Teenage Pregnancy

Over the past few years teenage pregnancy rates have grown substantially. More than one million teenagers will become pregnant this year in Canada, and the number is growing. Many socioeconomic factors influence pregnancy rates, such as; different races, different religions, financial status, education and family background. Another influence is the sexual education children are receiving or not receiving at school and at home. While the problem of teenage pregnancy is acknowledged, solutions are coming slowly. …

…and sex education.” (Beard, 1992) If these were used in combination with school sexuality education it has been predicted that a decrease in the pregnancy rate would occur. “Changes in the social climate’, (MacDonald, 1996), which teenagers have been exposed to have been linked with rising adolescent pregnancy rates. These forces must be understood if we are to avoid to obvious pitfalls, draw successfully on our traditional social and cultural strengths, and design effective models of prevention.