The Effects of Sex Education and Abortion Access on Teen Birth and Pregnancy
Advisor(s)
Patrick Kearney; Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
Discipline
Behavioral and Social Sciences
Start Date
21-4-2021 8:50 AM
End Date
21-4-2021 9:05 AM
Abstract
Teen pregnancy and birth is a widespread issue that deeply affects young girls during the most vital stages of development. It can lead to dropping out of high school – a major drawback in the United States today – and impoverishment. Fortunately, there are measures that can be taken to equip students with knowledge to avoid situations of teen pregnancy and birth. Education is the first step. It is impossible to ensure that teenagers will not have sex, so providing them with the tools to make healthy and informed choices for themselves is the best answer. The next step is abortion access. The end-all-be-all is not always teen birth. Especially with minors, providing for and raising a child is usually not an option. Abortions offer another choice for those who cannot carry a pregnancy to full term.
In my project, I focused on two of the major factors: abortion access and sex education. My data included race, religion, median household income, comprehensiveness of sex education, the percentage of counties by state without an abortion clinic, parental consent to teen abortion, teen birth/pregnancy rates, and more.
The Effects of Sex Education and Abortion Access on Teen Birth and Pregnancy
Teen pregnancy and birth is a widespread issue that deeply affects young girls during the most vital stages of development. It can lead to dropping out of high school – a major drawback in the United States today – and impoverishment. Fortunately, there are measures that can be taken to equip students with knowledge to avoid situations of teen pregnancy and birth. Education is the first step. It is impossible to ensure that teenagers will not have sex, so providing them with the tools to make healthy and informed choices for themselves is the best answer. The next step is abortion access. The end-all-be-all is not always teen birth. Especially with minors, providing for and raising a child is usually not an option. Abortions offer another choice for those who cannot carry a pregnancy to full term.
In my project, I focused on two of the major factors: abortion access and sex education. My data included race, religion, median household income, comprehensiveness of sex education, the percentage of counties by state without an abortion clinic, parental consent to teen abortion, teen birth/pregnancy rates, and more.