Teenage Pregnancy VS Parental Consent in Regards to Abortions

(Unwanted Abortions)

In today's society, Teenage Pregnancy has risen to substantial percentages. Teenage

pregnancy has become an epidemic. Statistics show that Teenage pregnancy has reached at

all time high percentage resulting in an high abortion percentage. According to

"Seventeen" magazine, the April 99 issue, reports show that more than a million teenagers

get pregnant yearly. Among them 50% have abortions of the other 50%, 96% keep their

babies and 41% option for adoption. On the same report, teens who get pregnant before the

age of 21, 80% don't intend to be so.

Being a teenager has stresses of its own. Starting from adolesence, which is the ages

of 12-17, brings on a major developmental process. For example: puberty, identity, and

thinking abstractly. Just to name a few. While reviewing "Family Planning Pespections",

the Jan/Feb of 99 issue, stated that teenagers are not fit to make decisions as to whether or

not to have an abortion. And that's where Parental Consent comes in to play.

Alot of parents feel the need to control their teenagers. Being that teenagers are not

fully developt, they have to be the "second brain" for them. Alot of young adults know

more than we think. Even though they tend to make pretty bad decisions, does not mean

they are completly clueless. Everyone has made or will make an unwise decision in their

life some time or another. We just have to learn from our mistakes. That apart of growing

up.

Eventhough teen pregnancy has skyrocketed in this country, I don't fell that no one

has the right to force any one into an unwanted abortion. Although most teens between the

ages of 13-17 have no ideal what life is all about at this point; some do have a level of

maturity to care for a child if taught right. I honestly feel that parents should not force

their daughters into abortions. Teenagers are still yet fragile. An abortion can cause major

psychological problems for a young girl mentally and physically due to the fact that

abortions can cause sterility. We as parents need to help these young ones, teach them and

show them what their doing wrong, not criticize them for what their doing.

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