Ways to prevent teenage pregnancy

Teenage pregnancy prevention is something which should be undertaken on an emergency basis both by the governments of various countries, the NGOs, the social workers and the parents of the teenage girls themselves. Basically the guidance and the knowledge regarding safe sex should come from home. It is the responsibility of the parents to look after the well-being of their daughters especially during the very difficult period of the teenage years. At this time various hormonal changes start happening in the body. The teenagers go through a phase overcrowded with changes of various kinds. This is a transition phase in the growth of the body and the mind at the end of which a young one matures into an adult. Teenage is the time of over confidence in some cases and insecurity in others. There is a need to impress the peer groups and a matter of fitting in. This leads the teenagers to try out things which they would not do in normal circumstances. Pregnancy is one of the fallouts of this.

Here are some ways to prevent teenage pregnancy:-

* Parental guidance:- Teenage pregnancies have been found to occur in increased frequencies in dysfunctional household where the environment is not conducive to the growth and the mental stability of the teenage years. Teenagers living in such households have a tendency to try and break free and become rebels without a cause. They will find ways to escape the claustrophobic environment at home and sex seems the easy and the pleasant way out. The right parental guidance always helps in teenage pregnancy prevention. Parents should make an effort to build an open and interactive relationship with their teenage daughter and try to delve into their immature minds. They should try their best to soothe all the fears and anxieties that teenagers seem to suffer from.

* Abstinence:- This is so very simple- no sex, no chance of going through unwanted and possibly risky pregnancy. Teenagers should be taught the importance as well as the benefits of abstaining from sex before they attain maturity. And if there is no way to prevent the inevitability of sex then it should be done in the safest way possible. All the needed precautions should be taken before indulging in such promiscuous activities.

Our society is an enlightened one but still there is need for more awareness; then and only then teenage pregnancy prevention programs will attain the success which is intended for them.