The so-called “morning after” pill has scored a victory recently when a federal court ruled in its favor to lower the minimum age limit of over-the-counter (OTC) access from 18 to 17 years. In addition, the judge also rebuked the regulatory body the US FDA for letting politics interfere with its decision. The previous Republican administration was strongly against the pill.

The morning after pill is marketed as “Plan B” and is manufactures by Duramed. It is intended to prevent pregnancy when taken within 3 days (72 hours) of sexual intercourse.

Expectantly, pro-life groups are strongly against the pill and consider taking the pill as amounting to abortion. The groups are also concerned about giving minors unrestricted access to the morning after pill as this might encourage risky sexual behavior.

Pro-choice advocates on the hand, believe that the morning after pill be available OTC to all women regardless of age (unless they are still children). This is to prevent unwanted pregnancies especially since the latest CDC statistics should that teen pregnancy rate is increasing.

The same pill created a big controversy earlier this year in the UK when state schools were given the go-signal to give out the morning after pill to students as young as 11 even without their parents’ knowledge or consent. For reasons of medical confidentiality, parents wouldn’t be informed if they children ever avail this service. Parents, however, demand full disclosure on the grounds that these kids are underaged (at least until they turn 16), -and it’s their taxes that pay for the pills and the schools in the first place

However, the schools are also afraid that given in to the parents’ demand for disclosure would hinder teens from using the product which is aimed to reduce the problem of teen pregnancy. Currently, the UK has the highest rate of teen pregnancy in the European Union.

What do you think? Is it right to give minors free access to the morning after pill?

It’s a baby boom! Government researchers just reported that in 2007, there were 4.3 million live births. That tops even the baby boom of the 1950s. After concerns on some fronts in recent years about the US population not reproducing itself, this is a sigh of relief. But the numbers are slightly misleading. According to the Centers for Disease Control, back in the 50s, there were fewer women having babies–but they had more of them (about four kids each). Today, women have 2.1 children a piece (I guess I’m just .1 away from normal. Any of you over your limit? You can have my share.) The highest numbers are in Utah. The lowest in Vermont. I wonder if that is adjusted for population? A quarter of the “women” giving birth are teenagers. And 40% of the births were to unwed parents.

Experts of every stripe are out in force today, ranging from the abortion advocates to family researchers, sociologists and economists. Each of them is weighing in on why things are the way they are. You may not even be surprised to learn that some of the issues here have been blamed on George Bush. (That’s kind of a long-standing game between my husband and I. What did someone blame on Bush today?) Economists say the trend in babymaking matches the economy. Since 2007 was a good year, there were lots of babies. Dr. Carol Hogue, a professor of maternal and child health at Emory University, thinks the birth rate will drop with the downturn in the economy. “The lowest birth rates recorded in the United States occurred during the Great Depression.”

Now the study didn’t say how many of the unwed births were unintended, nor how many of the unmarried women were in long-term relationships with the father. Still, 40% is not a good number. Why are teenagers getting pregnant? Some are saying it’s because they don’t have an abortion clinic nearby. Some say that George Bush tried to teach them abstinence-only but they didn’t get the message. For whatever reason, the teen birth rate had been going down for 15 years. Then suddenly, last year, it went back up.

I am no expert in such matters. But I have been a high school teacher for many years. I can tell you that teenagers are no longer branded by a negative social stigma when they get pregnant. So if it happens to one of them, they no longer have to face ‘outcast’ or ‘hussy’ status. Girls and boys freely discuss their sexuality in school. I also have noted that most of my students who were willing to speak up are very opposed to abortion on a personal level. They would much rather raise a baby than abort it. (This matches the fact that abortion rates have been dropping steadily. Which causes the other?) It also seems like a cultural trend to me when you consider that the numbers are not balanced among different races. The birth rate among black teenagers is twice as high as whites. Hispanic teenagers have three times as many babies as white girls. I live and teach in a community that is more than half hispanic. I don’t know all the ins and outs because I am not hispanic myself. But I do see a positive commitment to family among them. A baby is a good thing. Again, these are just my observations. Of course there are other experiences out there.

So why are older women having babies out of wedlock? Maybe for the same reasons. And, if you add in the fact that marriage is slightly on the decline, it makes sense. Again, if you look at the number breakdown, it is very much a trend within certain cultures. Almost 72% of all black babies were born to unwed mothers. A little more than half of hispanic babies were. Do you have any explanation for this other than cultural attitudes?

There were a few more interesting findings:
- One third of all births are by cesarean. (In Puerto Rico, it’s almost half of all births.) “Every pregnant woman in the U.S. should be alarmed by this rate,” said the president of the advocacy group, International Cesarean Awareness Network advocacy group. Pam Udy continued by saying that more than half of those could have been avoided. If you had a cesarean, why? Was it elective? Was it planned?
-On a positive note, there are fewer premature babies born now. Fewer infants are low-birth weight, too. Is this the result of younger mamas? Or better health care? None of the above?

What do you think of all these numbers?

The UNICEF annual report on The State of the World’s Children 2009 is not exactly a harbinger of good news especially concerning teen pregnancies and births. Some figures from the report are as follows:

• 70,000 women aged 15 to 19 die as a consequence of pregnancy and delivery complications.
• The younger a girl during pregnancy, the greater are the health risks for her and her baby.
• An infant born to a mother under 18 has a 60% greater risk of dying before its first birthday.

Although the most publicized teen pregnancies are those happening in developed countries (think about Jamie Lynn Spears and Bristol Palin), the majority of teen mothers are actually living in developing countries – unnoticed and unsung. The practice of child marriages is still quite commonplace in many parts of Asia and Africa. The girls forced into these marriages lose their chance for an education or simply to enjoy their childhood.

This is sad because pregnancy and childbirth is hard enough in low-income countries (especially Africa) without being confounded by young age.

In Africa, a woman has 1 in 26 chance of dying of pregnancy or childbirth complications – the highest in the world. This is 300 times higher than in developed countries.

I had my twins at age 38. In developing countries, many women will already be grandmothers at that age. These UNICEF figures make me pause and ponder upon the disparities of this world. “There, but for fortune, go you or I.”

Could one ever be pregnant without knowing it? Apparently this Swiss teenager didn’t. Just before Christmas, the 13-year-old girl suffered from severe abdominal pains at school and was rushed to the hospital. School authorities thought it was acute appendicitis. The doctors came up with another diagnosis – labor pains. The girl gave birth to a healthy baby, much to the surprise of everybody, including the brand-new mother herself. It seems that nobody knew, not her, not her parents, not her friends, not her teachers. The girl just started the first year of secondary school in autumn. Her boyfriend, and most likely the father, is a boy of the same age in the same class. This means the relationship started when they were still in their last year of primary school.

The little alpine country of Switzerland was shocked at this event. Although teen pregnancies do happen here, the rate is very low (122 cases last year, they said) and definitely not considered as problematic as in the UK, record holder in Europe in terms of teen pregnancy rates. This brought up the question- How could no one have known, not even the teen herself?

That question has also brought up the debate about the effectiveness of sexual education in primary schools. Some politicians think that sex education should start even earlier, long before the girls get their first period.

Now, I ask you. How can one be pregnant and not notice? At what age should children be informed about sex and procreation?

And the most difficult of all: How do you go about telling your kids?

On Sunday, the Palin and Johnston families welcomed baby Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston. Bristol Palin, 18, is the oldest daughter of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, the former running mate of Republican presidential candidate John McCain. The baby was born in Palmer, Alaska, and weighed 7 lb., 4 oz. Both mother and son are healthy and recovering well.

Bristol has not yet completed high school but is working on her diploma through correspondence courses. Her boyfriend, Levi Johnston, recently left school and is apprenticing to become an electrician. According to an interview in October with Levi, and recent reports from his mother, the young parents plan to wed this coming year and raise Tripp together.

Baby Tripp’s birth was at first confirmed by Bristol’s grandaunt, Colleen Jones, and was soon reported by People magazine. The families are all very excited about the new arrival, though the governor’s office considers the birth a private family matter and will not release information.

Bristol Palin’s pregnancy made headlines in a year full of news for many reasons, not the least of which was her age. In an era when it is sometimes easier to speak your convictions than it is to practice them, Sarah Palin reaffirmed her opposition to abortion in two ways when she not only knowingly bore a child with Down’s Syndrome (a decision lauded by some and criticized by others), but also gave her unconditional support to her unwed, pregnant teenage daughter.

At the time of the announcement, the governor and then-vice presidential candidate did not disclose the identity of the baby’s father. But his mother, Sherry L. Johnston, told the press it was her son that fathered the child. (Ms. Johnston recently made news of her own when she was arrested on drug charges related to prescription painkiller, OxyContin.)

I write this article hesitantly, knowing that Tripp’s birth is news, yet wondering why. It has been a tiring and emotional year for the Palin family, I’m sure. Few of us have to live under the scrutinizing eye of the American people. Of course, anyone who willingly enters public service knows this will happen. Still, it can’t be easy to have all of your decisions be a matter of dinner conversation. Conservatives wondered if a woman whose daughter was pregnant could be as conservative as she claimed. Liberals worried that if she became vice-president she would restrict American access to abortion. No matter how you feel about her politics or personality, I don’t see how anyone can disagree that Sarah Palin kept her composure well under tremendous pressures at work, unexpected difficulties at home, and unrelenting attacks and mockery from her critics. I’m glad that her first grandchild was born after the circus we called an election is over. Considering the silence echoing from her office, I hope that means she is taking the opportunity to just sit and enjoy her family. At a time of year when we all try to remember to be at peace and forget our differences, perhaps you can take a moment to wish her well and say a prayer for Bristol, Sarah, and all of the family.

The negative impact of teen pregnancy on both individuals and society is well documented. High profile teen pregnancies like those of Jamie Lynn Spears and Bristol Palin have brought the issue into new focus. Jamie Lynn’s pregnancy came after a series of negative stories in the media about her older sister, Britney. Bristol Palin’s pregnancy was revealed after her mother was chosen as Presidential hopeful John McCain’s running mate.

Of course one can speculate that Bristol’s pregnancy would not have generated such interest if her mom wasn’t running for Vice President, but who can really say? Right now however, there seem to be some people who are of the view that the pregnancies of these two teens and the subsequent media coverage have somehow made teen pregnancy more appealing.

This view may be based on the fact that these two girls are from financially stable backgrounds. Often, pregnant teens are from economically depressed areas. This, coupled with the fact that many of these teen mothers don’t obtain a high school diploma is a recipe for disaster. Most will require the social services to take care of themselves and their babies, and they will not be able to contribute to paying taxes.

I have heard a few people take aim at the movie, Juno for its depiction of a 16-year old high school student who gets pregnant. The fact that the guy who got her pregnant wasn’t even her boyfriend probably helped to raise the ire of some people as well.

Statistics show that there are over 400,000 teen births in the USA every year. The statistics showed a decrease in the number over the course of fifteen years. However, there was a three percent increase between 2005 and 2006, and it is anticipated that the figures for 2007 will also show an increase.

So will the teen pregnancies of Bristol Palin and Jamie Lynn Spears make it ‘cool’ for other teens to follow suit? If there is in fact an increase in the number of teen pregnancies over the next few years, can it in part be blamed on these two girls and to some extent the media?

One thing is certain; this issue must be confronted head on. There will always be debate on the best course of action, be it abstinence or birth control, or teaching teenagers about both. But at least we can all agree that the health and wellbeing of children is the paramount issue. I’ll leave you with a thought from Sarah Brown, the director of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, When is the last time we said, as a culture, ‘Babies need adult parents.’

Everyone seems to have an opinion on Bristol Palin, the pregnant teenage daughter of Republican Vice President hopeful Sarah Palin. Sarah Palin has supported abstinence before marriage policies and her 17-year-old daughter Bristol isn’t married, although she’s announced that she plans to marry boyfriend Levi Johnson.

Bristol and Levi have been dating for a year, and 18-year-old Levi has “Bristol” tattooed on his left ring finger.

So, a couple of days after the news broke, celebrities have been weighing in on Bristol’s pregnancy. “It’s never easy when you’re dealing with something like teen pregnancy,” said Eva Mendes. “People need to look beyond that and give her [Sarah] the chance to have her fair say.”

Lindsay Lohan posted her opinion on her MySpace page. “Well, I think the real problem comes from the fact that we are taking the focus off of getting to know Sarah Palin and her political views, and what she can do to make our country a less destructive place. Its distracting from the real issues, the real everyday problems that this country experiences. I am concerned with the fact that Sarah Palin brought the attention to her daughter’s pregnancy, rather than all world issues and what she believes she could possibly do to change them-if elected. I get Sarah Palin’s views against abortion, but i would much prefer to hear more about what she can do for our country rather than how her daughter is going to have a child no matter what.”

And fellow teen mom Jamie Lynn Spears reportedly ordered a gift of baby burp cloths from chi chi Los Angeles baby boutique Petit Tresor, with a card reading “Dear Bristol, Hang in there! XXOO, Jamie Lynn Spears”

So here’s the questions… should celebrities be discussing political issues? Or is this whole situation nobody’s business but Bristol and her family’s?

At the grocery store, I am confronted by front page pictures of Jamie Lynn Spears and her new baby while waiting to checkout. I might not even be inclined to notice too much except for the fact that my teenage daughter points the magazine out. The headline proclaims how being a mom is the best thing in the world.

I agree that being a mom is a great thing. I love children, which is why I have 5 of them. I?m thrilled for Jamie Lynn that she is happy being a mom. I?m not sure I?m happy about the message this article is sending to my teenage daughters though.

My daughters never expressed an interest in Jamie Lynn?s TV show on Nickelodeon until after the pregnancy news broke. It seemed all of their friends were speaking about it and they were curious to see what all the drama was about. A teenage star who was pregnant! They asked to watch the show and I have to say that I said no because their motives concerned me.

I had my first child when I was 22. Unlike Jamie Lynn, I worried about how I was going to pay the electric bill and buy diapers. I bought most of my nursery items at the second hand store, or people gave me what they were done using. My daughter wore a lot of hand me downs. I learned a lot about priorities and parenthood during my child?s early years?as do most parents.

The reality is that while being a mom is great, it is hard work. Mothering means putting aside your selfish ways and putting the needs of another human being before yours. It means sacrificing. These are tough concepts for adults, let alone a teenager. I wonder if the magazine article addressed the difficult issues of parenting, or did it just gloss over this?

What do you think? Did this magazine cover story and article glamorize teen pregnancy? Does this concern you?

As reported here at the Babies Online Blog, teen pregnancy rates, nationwide, have dropped between 1990 and 2004. Abortions also dropped by 24 percent during the same time period.

Unfortunately, the optimistic 2004 stats were offset by a preliminary CDC report on 2006 births, which showed an increase in the number of teen pregnancies for the first-time in 14 years. In one Massachusetts school, the news is even more depressing.

In the past year, the teen pregnancy rate at Gloucester High School has more than quadrupled, with 17 young women pregnant. Time Magazine reported on this startling trend in the lower-income New England fishing town.

In the article, the school’s principal explained that several students requested multiple pregnancy tests, and seemed upset, rather than relieved, with a negative result. The epidemic is due, in part, to a ‘pregnancy pact,’ in which several friends under the age of 16 pledged to get pregnant and raise their children together.
When school officials and the high school clinic’s medical director advocated dispensing oral contraceptives without parental consent, however, they faced opposition from many people in the community.

My question: How will birth control pills help stop pregnancy if teenage girls are actually trying to get pregnant?

Perhaps the school should consider expanding their sex education curriculum to include spending 24 hours a day, every day for a week or more, with a colicky infant. I don’t know if this would change the minds of women in their 20s and 30s, who are truly ready to have children (although, having never been in that situation, it might!) But I’m pretty sure this scare tactic could help curb intentional teen pregnancy. If that doesn’t work, perhaps they could force the teens to pay for diapers for a year.

Only 17 and she has already brought 7 children into this world. Her name is Pamela Villarruel and she lives in Argentina.

Pamela delivered her first child, a boy, at 14. She got pregnant again a year later and delivered 3 girls. Another pregnancy followed and she again delivered 3 girls just days before her 17th birthday. Each pregnancy occurred with a different partner and both sets of triplets were non-identical. 7 kids in 3 pregnancies! And all these without IVF, hormone therapy or any other form of assisted reproduction.

She probably holds the record for having the most number of kids among girls of her age.
In addition, two times triplets which are fraternal or non-identical are a rarity. This means that she has produced 3 eggs which were all fertilized. It is not clear whether the triplets were conceived all at the same time or were conceived through superfecundation or superfetation.

After her second pregnancy, Pamela?s mother wanted her tubes cut but this was not allowed because she was (and still is) underaged. Instead, she received contraceptive injections. However, one missed shot and the second set of twins were conceived. It is not so clear what precautionary measures she is currently taking against further pregnancies since according to Argentine laws, she has to wait till she’s 21 to have her tubes cut.

Doctors call her a ?scientific rarity.? I say she is an extreme case of teenage pregnancy gone out of control. She is also a victim of failure of certain countries, cultures, and religions to face issues of teenage sex and contraception.

But I really wish her and her kids all the best.

Source:

Sunday Mirror UK, 30 March 2008

AOL News

Last Friday’s season finale of Zoey 101 boasted the highest ratings yet for a season finale – 7.3 million, more than double of last year’s audience. With the next season already taped and ready to go, one wonders if Jamie Lynn will be able to come back to the network. By the time the next season finishes, depending on how she handles the media attention, she may prove that you can recover from a mistake.

We all know that’s true, but for some reason people are acting as if getting pregnant is the end of life itself. Does it make it harder? Sure. I swear I even heard an entertainment reporter remark on how she was going to support the baby. Whaa? With access to millions and the best nannies money can buy, I’m guessing she will be alright.

Oh Jamie-Lynn, you’re not the only one. The Center for Disease Control (CDC), reported in December that in 2006, the US teen birth rate rose for the first time since 1991. The increase is according to the following breakdown:

• 3% rise for teens ages 15-17 (22 births per 1,000 women)
• 4% rise for teens ages 18-19 (73 births per 1,000 women)
• No rise for girls ages 10-14

Notably, the CDC also reported an 8% increase in births to unwed mothers between 2005 and 2006.

According to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, there aren’t yet clear reasons causing the first increase in fifteen years. Among the potential causes they suggest include:

1. People are using yesterday?s tactics to fight teen pregnancy and the campaign needs a revamp.
2. The birth rate is up for all women, suggesting that broader forces are at play.

The National Campaign plans to use the information to strengthen and update its strategies, and infuse its programs with new life.

References:

http://www.thenationalcampaign.org/resources/NCHS_2006.aspx

http://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20071205/us-teen-birth-rates-rising?src=rss_amerpregnancy