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Decrease In Teen Birth Rate In The United States

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Teen birth rates are higher in the United States than any other country. In 2010, over 600,000 teens were impregnated; however, in following years, the number was reduced by half (Werner, 2014). These statistics show a decline in teen pregnancy; nonetheless, teen births continue to be an unsolved epidemic in the United States. There are no simple solutions to end this epidemic, as there are many contributing factors. For the United States to continue to see a reduction in teen births, Americans must remain vigilant in attacking some of the leading influences.
One issue Americans must focus on is the lack of parental guidance in households. Some parents tend to allow their teens to raise themselves without any set rules; thus, giving teens too much independence before they are ready. Parents must be available and involved in every aspect of their kids’ lives. They should know their daily activities, where they are, and with whom they are hanging around. Parents are children’s role models and they have a duty to establish guidelines and standards to protect their child. …show more content…

Peer pressure is defined as “when people of your age group encourage you to do something or keep you from doing something, no matter how you feel about it” (Pushpa, et al, 2017). Teens often feel the desire to be accepted by friends. For this reason, they allow their peers to influence their decision to engage in sexual activity and end up with an unintended pregnancy. A study conducted by Cromwell and Kipke, revealed, “Peer pressure was relatively small when mediated by family factors, such as parental monitoring” (1999). Parental guardians must remain active in a child’s

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