teenage pregnancy are usually already predetermined as a by-product of socioeconomic status and geographic location that one is born into. This is to say that it is more often than not disadvantageous to be born into a low income, minority family as the amount of opportunities afforded an individual in this circumstance are few and far between as well as less than exceptional. The environment that they are exposed to not only stems from but leads to problems in family structure and lack or indifference of sex education. It is a self perpetuating condition that can level even the strongest of contradictory cultural values. Geographic location is also a highly influential and driving social force when it comes to the issue of teen pregnancy as well as the willful and deliberate termination of these pregnancies. This has to do with the fact that - as stated earlier - minorities naturally in locals where there is a higher population density of these minority teens in relation to their non-minority counterparts there will also be an increase in instances of teenage pregnancy. Once again, it is also important to recognize that attitudes towards both teenage pregnancy as well as abortion differ greatly depending on geography. There is also a major correlation between teen pregnancy and proper contraceptive practices. Teens raised in lower income families generally have less access to a quality education which also extends to include adequate sexual education. This improper sex education and general ignorance of contraceptive use that can even be perpetuated by the parents are conditions that lead to an unfortunate consequence and leaves teenagers without the knowledge of how to prevent pregnancy. After reviewing this information provided by the Guttmacher Institute, the main point that I am taking away from all of this would be that the better off the socioeconomic status of ones family, the less likely they are to become a teenage pregnancy statistic. There is a great deal of support for this line of reasoning with one example being access to a quality education and by default, quality sexual education. Of course there are also many states that take the more conservative approach of abstinence-only sex education and therefore under-serve even those with access to quality education. In states like there, socioeconomic status is somewhat less important as teenagers from all backgrounds are being denied important and life-altering knowledge. It is also important to note that teens who are provided with and exposed to more opportunities and examples of success (and how teen pregnancy can drastically reduce such things) are more likely to be inspired and follow suit by delaying and planning their parenthood as opposed to those who come from a background where teen pregnancies are common place and just seen as something that happens. This shows how most cycles are in fact self perpetuating, its just a matter of which cycle a person is born and exposed to.