Teenagers and Sex: Should Birth Control Be Readily Available
Teenagers and Sex: Should Birth Control Be Readily Available?
Of the many controversies that have affected the United States in the past 100 years, birth control devices have been one of the more significant. Some common birth control devices are male and female condoms and the birth control pill. Both of these devices protect against pregnancy and the male and female condoms protect against sexually transmitted diseases (STD) and HIV. This arouses the question should teenagers be allowed to obtain these devices without parental consent. The answer is yes. Teenagers should be able to obtain birth control devices without their parents’ permission. There are countless reasons why birth control devices should be available to everyone. Among these reasons are the number and effects of teenage pregnancy, the right to privacy and living a disease free life.
Every 31 seconds a teenager is reported pregnant and approximately 70 percent do not receive the proper care they need. When a teenager becomes pregnant a lot of problems follow soon after. Some of these problems are due to the teenager's physical immaturity, the fact that they are still growing and poor nutrition. Pregnant teenagers need extra care in the way of psychological and emotional support.
Living in the United States we have the right to privacy. If teenagers choose to engage in sexual activity without making the situation known to their parents that is their own personal right. Teenagers should also be allowed to obtain birth control devices without parental consent in order to practice safe sex. Parents should be responsible to teach their children about sexual education. Unfortunately, not all parents make it a point to do so. Teenagers should not have to make their sexual activities known in order to get birth control devices.
Most of these devices available prevent sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. Without a birth control device being used you can contract STD’s and HIV through intercourse. If contracted some of these STD’s are curable but HIV is not. Teenagers aware of these facts should be able to protect themselves against these life-threatening diseases.
Teenagers should be allowed to obtain birth control devices without parental consent as well as protect themselves against pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases while not having their privacy invaded. Making birth control devices inaccessible to teenagers increases teen pregnancy and the amount of teenagers contracting sexually transmitted diseases.