About one-third of teen girls become pregnant at least once by age 20 and fully half of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned.
Not too good.
By posting some intemperate thoughts about sex, love, relationships, pregnancy, childbearing, the media, public policy, our dogs, and other topics, we hope to spark, engender, provoke, stimulate--take your pick--a two-way discussion about the high level of fertility chaos in the United States. We hope to discover innovative ideas on how best to bring down the high rates of teen and unplanned pregnancy in this country. We hope to further develop a national movement on these issues. Who knows, from time to time, we might even offer up a few cogent thoughts that will be helpful.
This blog is written by those of us who toil happily at the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. (We know, it's a long name for an organization, but at least no one is confused about what we do for a living.) For those few who might want to know the full story about our happy band, it all began at a 5,000 watt radio station in Fresno, California...
Actually, the National Campaign began in 1996 as the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. As you might guess from our name, we woke up every day for ten years worried about only one thing--preventing teen pregnancy. Over the past 18 months or so we have begun to worry about, and work on, reducing unplanned pregnancy among single, young adults. Why the expanded mission and organizational name? Again, as noted above, half (!) of all pregnancies are unplanned and the rate is considerably higher among single young adults in the 20s.
Not too good.
Onward!
I direct a teen moms ministry and I'm right on board with you! Right now we're trying to prevent 2nd and third pregnancies with these girls! We keep trying new things, reading more books, and most of all...becoming more involved in their lives. I'm anxious to see the ideas on the blog. Thanks!
You go, girl! I'm with you!
I am a former high school teacher turned teen pregnancy presentor. Started a program 6.5 years ago talking to teens about the 3 options they face if they are in an unplanned pregnancy. Use this site quite a lot for facts, ideas, etc. Would like to know why adoption doesn't get much of a mention here?
Have you heard of this new reality show on NBC called BABY BORROWERS? I'm not sure what to make of it yet, but it skims the surface of the young parent issue.... would you loan your child out to a teen couple who thought they were capable of handling it?
Nice Site!
http://google.com
Just as this website has a goal to reduce teen pregnancy, there are two well known organizations in child development who are working diligently to reduce social-emotional harm to young children Zero to Three (www.zerotothree.org) and The Program for Infant and Toddler Care (www.pitc.org). These organizations provide information about brain development, attachment, and transitions for children,, and more concerning working with children under 36 months.
I ask that you research these organization's view of Baby Borrowers and support their hard work. They are campaigning against such experiments as Baby Borrowers. Ask the experts in this area by contacting them for feedback please.