Your Kids And Teenage Pregnancy: Are They Safe?

According to a 2014 study by the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, there were 249,078 babies born from teens age 15-19 years old, that is a 24.2 percent birth rate out of a thousand kids in that year alone. Along with the rise of modernization and urbanization, came the fall of sacred practices from a widely Christian society, such as not having sexual intercourse before marriage.

Cultural changes dictate that it is ‘okay’ now for teens to have sex. It is normal as it is a biological need, especially for those who are undergoing puberty. But this isn’t a recent occurrence, this has been going on for quite some time now. The ‘birds and the bees’ had always given them some sort of an idea of what may happen when “two people fall in love.” This might not be working anymore, especially since the US still ranks the highest in teenage birth rates compared to other western nations. It is time for a reality check: They need to learn about prevention. Give them an in-depth understanding of the consequences that they might face when they engage in an early sexual activity. Sexual Education can only do so much for the teens, and it can be even worse for those who do not even have access to this kind of education. There may be quite a number of factors that contribute to this, but these two have been specially mentioned by CDC:

• Socioeconomic status
• Living conditions (e.g. teens in welfare centers)

The low socioeconomic status within a family contributes to the lack of education of the children in the household. Emotional, mental, and physical stresses may make the parents forget the other things they need to take care of within the family, such as giving their children the ‘talk’. Guidance is important for those undergoing puberty, and this might not be accessible for children with poor living conditions. It is imperative that parents educate their kids early about their bodies because this is the stage where they are curious about a lot of things and will tend to be reckless about it.

It is time for real talk. Especially for this generation where everyone wants to do whatever they want just for the heck of it. Educate them instead of treating it as a taboo in the household. It will happen eventually, and you will need your children to be protected at all costs.

You may also start by giving them Birth Control shots. It stops their ovulation thus, preventing fertilization. They only have to get it every 3 months and are most advised for young individuals who often forget to take their pills. It is safe and effective, with the constant advice of a doctor. Head on to us at St. Mary Pharmacy, a Pharmacy in Palm Harbor that offers Birth Control shots under our Immunization services. Protection from becoming part of a statistic only becomes effective when you address the problem head-on. Start with getting your daughter’s first shot with us.

Visit www.stmarypharmacyrx.com or call 727-773-9000 to learn more about the services we offer.