Abstinence: What you dont know CAN hurt you

Kimberly Clark/CI5530/August 4, 2013

Introduction
Sex Education has been a topic of debate for many years. What type of sex education should be taught? At what age should sex education be taught? 2011 Teenage Study # of births to females under age 20 Teen age pregnancy rate % of high school students who have had sexual intercourse % of high school students who have had intercourse with 4 or more partners Teen abortion rate North United Carolina States 12,472 372,175

What information should be included in the sex education class? North Carolina passed

Senate Bill 132 on July 18, 2013, which provides an in depth guideline about the content that will be taught in sex education classes to begin in the seventh grade. Much of this information is focused on abstinence education. Senate Bill 132 mandates that NC Public Schools teach that abortions lead to future pre-term births despite the fact that this is unsupported by medical science and not recognized by the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Public Health Association or the Centers for Disease Control (NC Legislative,

76%

70%

49%

47%

17%

15%

17%

19%

US Department of Health and Human Services

http://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/adolescent-health-topics/reproductive-health/states/nc.html

2013). There is very limited information on contraceptives, and students are not given information about unwanted pregnancy, and there is no information about North Carolinas Safe Surrender Law. Lacking or inaccurate information can cause confusion and uncertainty among teens regarding sex, pregnancy,

and sexually transmitted diseases. In order for students to make the best decisions Senate Bill 132 must be amended. Students should be taught accurate and up to date information concerning sex, sexually transmitted diseases, and pregnancy. Although teen pregnancy rates have been improving since 1990, North Carolina still ranks higher than the United States average in teen pregnancy rates.

Recommendations
For optimum effectiveness, students should take part in a sex education class beginning in seventh grade and continuing into high school, to correlate with the state-approved curricula in life sciences, biology and Career and Technical Education classes. The material must be age appropriate and present facts with the most up to date information. Topics that should be included, but not limited to in Senate Bill 132 are as follows: Students should be taught that abstinence is the only effective way to prevent pregnancy, STDs, and AIDS. Students should have a basic understanding of what contraceptives are, their effectiveness, where to get them, and how to use them. They need to be taught that unlike abstinence, no contraceptive is 100% effective. Students need to be taught about what STDs are, their symptoms, and what to do if one suspects an STD infection. Treatment options and possible side effects of each STD should be included. Should an unwanted pregnancy occur students need to understand what their options are and where they can get assistance. Information about pregnancy should be included because many students will be parents in their adult life. Characteristics of a healthy pregnancy, what happens to the body during pregnancy and delivery, and limitations should be included. Students need to be taught about newborns, how

they act, how to take care of them, and most importantly, the cost of raising a child. Students need to be taught about North Carolinas Safe Surrender Law. Students need to be taught about miscarriages and what they are. There is no evidence that abortions cause miscarriages. As a result, it is best to remove that information from sex education curriculum until more proof is available.

Background
A 2011 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) survey indicates that more than 47

Teen childbearing cost taxpayers at least $10.9 billion annually.

percent of all high school students say they have had sex; and 15 percent of high school students have had sex with four or more partners during their lifetime. Among students who had sex in the three months prior to the survey, 60 percent reported condom use and 23 percent reported use of oral contraceptives during periods of sexual activity.

Sexual activity has consequences. Though the teen birth rate has declined, the United States still has the highest teen birth rate in the industrialized world. Three in 10 American girls will be pregnant at least once before their 20th birthday. Teenage mothers are less likely to finish high school and are more likely than their peers to live in poverty, depend on public assistance, and be in poor health. Their children are more likely to suffer health and cognitive disadvantages, come in contact with the child welfare and correctional systems, live in poverty, drop out of high school and become teen parents themselves. These costs add up, according to The National Campaign to

Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, which estimates that teen childbearing costs the United States taxpayers at least $10.9 billion annually. Ever since abortions were legalized in the United States, there has been controversy and concerns. Concerns about the effects of abortions on future pregnancies is one of the topics. Many prolife groups claim that abortions can cause issues with later pregnancies. A study done by Koller and Eiklam reported that women who had had an abortion on their first pregnancy had the highest frequency of late spontaneous abortion and premature delivery (Koller, Eiklam 1977). Senate Bill 132 requires that teachers state that abortions can cause miscarriages.

Analysis
A study done by Strange-Hall and Strange (2011) shows that abstinence education was positively correlated with both teen pregnancy and teen birth rates, indicating that abstinence education in the United States does not cause youth to abstain. To the contrary, teens in states that prescribe more abstinence education are actually more likely to become pregnant. This study takes into account the socioeconomic status, teen education attainment, ethnic composition of the teen population, and availability of Medicaid waivers for family planning services in each state. The analysis showed that adjusted median household income and proportion of white teens in the study population both had a significant influence on teen pregnancy rates. Richer states tended to have a higher proportion of white teens in their teen populations emphasized abstinence less, and tended to have lower teen

Virk, Zhang, and Olsen state the study in Denmark found no evidence that a previous medical abortion increases the risk of spontaneous abortion, ectopic pregnancy, preterm birth, or low birth weight.

pregnancy and birth rates than poorer states. Strange-Hall and Strange indicated that higher teen birth rates in poorer states were also correlated with a higher degree of religiosity (and a lower abortion rate) at the state level. After accounting for other factors, the national data show that the incidence of teenage pregnancies and births remain positively correlated with the degree of abstinence education across states: The more strongly abstinence is emphasized in state laws and policies, the higher the average teenage pregnancy and birth rate. States that taught comprehensive sex and/or HIV education and covered abstinence along with contraception and condom use tended to have the lowest teen pregnancy rates. The correlation between abortions and miscarriages has been a misconception for years. Hogue and Cates (1983) cited ten studies of the later impact of first-trimester induced abortion by vacuum aspiration (the dominant method in the United States). They found that compared with women who carry their first pregnancy to term, women whose first pregnancy ends in induced abortion have no greater risk of bearing low-birth-weight babies, delivering prematurely or suffering spontaneous abortions in subsequent pregnancies. Virk, Zhang, and Olsen (2007) conducted a study in Denmark on abortions by medication. The study found no evidence that a previous abortion by medication, as compared with a previous surgical abortion, increases the risk of spontaneous abortion, ectopic pregnancy, preterm birth, or low birth weight.

Conclusion
Teen pregnancy has a significant impact on the economy, teens education, social, and health cost. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2011), the social and economic costs of teen pregnancy are often high, and these costs can be both immediate and long-term for teen parents and their children. For example, teen pregnancy and childbirth contribute

significantly to drop-out rates among high school girls. Only about 50% of teen mothers receive a high school diploma by age 22, compared with nearly 90% of women who did not give birth during adolescence. Children who are born to teen mothers also experience a wide range of problems. For example, they are more likely to Have fewer skills and be less prepared to learn when they enter kindergarten. Have behavioral problems and chronic medical conditions. Rely more heavily on publicly funded health care. Be incarcerated at some time during adolescence. Drop out of high school. Give birth as a teenager. Be unemployed or underemployed as a young adult.

Teen pregnancy and childbirth cost U.S. taxpayers an estimated $9 billion per year because of increased health care and foster care costs, increased incarceration rates among the children of teen parents, and lost tax revenue from teen mothers who earn less money because they have less education. Sex education is paramount in providing information to youth about sex, STDs, and contraceptives. Young people must have reliable programs in order to be provided with the most accurate and comprehensive information about sex. Senate Bill 132 needs to be amended in order to give students the most accurate and up to date facts about sex, STDs, contraceptions, abortions, pregnancy, and Safe Surrender Laws in addition to satisfying normal curiosity and dispelling prevailing myths associated with sexual activity.

References
CDC - Chronic Disease - Teen Pregnancy - At A Glance. (n.d.). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved August 8, 2013, from http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/aag/teen-preg.htm Hogue CJ, Cates W Jr, Tietze C. Impact of vacuum aspiration abortion on future

childbearing: a review. Fam Plann Perspect. 1983 May-Jun;15(3):119-26. Review. PubMed PMID: 6347709 Koller & Eikham, "Late Sequelae of Induced Abortion in Primagravida" Acta OB-GYN Scand, 56 (1977) p. 311. North Carolina Adolescent Reproductive Health Facts - The Office of Adolescent Health. (n.d.). United States Department of Health and Human Services | HHS.gov. Retrieved August 8, 2013, from http://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/adolescent-health-topics/reproductivehealth/states/nc.html North Carolina General Assembly - Senate Bill 132 Information/History (2013-2014 Session). (n.d.). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved August 8, 2013, from http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2013&BillID=s132 North Carolina Legislative Update - Planned Parenthood - Health Systems. (n.d.). Sexual & Reproductive Health - Sex Education - Planned Parenthood. Retrieved August 8, 2013, from http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-systems/north-carolina-legislativeupdate-36293.htm The Public Costs of Teen Pregnancy | The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. (n.d.). The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. Retrieved August 8, 2013, from http://www.thenationalcampaign.org/costs/default.aspx

Strange-Hall, Kathrin F., & Hall, David W. (2011). Abstinence-Only Education and Teen Pregnancy Rates: Why We Need Comprehensive Sex Education in the U.S. PLoS ONE. Vol. 6(10),1-11 Virk J, Zhang J, Olsen J. Medical abortion and the risk of subsequent adverse pregnancy outcomes. N Engl J Med. 2007 Aug 16;357(7):648-53. PubMed PMID:17699814