Teenage Pregnancy 2
Teenage Pregnancy has been a widely discussed topic for several decades. There are many methods used for preventing teenage pregnancy. The largest debate is whether contraceptives provide the best prevention for teenage pregnancy. The pro contraceptives side believes contraceptives are the best prevention for teenage pregnancy because of cost, health, and choice. The first reason for preventing teenage pregnancy with contraception is cost. The cost means the amount paid, charged or engaged to be paid for anything bought or taken in barter. “There are roughly 400,000 teen births every year in the United States, with about $9 billion in associated public costs.” (Krisberg, Kim. "Teen Pregnancy Prevention Focusing on Evidence." Nation's Health. Apr 2010: 1. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 08 Dec 2011.) Teen pregnancy is costly to everyone in the US due to lack of medical insurance, financial stability and responsibility of a young teen parent. Most teen mothers are on Medicaid to pay for the pregnancy, food stamps and either housing assistance or living with parents who are then financially responsible. Pregnancy and raising a baby in general is expensive but to an unprepared teen without a job this is quite a bit more difficult to the teen and everyone else responsible for caring for the young parent. If the mother chooses to not to have the baby and chooses to abort or give up for adoption instead it becomes both mentally and physically costly. All of the costs associated with teen pregnancy could be prevented by taking extra