NationStates Jolt Archive

Britain has the highest rate of teenage pregnancies in Western Europe (I'm not sure of continent/country figures but would be intrested to know). What do you think is to blame for this record?

(Poll to follow)

(Sorry if this topic has come up recently!)

BBC News:
British teen pregnancy rates are high
"The number of teenagers becoming pregnant has increased by 2.2%, official statistics show.
The number of under-18s who became pregnant in England and Wales rose from 40,966 in 2001 to 41,868 in 2002.
The government said the latest figures were a "blip" in a trend which had seen teenage pregnancies fall during the preceding three years.
Last year, the government announced it was providing £40m to fund the teenage pregnancy strategy up to 2006.
The complex issue of teenage pregnancy will not be solved overnight
Anne Weyman, Family Planning Association
The data was published by the government's Teenage Pregnancy Unit.
It showed some parts of the country have seen sharper rises in pregnancies among under-18s than others.
London saw an increase of 4.8%, and the east - which covers areas from Luton to Suffolk - saw a rise of 2.9%.
However, there was little change in the number of pregnancies in the south east, and the rate fell by 2.1% in the south-west." BBC article.

Question What do you think can be done to stop teenage pregnancy (obviously the figures do not include any stats of sexually active young people, abortion and so on which is also a factor) Do you actually think that it is actually a problem? Do you care? And so on.....

Here in the states the parents of the teens like to blame anybody but themselves while the pregnant teenagers try to get people to understand that it was no one's fault but their own. And thats who I blame the teenagers themselves. They are going to make their own decisions no matter what you do well unless we bring chastity belts back. Aside from that we should offer birth control and make youngin's not afraid to get it or use it.

Here in the states the parents of the teens like to blame anybody but themselves while the pregnant teenagers try to get people to understand that it was no one's fault but their own. And thats who I blame the teenagers themselves. They are going to make their own decisions no matter what you do well unless we bring chastity belts back. Aside from that we should offer birth control and make youngin's not afraid to get it or use it.

But that also has negative effects.

Britain has the highest rate of teenage pregnancies in Western Europe (I'm not sure of continent/country figures but would be intrested to know). What do you think is to blame for this record?

(Poll to follow)

(Sorry if this topic has come up recently!)

BBC News:
British teen pregnancy rates are high
"The number of teenagers becoming pregnant has increased by 2.2%, official statistics show.
The number of under-18s who became pregnant in England and Wales rose from 40,966 in 2001 to 41,868 in 2002.
The government said the latest figures were a "blip" in a trend which had seen teenage pregnancies fall during the preceding three years.
Last year, the government announced it was providing £40m to fund the teenage pregnancy strategy up to 2006.
The complex issue of teenage pregnancy will not be solved overnight
Anne Weyman, Family Planning Association
The data was published by the government's Teenage Pregnancy Unit.
It showed some parts of the country have seen sharper rises in pregnancies among under-18s than others.
London saw an increase of 4.8%, and the east - which covers areas from Luton to Suffolk - saw a rise of 2.9%.
However, there was little change in the number of pregnancies in the south east, and the rate fell by 2.1% in the south-west." BBC article.

Question What do you think can be done to stop teenage pregnancy (obviously the figures do not include any stats of sexually active young people, abortion and so on which is also a factor) Do you actually think that it is actually a problem? Do you care? And so on.....

Well the rest of Western Europe has a decreasing population, so what's the big deal. Through most of human history pregnancy first occured in teenagers, so if these people have nothing else to offer why shouldn't they make babies

Well the rest of Europe has a decreasing population, so what's the big deal, through most of human history pregnancy first occured in teeenagers, so if these people have nothing else to offer why shouldn't they make babies

Apathetic and a tad cruel. Good mind.

Perhaps the answer in the UK would be best summed up as: CHAVS ?

I blame a combination of poor sex eudcation and stupidity on the part of the bitches that get knocked up. I've never, ever, encountered a teen pregnancy where the girl had any brainpower to speak of.

But that also has negative effects.

Like what? My point is it it's too late after the fact unless you allow or can afford an abortion. If these teenagers decide they're gonna have sex they're gonna do it. If the problem here is teenage pregnancy than birth control reduces the risks around 98%.

Everyone must take responsibility for their own actions. However, things like lack of education and social stigma can have an exacerbating effect as well. So it's a bit difficult to pin 'blame' down to any one source.

People have a duty to faithfully educate their children about the positive and negative consequences inherent to certain behaviours, and once educated, the young must take full responsibility for their actions.

It's not exactly a cut-and-dried thing, now is it.

you cant stop all teen pregnancies. some are deliberate eh?

i think the best approach is to encourage sexually active teens to use birth control and to emphasize to them just how likely it is to get pregnant without protection

without all the disgusting genital wart pictures

oh yeah, id guess it was teens and their partners who are to blame for pregnacies. i dont think anyone is forcing them to have irresponsible sex.

My stance:
While there are a lot of factors that are to blame for teenage pregnancy, the biggest problem is the ignorance of the teenagers themselves. The two things to blame for this are a lack of sex education by society (usually in schools) and sex education by the parents. The government can't regulate how parents raise their children unless they do something terribly wrong, but it is responsible for ensuring that society deals with the problem.
My opinion is, if someone complains about children being allowed to use condoms or knowing how to use condoms, then they shouldn't be complaining about abortions.

Like what? My point is it it's too late after the fact unless you allow or can afford an abortion. If these teenagers decide they're gonna have sex they're gonna do it. If the problem here is teenage pregnancy than birth control reduces the risks around 98%.

Birth control increases the feeling of invulnerability, causing them to make more love. Which increases the risk of STDs.

the teenage is too blam if you will have sex then use protection and bad sex education which is not the schools fault.....in some school boards it requiers you to fill a permission slip to watch sex ed. but some parents dont want there kids to see it because they believe that there kids know better or that they are too young or that it is there job to explain it(which is not true with most parents).



one think i hate about sex ed. is the movies they show...they are never serious and instead of getting kids who actually went through this they get kids who act it out....and most of the time it just seems like a big joke...the movies dont really have a message in them because the kids who act it out act so badly it is funny.....when ever we watch these lame movies a cant seem to stop laughing ever.

In 2000, 38,690 under 18 year olds in England became pregnant
44.8% of these ended in legal abortion
7,617 of these conceptions were to under 16s
54.5% of conceptions to under 16s ended in legal abortion

http://www.hlj.me.uk/ns/tpreg.JPG


source (http://www.nhsinherts.nhs.uk/hp/health_topics/teenage_pregnancy/teenage_pregnancy.htm)
source (http://www.unicef-icdc.org/publications/pdf/repcard3e.pdf)


just thought i'd be helpful :)
(odd.. must be this beer :confused: :p )



edit: my opinion is that its the culture of trying to be more mature than they are - which is influenced by a number of the factors listed in the poll, from lack of education, to substandard upbringing, widely available booze, and the media

On the most basic level, it is the teens themselves who are to "blame" for pregnancy. However...I don't like to look at things at the basic level.

It has been stated that teenagers are evolving to the point where sex really is their choice. As such, society needs to keep up with them. If they really don't want teenagers to get pregnant, they need to educate them, and provide them access to birth control.

Birth control increases the feeling of invulnerability, causing them to make more love. Which increases the risk of STDs.

The fact that birth control increase the feeling of invulerability is hardly an excuse. I had sex for a year without birth control. Then once I started using birth control yeah I felt safer, but I definitely didn't have it any more than before. Again my point is the whole they're gonna have sex anyway pretty much. STD's is risk always of course no matter who you are, but we are talking teen pregnancies

Everyone must take responsibility for their own actions.Which is why you are allowed to sign contracts before turning 18 [/sarcasm]

The fact that birth control increase the feeling of invulerability is hardly an excuse. I had sex for a year without birth control. Then once I started using birth control yeah I felt safer, but I definitely didn't have it any more than before. Again my point is the whole they're gonna have sex anyway pretty much. STD's is risk always of course no matter who you are, but we are talking teen pregnancies

My point is: That Bolol's solution has the least negative side effects.

I think it's a mix of schools not educating their students, and bad parenting. Schools should offer up all of the facts, but it is a parents job to make sure their children are properly educated about it all. Also, parents need to teach their children about sex' pro's & con's far before they do something stupid, don't wait until it is too late.

Apathetic and a tad cruel. Good mind.

Well what do I care, the fact is only a tiny percentage of my taxes goes to pay for the keep of Teen spawn, way more is choked up by the vastly over staffed and utterly inept bureaucrasies which attempt (and fail) to run every public funded service in the UK!

My point is: That Bolol's solution has the least negative side effects.

Didn't (s)he say the same thing only adding education in there? Which yes I agree with that as well

Teenage pregnancies - Who is to blame?

Me!

Didn't (s)he say the same thing only adding education in there? Which yes I agree with that as well

BLast. Must've missed that part. The education part then.

My stance:
While there are a lot of factors that are to blame for teenage pregnancy, the biggest problem is the ignorance of the teenagers themselves. The two things to blame for this are a lack of sex education by society (usually in schools) and sex education by the parents. The government can't regulate how parents raise their children unless they do something terribly wrong, but it is responsible for ensuring that society deals with the problem.
My opinion is, if someone complains about children being allowed to use condoms or knowing how to use condoms, then they shouldn't be complaining about abortions.

The lack of sex education argument falls short because of the fact that most teens already know this stuff just from being part of teen culture. I'm not saying there shouldn't be sex ed, just that there is already enough. Kids know the risks, they just don't seem to care about them.

BLast. Must've missed that part. The education part then.

LOL It's alright. Honestly the only approach I am opposed to is the denial thing or people who say "Just don't do it!" That method has quite obviously failed miserably.

The lack of sex education argument falls short because of the fact that most teens already know this stuff just from being part of teen culture. I'm not saying there shouldn't be sex ed, just that there is already enough. Kids know the risks, they just don't seem to care about them.

Hmm it's true. But how do you make kids care?

LOL It's alright. Honestly the only approach I am opposed to is the denial thing or people who say "Just don't do it!" That method has quite obviously failed miserably.

Well if someone can't resist their sex drive, odds are they'd take up smoking if they knew too little. Meybe they would anyway.

Hmm it's true. But how do you make kids care?

To be honest I don't think you can. I think the repetition of these concepts within school is definitely hampering it, though. If kids hear their teachers merely repeating over and over again "have safe sex. use a condom" they'll think its just some stupid part of the school system. A better way to promote safe sex would be through popular/corporate culture. Not Public Service Announcements telling kids to be safe, but actual full-scale corporate ads for condoms, birth control, etc., geared to teens.

Didn't (s)he say the same thing only adding education in there? Which yes I agree with that as well

The only true "safe sex" is...no sex. Unfortunately that is unrealistic, as humans are sexual beings. As such, it is our responsibilty as a society to provide information to our next generation, that, frankly, is surpassing its predescessors in terms of sexuality.

Education plus access to birth control will mean lower teen pregnancy rates, as well as lower STD rates.

NOTE: I have an XY chromosome makeup, btw. :p

To be honest I don't think you can. I think the repetition of these concepts within school is definitely hampering it, though. If kids hear their teachers merely repeating over and over again "have safe sex. use a condom" they'll think its just some stupid part of the school system. A better way to promote safe sex would be through popular/corporate culture. Not Public Service Announcements telling kids to be safe, but actual full-scale corporate ads for condoms, birth control, etc., geared to teens.

Actually that sounds like a better plan. :p

I'm going to throw a completely different view of things into the mix: Teenage pregnancy is not bad.

For the past 2 years, I've gone to a school that has a huge teen mom program. Originally, I went there with all these ideas like that the moms were sleeping around, they were all single, all on welfare, all bad parents, and none of them should have done it. But after having spent a while getting to know them, I've realized that actually, they aren't so bad.

Yeah, some of them do fit the above criteria, but most of them don't. I don't know about the sleeping around, but most of the 'baby daddies' were proud of their kids and even helped out with the parenting. I know several guys who were not the child's biological father, but who decided to give up their social life to help out someone who was often just a platonic female friend. There's a major stigma around being on welfare and most of the moms work for a living. And as far as being bad parents? I went to a prestigious french immersion school for 6 years, where all the parents were 'good' (i.e. drove minivans, wore pastel, soccer moms, etc. etc. etc. </stereotyping>). The 'good' moms would scream at and hit their rebellious 5 year olds in public. Having spent time in public and in private with the teen moms, I have never seen them hit or scream at any of their children.

My conclusion is that teen moms are generally given a bad rap when they deserve to be given a chance.

A good website for more insight on teen motherhood is http://www.girl-mom.com/

Me!
Damn it! I was going to make that joke.

In all seriousness, the blame les on everybody who can reasonably be blamed. And tacos.

To be honest I don't think you can. I think the repetition of these concepts within school is definitely hampering it, though. If kids hear their teachers merely repeating over and over again "have safe sex. use a condom" they'll think its just some stupid part of the school system. A better way to promote safe sex would be through popular/corporate culture. Not Public Service Announcements telling kids to be safe, but actual full-scale corporate ads for condoms, birth control, etc., geared to teens.

Perhaps education would be more effective if we did not coddle the students? What do you think?

Poor sex education at school?
The parent/parents/guardians?
The teenager herself? 9 31.03%

And the teenager himself as well!

*grumbles about not being able to vote 'Myrth'*

A combination of factors pressure teens into the act, but, ultimatley, it is the teenager herself that chooses to be stupid. The only other people that could be blamed are the parents responsible for raising her and the friends tasked to have at least a limited sense of self-sacrifice towards her.

Perhaps education would be more effective if we did not coddle the students? What do you think?

It's not really an issue of coddling the students, its more an issue of conflicting values. Safety is not as abstractly valuable to teens, and thus if we try to market based on safety we won't get any results. Condoms need to become not something "safe" but something "rebellious" and "cool". I don't think schools could promote that message, but corporations have been doing that sort of thing for decades with other stuff, so they would be the logical experts.

Well the rest of Western Europe has a decreasing population, so what's the big deal. Through most of human history pregnancy first occured in teenagers, so if these people have nothing else to offer why shouldn't they make babies

Here is the big deal..1.Teens dont earn enough money to support a family.
2. THey are not (in most cases there are some exceptions) not emotionally stable enough or mature enough to raise a child. 3. Its STUPID! 4. Why rush your teen years when you have your whole life to live? 5. I dont want to pay for your child (welfare, food stamps, wic, medicaid) if you cant work and provide for a child...dont get pregnant. 6. Child abuse and neglect is more likely to happen ..see no.2 7. Teens are still in some ways children themselves and shouldnt be tied down. 8. 9 times out of ten the father will run off or call the girl a ho who slept with 8 of his friends JUST to get out of his responsibilty. 9. BABIES are not TOYS! 10. Why perpetuate a cycle of ignorance and poverty?

The lack of sex education argument falls short because of the fact that most teens already know this stuff just from being part of teen culture. I'm not saying there shouldn't be sex ed, just that there is already enough. Kids know the risks, they just don't seem to care about them.Look me straight in the eye and tell me that again.
In my experience, teenagers seem to know a lot, but since its all accumulated through the internet and teen magazines, there are a bunch of misconceptions. The teens unlucky to have the wrong misconceptions might just end up pregnant. I've heard horror stories from a teacher of mine when she was teaching in "the ghetto" in the states of how students would come to her not knowing that the belly button isn't the female sex organ or asking her about what masterbation was after she had educated them on it being ok and you not getting hairy palms from it.

It's not really an issue of coddling the students, its more an issue of conflicting values. Safety is not as abstractly valuable to teens, and thus if we try to market based on safety we won't get any results. Condoms need to become not something "safe" but something "rebellious" and "cool". I don't think schools could promote that message, but corporations have been doing that sort of thing for decades with other stuff, so they would be the logical experts.

Don't be all too certain. As a teen myself, I don't see myself drawn to things that people think are "cool" or "rebelious". Many of my peers can say the same thing.

We're not quite as stupid as we once were either...

And the teenager himself as well!No... Men are never to blame for their actions [/sarcasm]
Kinda sucks that we guys can run off and leave the mother to cope with it alone, doesn't it? It's sad that so many guys get away with it. :(

No... Men are never to blame for their actions [/sarcasm]
Kinda sucks that we guys can run off and leave the mother to cope with it alone, doesn't it? It's sad that so many guys get away with it. :(

A real man would stand up for his actions and accept responsibility. The ones that try to weasel thier way out give males a bad name.

A lot of these girls get pregnant on purpose! They have an insatiable need to love something and to be loved back. Often the father has left the scene and hasnt been seen in awhile. There are programs in the US called Baby think it over- where the teens are given a computerized baby to care for up to a week or so. And they almost always turn them in and say they cant do it ..its too hard. These dolls are programmed to record abuse, and neglect and most of them get abused. Teens just arent ready for this responsiblity and I like this program and I think all schools should have it and put into some sort of life skills course for all teens to take.

We're not quite as stupid as we once were either...
And you keep getting smaller every year, too :p

Here is the big deal..1.Teens dont earn enough money to support a family.
2. THey are not (in most cases there are some exceptions) not emotionally stable enough or mature enough to raise a child. 3. Its STUPID! 4. Why rush your teen years when you have your whole life to live? 5. I dont want to pay for your child (welfare, food stamps, wic, medicaid) if you cant work and provide for a child...dont get pregnant. 6. Child abuse and neglect is more likely to happen ..see no.2 7. Teens are still in some ways children themselves and shouldnt be tied down. 8. 9 times out of ten the father will run off or call the girl a ho who slept with 8 of his friends JUST to get out of his responsibilty. 9. BABIES are not TOYS! 10. Why perpetuate a cycle of ignorance and poverty?

1., & 5., I believe I dealt with in a subsequent post.
2., 6., 7., 9., 10., are all part of the same, bigger issue, and my response is that I don't care one way or the other, I won't judge them or tell them what to do as long as they don't bother me, as to paying for this, see my, now appropriated response to 1, and 5.
3. I agree, but don't care, and probably neither do most teenage mothers.
4. I think this is dealt with in the post you quote (Not much to offer, baby making, blah blah blah...)
8. I agree it's a bit mean, but 9 times out of ten she probably has slept with eight of his mates!
11. I don't care!
12. I'm going to the pub now!

*grumbles about not being able to vote 'Myrth'*

Oh, enough with Myrth...

A real man would stand up for his actions and accept responsibility. The ones that try to weasel thier way out give males a bad name.Teens aren't necessarily very responsible. For that matter, adults aren't necessarily that responsible. They give us a bad name because it happens so damn often.

Teens aren't necessarily very responsible. For that matter, adults aren't necessarily that responsible. They give us a bad name because it happens so damn often.

*sigh* What's wrong with humanity nowadays, huh?

And you keep getting smaller every year, too :p

I beg your pardon...

Oh, enough with Myrth...
Grrrrrr...I might blame YOU and get the Religious Right on your case with that attitude. :p

http://www.hlj.me.uk/ns/tpreg.JPG




Interesting. 3% of teenage girls in the UK get pregnant. 5% of US teen girls get pregnant. Those are actually pretty low percentages, and those are the two highest on the list.

Maybe this isn't as big a problem as everyone seems to think it is.

Interesting. 3% of teenage girls in the UK get pregnant. 5% of US teen girls get pregnant. Those are actually pretty low percentages, and those are the two highest on the list.

Maybe this isn't as big a problem as everyone seems to think it is.

Media sensationalism perhaps?

I blame the Grinch for stealing Christmas

yall know im not tryin to offend anybody but remeber these words my young horny freinds "dont be a fool wrap your tool" because nobody wants a visit to daddy land at the age of 15, and never use the gas station condoms

I am a teenager. I woul have sex with my girlfriend, yes.

Now before I get bashed for being incosinderate and selfish, I would just like to point out that at our age, we are curious and want to experience everything, hence why we get drunk and experiment with drugs (well not me, but others I know).

I also put it down to being able to say "Hey, I aint a virgin no more" to your best mate. Being able to show off, to say that "Hey, a girl liked me enough to let me."

I say that it is down to those things.

A lot of these girls get pregnant on purpose! They have an insatiable need to love something and to be loved back. Often the father has left the scene and hasnt been seen in awhile. There are programs in the US called Baby think it over- where the teens are given a computerized baby to care for up to a week or so. And they almost always turn them in and say they cant do it ..its too hard. These dolls are programmed to record abuse, and neglect and most of them get abused. Teens just arent ready for this responsiblity and I like this program and I think all schools should have it and put into some sort of life skills course for all teens to take.
yeah it would be good if everyone had to take this course before getting out of highschool. these days it needs to be in middle school!.

its incredibly hard taking care of a newborn. some girls would still want one. some would still succumb to seduction, but most would smarten right up and use birthcontrol faithfully.

hi. im ashlee and i live in the usa. the same problem goes on here too. its sad but i do beleve its the girls fault. i mean it takes 2 to tango but tis the girls choice(unless of rape of corse) and no matter wut their excuse is, it was thweir choice and they kenw there were risks. if they choose to have sex anyway than the concequences are their problem(along with the gy of corse)

ashlee

Doesn't really matter much to me who's to blame, since it's a pretty encompassing problem; there's the girl for having sex as early as she does, the guy for the same (and, if it's the case, not using a condom); if there was a condom involved, the condom's fault for breaking; birth control pills (if any) not working; I could go on for awhile.

As my mom and I like to joke about, I was an "accident"; the one that got around birth control. .. Well, so was my brother, but you get the point (no, she wasn't a teenage mom, but she was pretty close). Pushing the benefits of birth control might ease the amount of teen pregnancies back a little bit, but it wouldn't eliminate them entirely. Nor would any other one solution.

On a random note, my high school had/has no sex education program. They'll teach a kid how to drive (and how not to drive drunk), but not what could/does happen when you have sex. That seems to have been absorbed into the Biology curriculum, although that explained mechanics and nothing else.

Back on track... If the girl is a competent mother and can afford to support the child adequately, I really don't care how old she was when she had the kid.

Perhaps the answer in the UK would be best summed up as: CHAVS ?

I blame a combination of poor sex eudcation and stupidity on the part of the bitches that get knocked up. I've never, ever, encountered a teen pregnancy where the girl had any brainpower to speak of.
I had a girlfriend once with a 2 year old child. To this day she's the most intelligent person I've met. While risinging her child she went to university and ended up with a PH.D..

Even intelligent people can sometimes make mistakes.

Really a combination of all, though if I can pick two, I say lack of education and pressure from the media and society.

"And you keep getting smaller every year, too



I beg your pardon... "

HeHeHeHe :D

I beg your pardon...No offense, but it's something we "older" types keep saying about the young, much like the young always say they weren't as stupid as the older generations.

Mind you my sex education consisted of putting tampax in a glass jar full of water to see how much they expand, watching a family playing badmington naked on the beach and I think I remember a friend fainting whilst watching the last film of a woman giving birth.

Still, I do think it has a lot to do with discipline, there is not a lot of that about now, teachers and parents have had that right taken away from them.

In addition when I was a kid/young teenager, when I was 12 to 14, for example I was still a child, having fun and being a kid and so on, I probably didn't even think about sex, let alone have sex or get pregnant - @ 13/14 kissing was a big thing! lol!. Yet kid's seem to grow up too soon (ok shut up grandma!) When you hear of a 12 year old having a baby, I mean :eek:

The world is on a slippery slope .................................................................................................... .................................................................................................... .............................................................................................. :confused:

Karl Rove is to blame! It is because of his manly features and hot physique that turns girls on and then they go out and get pregnant.

But seriously folks, I think the people that had intercourse are to blame for teen pregnancies.

:sniper: Perhaps the answer in the UK would be best summed up as: CHAVS ?

I blame a combination of poor sex eudcation and stupidity on the part of the bitches that get knocked up. I've never, ever, encountered a teen pregnancy where the girl had any brainpower to speak of.
YOu sir are not using good sense It takes two to make a baby. Why should daddy dumbass get away with being a sperm donor and have no responsibility? He should be called these names as well and learn how to spell Canada please. That spoke a thousand words right there. Telling these girls they have no brain power and you spell like that! bLAME THE BOYS TOO PLEASE OR GET THEM CASTRATED!!!! Double standard horse shit! :headbang: :sniper: :mp5: :gundge: :mad: :confused: :eek: :rolleyes: :(

It's the chavs.


Bloody chavs :(


Should they even be breeding?

I don't know who to blame :(

we could just tell kids if they have sex underage the flying monkey's out of wizard of oz will get them! :eek:

Chav's are to blame how many chav's at your school are going out with 17-21+ year olds I mean come on that's sick (I don't even go out with girls a year younger than me)

I think its a combination of poor sex ed, pressure from peers, the boys, and the media. Boys pressure peers, peers pressure the girls, the media exploits sex, and poor sex ed leaves them unable to protect themselves.

Britain has the highest rate of teenage pregnancies in Western Europe (I'm not sure of continent/country figures but would be intrested to know). What do you think is to blame for this record?

(Poll to follow)

(Sorry if this topic has come up recently!)

BBC News:
British teen pregnancy rates are high
"The number of teenagers becoming pregnant has increased by 2.2%, official statistics show.
The number of under-18s who became pregnant in England and Wales rose from 40,966 in 2001 to 41,868 in 2002.
The government said the latest figures were a "blip" in a trend which had seen teenage pregnancies fall during the preceding three years.
Last year, the government announced it was providing £40m to fund the teenage pregnancy strategy up to 2006.
The complex issue of teenage pregnancy will not be solved overnight
Anne Weyman, Family Planning Association
The data was published by the government's Teenage Pregnancy Unit.
It showed some parts of the country have seen sharper rises in pregnancies among under-18s than others.
London saw an increase of 4.8%, and the east - which covers areas from Luton to Suffolk - saw a rise of 2.9%.
However, there was little change in the number of pregnancies in the south east, and the rate fell by 2.1% in the south-west." BBC article.

Question What do you think can be done to stop teenage pregnancy (obviously the figures do not include any stats of sexually active young people, abortion and so on which is also a factor) Do you actually think that it is actually a problem? Do you care? And so on.....
Poor sex ed is a big factor. Stupid societal ideas about sex are a close second. Third is the kids themselves, and I only put them third if they are KIDS...once you are 16 or so, it's all on you because you're old enough to make adult decisions, and that makes you problem numero uno.

The dumb slut is to blame, and the idiot who knocked her up. If you sleep around and don't wear protection, get ready for a ****ing abortion.

High rates in teenage pregnancies cannot be associated with just one cause.
There are so many reasons. I think it does come down to poor education, heat of the moment and bad luck.

The problem is the same as it is here. Teenagers are inherently caught up in "i'm invincible" syndrome - none of them believe "it will happen to me". As far as education is concerned, I challenge you to show me a teenager from the UK or the US (or any other developed country) who doesn't already know what causes pregnancy and how to prevent it. So I guess the real question is more "how do we convince teens they are no different than anyone else?" .

Everyone hit the nail with the Chav's comment

I dont know any girls who fall into the "Jitter, Goth, Metal scence" who got pregnant at 13/14/15. They are all still not mothers at 18/19/20 but i know plenty of slutty 18 year old chav's who have 3 kids

I dont know any girls who fall into the "Jitter, Goth, Metal scence" who got pregnant at 13/14/15.
Want to meet some of the people that live in northwest Florida?

It's Zeus, up to his horny tricks again, I tell ya. Presumably he's getting his thrills by taking the form of bunny-shaped jelly sex toys these days.

Just wait 'til all his new kids grow into superhumans, I'll be proven right!

Pfft. Blame. That's what to blame. Nobody accepts their role in it, so jack shit gets done about it.

Irresponsibility on both generations of Parents, Teachers, law-makers and popular media all played their part.

But yeah, that can be said of Chav culture in general. >_>

The dumb slut is to blame, and the idiot who knocked her up. If you sleep around and don't wear protection, get ready for a ****ing abortion.

Thats nice! The girl gets called a slut and the boy is an idiot. I WISH people would stop putting more of the blame on the girl...its equal. GEt ready for some baby killing isnt exactly helpful either. THere is no exact one cause it is situational. It is like what was said earlier teens think they are invincible. Condoms work great, boys need to get over the fact that they dont like t hem and use them and it would help a great deal. Dont like them....dont have sex then. You are obviously not ready. BEtter yet use a condom and the pill or diaphragm (or whatever). Parents cant be blamed for everything, some should but not all...these kids are going to do what they want at some point. They know the facts of life..they just dont think they will get caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Teach the consequences with some extreme examples and this will help.

I believe the factors most responsible are poor sex education, the media, and pressure from our sexist male dominated capitalist society.

The person herself. Unless she was raped, it was her stupid decision and she should have to pay the consequences.

All of the above are factors, more or less. Also, if we were to just have large families, ban contraceptives, divorce, abortion, my question is: How would you help the mental halth of non-compatibal couples? How would you feed, clothe, house, educate, health care, etc, for billions when we have a hard enough time doing it already? And it has to be a feasible way, not like: people will farm food, people will cut forest for timber for house, etc.

EDIT: OOC: This is Scamptica Prime speaking here, I forgot to change nations.

I'm from the country with the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in europe

its one of the few things wales tops

we have boosted the uk total

I was in a year going through the school and we had only 2 teenage pregnancys in our year (in a year of about 150 pupils)

that is very low for most mixed schools in wales (and this is not because of a lack of religion wales is scaringly religious in areas they act like they still have religous courts)

the reason we have high rates is due to people becoming sexualy mature earlier (puberty is dropping the average is now approching single figures!!) and are mentaly sexually mature earlier (at least we want it earlier rather then being ready for it emotionally)

add this to a lack of addaquate sex education (I was only given any resonable form of sex education when I was in my last year of school (16 is the age for consent in wales for herosexual and lesbian sex, it was 18 for gay sex (and also anal sex and oral sex) until recently but it might have all dropped to 16) by which time most people had been sexually active (or at least claim to have been) for 3-4 years

is it any wonder rates for teenage pregnacny is rising

All of the above are factors, more or less. Also, if we were to just have large families, ban contraceptives, divorce, abortion, my question is: How would you help the mental halth of non-compatibal couples? How would you feed, clothe, house, educate, health care, etc, for billions when we have a hard enough time doing it already? And it has to be a feasible way, not like: people will farm food, people will cut forest for timber for house, etc.

EDIT: OOC: This is Scamptica Prime speaking here, I forgot to change nations.



Abstinence.

It's Zeus, up to his horny tricks again, I tell ya. Presumably he's getting his thrills by taking the form of bunny-shaped jelly sex toys these days.

Just wait 'til all his new kids grow into superhumans, I'll be proven right!

That Zeus, always in one form or another.

There are all kinds of factors.

Yes, one of those to shoulder the blame are the teenagers who have sex without the proper birth control. And even if they did...there is the chance.

There are also the teachers who provide the sexual education class, and their manipulation of the information that they impart onto the students.

There is also the type of information that they are expected to give.

The parents also have a right hand (or not) in this education as well.

There is the media and it's over-glorification of everything sexual, making it at best perverse.

There is peer pressure from those who have "done it"...

So, there is not just one person responsible for this. The core blame lies with the teens, but they have likely had some sort of influence (or lack of) on their decision. The blame can go any way these days...

im concerned there wasnt a the person himself option.

i blame the girl because you dont have to do nothing.

However its societies fault too.
there is nothing funnier yet sadder than a Teenage pregnancy.

It's the chavs.


Bloody chavs :(


Should they even be breeding?

Also Blacks - how many white girls do you see knocked up and with 1/2 cast babies? round here? many many many - and few black men stick around!

Also the Pakistani's/indians wanting their way with the white girls out of the arranged marrige!

Oh.. good grief.. Mainly the persons themselves.. but if you want to get to the nitty gritty many things come into play. Hard to decipher between each individual case. All are a cause of different circumstances.

There are all kinds of factors.

Yes, one of those to shoulder the blame are the teenagers who have sex without the proper birth control. And even if they did...there is the chance.

There are also the teachers who provide the sexual education class, and their manipulation of the information that they impart onto the students.

There is also the type of information that they are expected to give.

The parents also have a right hand (or not) in this education as well.

There is the media and it's over-glorification of everything sexual, making it at best perverse.

There is peer pressure from those who have "done it"...

So, there is not just one person responsible for this. The core blame lies with the teens, but they have likely had some sort of influence (or lack of) on their decision. The blame can go any way these days...

^_^ well said!

I blame...

1. The Stupidity of the Teen.

2. Peer Pressure (but you have to be a dumbass to give into peer pressure anyways, so it's sorta no. 1.)

3. The Sexual Liberalization of the 60's.

I blame...

1. The Stupidity of the Teen.

2. Peer Pressure (but you have to be a dumbass to give into peer pressure anyways, so it's sorta no. 1.)

3. The Sexual Liberalization of the 60's.


Theres nothing wrong with sexual liberalization. Sex education just hasnt caught up yet. They just tell kids to abstain and thats all. Thats like telling them to avoid food poisoning by not eating anything. It works but its not exactly practical.

I mean in this country (England) hospitals and health centres give away condoms to anyone who comes in, no questions asked. But thousands of teens dont bother using them. Obviously this is partly down to the stupidity of the teens, but it is the reponsibility of the parents and sex ed in schools to stop them doing stupid things. If a kid runs into the road and gets hit by a car its a dumb thing to do, but the parents should have taught him not to do it, and kept an eye on him to make sure he didnt do it anyway.

You cant stop teenagers having sex. (well my inherrant ugliness and social ineptitude stopped me but thats another story) but you can at least teach them to be responsible.

The Parent or guardian should know what their children are doing and who they are meeting with,and it is the teen themselves that are to blame too they should wait with their dreams until they're married or are done with their college education

Theres nothing wrong with sexual liberalization. Sex education just hasnt caught up yet. They just tell kids to abstain and thats all. Thats like telling them to avoid food poisoning by not eating anything. It works but its not exactly practical.

werd! I think I said the exact same thing in the 'Sex is 'bad'' thread.

Sex education (and education in general) needs a big promotion!
Too bad we have all of these traditionalistic (not specifically the political views) idiots that think 'subjugating' their 'angelic' children to 'pornography' is 'sinful'... :headbang:

Madam Egg and Don Sperm, the real villains.

Sigh I blame the person herself or himself
WOULD IT KILL THEM TO USE CONDOMS???

Theres nothing wrong with sexual liberalization. Sex education just hasnt caught up yet. They just tell kids to abstain and thats all. Thats like telling them to avoid food poisoning by not eating anything. It works but its not exactly practical.

I mean in this country (England) hospitals and health centres give away condoms to anyone who comes in, no questions asked. But thousands of teens dont bother using them. Obviously this is partly down to the stupidity of the teens, but it is the reponsibility of the parents and sex ed in schools to stop them doing stupid things. If a kid runs into the road and gets hit by a car its a dumb thing to do, but the parents should have taught him not to do it, and kept an eye on him to make sure he didnt do it anyway.

You cant stop teenagers having sex. (well my inherrant ugliness and social ineptitude stopped me but thats another story) but you can at least teach them to be responsible.



1. The 60's zeitgeist of sexuality was immoral, now we are reaping what we have sown.

2. Unlike food, you can live without sex.

3. It's their individual choice to copulate or not, however they also must pay the consequences for their actions.

1. The 60's zeitgeist of sexuality was immoral, now we are reaping what we have sown.

2. Unlike food, you can live without sex.

3. It's their individual choice to copulate or not, however they also must pay the consequences for their actions.

GASP you can live without sex? lol

Madam Egg and Don Sperm, the real villains.
The Bonnie and Clyde take the uterus in a heist!

Unlike food, you can live without sex.
Though much like food, your species cannot 'live'(survive) without it. IT IS COMPARABLE! just food is on a smaller time scale and most people tend to deal with it more often.

(I have said before food=day-to-day survival, sex=generation-to-generation survival)
same ratio, and in a relative reality ratio is rather important o.o

(*suddenly started feeling like shes teaching a low-level algebra class :( *)

Perhaps the answer in the UK would be best summed up as: CHAVS ?

I blame a combination of poor sex eudcation and stupidity on the part of the bitches that get knocked up. I've never, ever, encountered a teen pregnancy where the girl had any brainpower to speak of.

I have.
A social associate of mine, studying a double degree engineering/law has 1 child and is pregnant right now... (7months i think)... She will not be able to have children soon (at most 5 years) for genetic reasons and wanted some. She is not married, but has been going out with the same person since starting uni, and i think she is a 3 or 4th year.

(ok she is 20-22 now then... but was at most 19 for the first kid)

It's sort of everyones fault, parents for not talking to kids, kids not doing the right thing (whatever that means0 no sex education in schools, pressure from outside for girls and boys to have sex...etc.etc

It's sort of everyones fault, parents for not talking to kids, kids not doing the right thing (whatever that means0 no sex education in schools, pressure from outside for girls and boys to have sex...etc.etc

Heh. Everything is everybody's fault.

Heh. Everything is everybody's fault.

It's the circle of life, Simba. :)

It's the circle of life, Simba. :)
Oh damn. There was Lion King last night and I forgot to watch!! :mad: Thanks for reminding me. :rolleyes:

I think a lot of people have got the wrong idea, I live in a place where the teenage pregnacy rate is double the national average and I want to ask why you are only talking about the accidental pregnacies, what about the lots of girls I know who got pregnant on purpose because a baby is a status symbol these days? Where I live if a girl gets pregnant she isn't called a slut behind her back, she is congratulated by her friends. To me that points to a societial problem, not education.

Which is why you are allowed to sign contracts before turning 18 [/sarcasm]
Uh, 16.

*doesn't really have anything to add*

Heh. Everything is everybody's fault.

Mybe your joking but..

it's so easy for us all to say it's that persons fault forgetting that we live in a society and that we all have an influence on that society.

that points to a societial problem, not education.
Yes, society plays a huge roll as well, though by educating society perhaps it's factors wont cause so much pressure...

The person herself. Unless she was raped, it was her stupid decision and she should have to pay the consequences.
Yes, because "she" clearly got pregnant all by herself. Women can self-fertilize, you know, especially those dirty teenage sluts.

About the person who said that said some of the girls get pregent on perpouse. Its true in england here "it was the plan of one of my cousins" as if a teenager gets pregenaet she gets a house nearly free and benifets with out working. But most are an acceitent many proberly use conceptation but it failed or was too scarced to get it or most often the sex was a spar of the moement thing and so there was no conceptation availble which may i add is the main cause of accental pregentcys in adults.

just thought could the increase in teenage pregentances be because more are being reported and not sweaped under the carpet anymore.

In most cases the kid is responsible first and foremost, but the parents are probably at fault to a degree as well. The pervasiveness of sex in the media, and possibly poor school sex ed programs, as well as peer pressure and drugs/alcohol may have contributed to it, but proper parenting could easily negate the effects of all of those.

Yes, because "she" clearly got pregnant all by herself. Women can self-fertilize, you know, especially those dirty teenage sluts.

Well, it's pretty obvious the guy has to suffer with consequences to.

YOU CAN SURVIVE WITHOUT SEX UNTIL YOU GET OUT OF COLLEGE YOU KNOW!

I mean, it's their own damn fault.

We live in what is supposed to be a meritocratic society.

If you do something smart, it'll be good for you.

If you do something stupid, it'll be bad for you.

If you're too much a stupid dumbass slutty skank, then you deserve it, plain and simple. NO ABORTIONS FOR TEEN PREGNANCIES.

No, Serapindal, the guy hardly has to suffer consequences at all. He doesn't give birth, he doesn't raise the kid, he doesn't forfeit a career. He should be made to pay via nasam .

How can we stop teenage pregnancies? Well, two ways really.

1] FEAR. Lots and lots of fear tactics.
2] Free sterilisation, so no teen pregnancies. Lots of diseases, but who cares?

No, Serapindal, the guy hardly has to suffer consequences at all. He doesn't give birth, he doesn't raise the kid, he doesn't forfeit a career. He should be made to pay via nasam .

How can we stop teenage pregnancies? Well, two ways really.

1] FEAR. Lots and lots of fear tactics.
2] Free sterilisation, so no teen pregnancies. Lots of diseases, but who cares?

He is made to pay. Do you know what Child Support is?

Plus, a Woman doesn't have to raise or forfeit her career.

Just drop the the kid off at an Adoption Center. We'll let Childbirth with no anesthethics and generally make it as painful at possible be her lesson.

For the guy, we'll just throw a baseball at 60 mph at his crotch.

A lesson for both.

He is made to pay. Do you know what Child Support is?

Plus, a Woman doesn't have to raise or forfeit her career.

Just drop the the kid off at an Adoption Center. We'll let Childbirth with no anesthethics and generally make it as painful at possible be her lesson.

For the guy, we'll just throw a baseball at 60 mph at his crotch.

A lesson for both. Child support isn't anything near to what the woman goes through. Not that I'm supporting abortion - I'm very much against - but Child Support isn't anything close to what it should be.
Also, it's actually quite hard to drop your kid off at an abortion centre mentally and emotionally… ever wonder why people don't?

Child support isn't anything near to what the woman goes through. Not that I'm supporting abortion - I'm very much against - but Child Support isn't anything close to what it should be.
Also, it's actually quite hard to drop your kid off at an abortion centre mentally and emotionally… ever wonder why people don't?

It's hard, but when you realize the only other choice is forfetting your career, then I guess it's your only choice. If you can't, then it's your fault.

Britain has the highest rate of teenage pregnancies in Western Europe (I'm not sure of continent/country figures but would be intrested to know). What do you think is to blame for this record?



Me

Me

ROFLMAO

So I am proposing that NO Abortions for teens, and absolutely NO Financial Aid in any sort, for Teens who have kids. That'll teach em a lesson.

So I am proposing that NO Abortions for teens, and absolutely NO Financial Aid in any sort, for Teens who have kids. That'll teach em a lesson. :rolleyes: Oh yes, that's really just. Let's have the kid growing up in abject poverty, yes that's really being fair. :rolleyes:

:rolleyes: Oh yes, that's really just. Let's have the kid growing up in abject poverty, yes that's really being fair. :rolleyes:

I think it's perfectly fair. They deserved it, for being such idiots.

The teens I know who have kids were irresponsible at best long before they got themselves pregnant. Now, what drives that sort of irresponsibility is the question...
Well, as I see it, kids today (in general, I mean) have no responsibilities. Parents look after the kids, over-nurture them, protect them from the "real world" which they view as horrifically violent because they're stupid... people don't understand that, just because something bad happens to kids, or because of kids, on the news once in a while doesn't mean it's actually happening in their back yard or in their neighbourhood every day. These news reports are taken from a HUGE population mass. Of COURSE bad things are going to happen on a daily basis when you have so many people to pull stories from! So, these parents who don't understand how the world works go on crazed petition signing quests to ban stuff, and insulate their kids from harm, meanwhile ignoring the actual needs and concerns of their children...
Thus, I'm blaming the parents on this one. If they spent more time actually raising their kids, and less time crusading for them and all other kids, they might actually be able to form meaningful parent-child relationships. And I don't mean the "I'm your best friend" types, either, because children only have ONE set of parents. They need that relationship. They can get other best friends.

I think it's perfectly fair. They deserved it, for being such idiots. No, you don't understand. I'm saying you shouldn't inflict that poverty on the kid that's going to be born, yes?

All of the above.

No, you don't understand. I'm saying you shouldn't inflict that poverty on the kid that's going to be born, yes?

Good point. We'll take the Child Away, but still make the parents pay for it. :D

Good point. We'll take the Child Away, but still make the parents pay for it. :D Rip the child from its parents? Wrong, to the parents and the child.

I think it's perfectly fair. They deserved it, for being such idiots.
So, the unborn child deserves to pay for his/her parents sins? Exactly how is this fair? Why should the child suffer because of bad choices that were made by the parents?

Rip the child from its parents? Wrong, to the parents and the child.

Actually, it'd be good for the child, because it wouldn't to have to grow in Poverty, and the Parents deserved it.

I think it's perfectly fair. They deserved it, for being such idiots.

What about the child? Does it deserve it for having a stupid mother?

Actually, it'd be good for the child, because it wouldn't to have to grow in Poverty, and the Parents deserved it. Let me get this straight.

Sex is immoral? I agree.
So, the apt punishment is pregnancy, birth, raising a child, and forfeiting your future for eighteen years? I disagree, but it's the only real way.
Added to this, being forced to give up your child is moral? No way. Why should the child grow up without its real mother? Why should the mother be bereaved?

Let me get this straight.

Sex is immoral? I agree.
So, the apt punishment is pregnancy, birth, raising a child, and forfeiting your future for eighteen years? I disagree, but it's the only real way.
Added to this, being forced to give up your child is moral? No way. Why should the child grow up without its real mother? Why should the mother be bereaved?

What does it really matter?

Real Mother? Even if you're mother isn't your biological mother, she could be just as good of a mother as your biological one, or even better. Maybe adopted children turn out great.

What does it really matter?

Real Mother? Even if you're mother isn't your biological mother, she could be just as good of a mother as your biological one, or even better. Maybe adopted children turn out great. It might matter to you when you have kids, and try to imagine never seeing them again.