And regardless of whether abortion is legal or not, people still require and regularly access abortion services. According to the Guttmacher Institute, a US-based reproductive health non-profit, the abortion rate is 37 per 1,000 people in countries that prohibit abortion altogether or allow it only in instances to save a woman’s life, and 34 per 1,000 people in countries that broadly allow for abortion, a difference that is not statistically significant.

When undertaken by a trained health-care provider in sanitary conditions, abortions are one of the safest medical procedures available, safer even than childbirth.

But when governments restrict access to abortions, people are compelled to resort to clandestine, unsafe abortions, particularly those who cannot afford to travel or seek private care. 

-I personally am pro-choice, women should have a right to what is done to their bodies and the decisions that effect them.

 

A study in Pediatrics found that parents who talk to their male children about sex are more likely to have boys who go to the doctor. It's all about setting a good example.

One of the biggest risk factors for not seeking care is holding traditional views about masculinity. It's important that young men learn early that taking care of their health is one of the most "manly" things they can do

Giving adolescents an accurate picture of the risks of different types of sexual behavior can help them make informed decisions about sex.

In addition to this, schools can adopt an inclusive way to this issue and help in four distinct ways: 

1. All schools should enforce programs that involve support, tutoring, education, and recreation as these programs can help decrease high-risk behavior among teens and prevent teen pregnancy in schools. 

2. Schools should promote values that include academic success, self-worth, and connectedness to reduce the chances of high-risk behavior among teenagers.

3. Schools should try to implement programs that promote positive youth development. These programs should be able to support resilience in children and provide more information about the following topics: 

Generally, schools should be required to prepare students for prosperous futures, striving to foster young and competent people who are able to make healthy life choices. All this can be done by including appropriate character education in the school curriculum, providing attentively crafted learning activities in the lesson plans, and promoting nonscholastic and out of school activities and programs

-The curriculum was objected to by many who said it was age-inappropriate and dismissed family values.

Similar protests over sex ed have happened around the world.

Ontario, Canada's most populous province, introduced a new sex-ed curriculum in 2015 in an attempt to modernize the program in light of many changes to Canadian society and the growth of social media and sexting.

- The explosion of social media and the constant use of mobile phone ownership led to the rise of cyber-bullying, cyber-exploitation, and sexting.
-Sex education in Canada varies greatly by province, and the discussion of when children need to
learn about sexual health is always a controversial topic in the media. In 2010, the Sex Information
and Education Council of Canada released a document that delves deeply into the statistics and
reasons for comprehensive sex education, but not specifics per province. To clarify the lack of
consistency across the country, examples are listed below (from 2015), highlighting the two ends of
the spectrum regarding age (other provinces fall between the two extremes).

• British Columbia and Manitoba require children to know the proper name for body parts in
kindergarten, while PEI and New Brunswick wait until Grade 6.
• Sexual orientation is taught in Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Nova Scotia in Grade 3, but
Newfoundland only teaches LGBT awareness in grade 9 (Manitoba has no clear agenda.)
• Information about STIs and prevention are taught in Nova Scotia starting in Grade 5 but New
Brunswick avoids the topic until Grade 10.
• Birth Control is taught in Grade 6 in BC and in Grade 9 in Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan.
Nova Scotia teaches STI prevention in Grade 5 but waits until high school for birth control, and some
provinces refuse to discuss gender identity and LGBT concerns at all. Even if the topic is mandated
for the province, no studies have looked at what teachers are actually telling their students in a class.
Overall, sex education in Canada is very inconsistent, similar to the lack of consistency to women’s
reproductive rights in the country, which is likely a reflection of stigma and sexuality restrictions. Even
though the question of abortion would undoubtedly arise in school classrooms, provincial websites
often do not indicate whether it is included in birth control discussions

A Pregnancy Resource Center, also known as a Crisis Pregnancy Center, focuses on the pregnant teen as well as their unborn child. Some of their services may include free pregnancy tests, parenting classes, prenatal development classes, counseling, life coaching, and free supplies such as diapers, baby wipes, etc. These centers give you full information on what to expect in labor and delivery and beyond. These centers respect you as a person and will be there for you regardless of what you decide to do. They may even provide post-abortion counseling if needed. Some centers have programs for dads as well. These centers perform these services free of charge. Click here for more information.

2)     Maternity Homes

A maternity home is a place a pregnant teen can go if they are at risk for homelessness or if they need a place to stay far away from their community where they will be loved, supported, cared for, and not judged. Maternity Homes, also known as Maternity Housing, may provide such things as housing, support, pregnancy resources, addiction counseling, and spiritual counseling. Click here for more information.

3)     Mentoring and support services:

There are many resources for teen moms including Young Lives, a division of Young Life, which is a faith-based ministry dedicated to supporting teen moms and giving them direction in this difficult time of life. They are not connected to anyone's church and you do not need to be a Christian to participate in their services.

According to the TOPS website,

“TOPS is an Arizona non-profit organization that provides healthy pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting education and support to families of all ages …”

4)     Extended family

Have you ever thought about reaching out to a distant relative for help? A grandma, a grandpa, an aunt, uncle, cousin, or even older sibling may offer help, guidance, and advice that you never dreamt of. Perhaps they went through a similar circumstance when they were your age. Perhaps they have experience on how to navigate these troubled waters. They may be able to take you in for a few months till you deliver. They may even be willing to adopt your child, should you choose to go down that road.

Lastly and perhaps, most controversial, have you considered… the father’s family? I know: there are many cases where you cannot or would not ever think of reaching out to that side of the family. But if you do have a good relationship with your boyfriend and if his family are good, upstanding citizens, what do you have to lose? After all, they may be able to provide a place for you to stay during tough times and may even care for your child on a short-term or long-term basis. This may also ensure that the father stays actively involved in his child’s life; the child is also his responsibility. His family is also an extended family.

In any event, there are places to go when a teen has a crisis pregnancy. Think outside of the box! There is hope. There is not only one choice… there is a multitude of choices. Choose one that is right for you AND your baby.

Are you considering placing a child for adoption? Not sure what to do next? First, know that you are not alone. Visit Adoption.org or call 1-800-ADOPT-98 to speak to one of our Options Counselors to get compassionate, non-judgmental support

2. Factors such as parental income and the extent of a girl’s education also contribute. Girls who have received minimal education are 5 times more likely to become a mother than those with higher levels of education. Pregnant girls often drop out of school, limiting opportunities for future employment and perpetuating the cycle of poverty. In many cases, girls perceive pregnancy to be a better option than continuing their education

 
3. The unique risks faced by girls during emergencies increase the chances of them becoming pregnant. Factors include the desire to compensate for the loss of a child, reduced access to information and contraception, and increased sexual violence.

 4. For many adolescents, pregnancy, and childbirth are neither planned nor wanted. In countries where abortion is prohibited or highly restricted, adolescents typically resort to unsafe abortion, putting their health and lives at risk. Some 3.9 million unsafe abortions occur each year to girls aged 15-19 in developing regions