Teen pregnancy is a stressful situation for all parties involved, and it doesn’t help that there is so much misinformation available today, making things seem worse than they actually are. Myths regarding teenagers and sex range from the absurd to the downright dangerous, but they all contribute to an inaccurate picture of what the situation really is. Here is a look at five teen pregnancy myths and what they get wrong.
- "Teen pregnancy happens because of bad parenting."
When a teenager becomes pregnant, many people are quick to blame it on poor parenting. However, that’s not necessarily the case. While it’s important to have conversations with your teen about your values regarding sex and how to be safe, talking can only do so much. Ultimately, the decision to engage in intercourse is up to the teens themselves, and even with guidance, they can still make poor decisions.
- "Teen pregnancy is on the rise."
The proliferation of movies and TV shows about teen pregnancy may lead you to believe that this problem is on the rise, but in fact the exact opposite is true. In the last 20 years, teen pregnancy rates have decreased overall by 42%, and this is due in large part to a combination of proactive parents and sensible sex education programs implemented in schools.
- "Teens can’t be good parents."
While it’s true that teen parents face a unique set of struggles that adult parents don’t have to deal with, it’s unfair to assume that they will be unable to rise to the occasion. Many teenagers have gone on to be wonderful parents and raise healthy, well-adjusted children despite the many challenges, and this is largely due to the level of support they receive from family and friends.
- "Teen pregnancy is a bigger problem in urban areas."
Many people think of poor, inner-city teenagers when they think of teen pregnancy, but this stereotype doesn’t hold up in reality. While pregnancy rates among teenagers has dropped across the board, the decline has actually been slower in rural areas than urban ones—32% versus 49%.
- "Teens wanting to get pregnant is an epidemic."
It’s true that some teens romanticize parenthood and actively try to become pregnant, but this is not the major problem people make it out to be. According to recent studies, only 18% percent of teen pregnancies are due to a conscious desire to become pregnant. The majority are still unplanned accidents.
