The document discusses teen pregnancy and sexual education statistics in the United States. It notes that over 305,000 females aged 15-19 experienced teen pregnancy in 2012. While many teens are aware of sexually transmitted diseases, many have not received formal instruction on contraception or abstinence. The document advocates for comprehensive sexual education at young ages to help teens make more informed decisions and reduce rates of unintended pregnancy.

2. The most shocking and
frightening statistic among
today’s youth:
Teen pregnancy affected
305, 420 females aged
15-19 in 2012.
Courtesy of pregnantoncampus.studentsforlife.org

3. Many teens are aware of sexually transmitted diseases but have received no
education on how to prevent them.
•
In 2006-2008, teenagers aged 15-19 had received formal instruction about
STIs – 93%, HIV – 89%, or abstinence – 84%.
•
In 2009 public school districts were more likely to require instruction on STI
prevention in high schools than at the elementary and middle schools.
A large majority of teens do not know about contraceptives.
•
According to the Guttmacher Institute, “in 2006 about one-third of teens
aged 15-19 had not received any formal instruction about contraception;
fewer males received this instruction than females – 62% v. 70%

4. www.guttmacher.org

5. Being informed about
sexual education can help
teens know about the
risks of becoming sexually
active and will also help
them understand why it is
important to wait to
become sexually active.

6. Understanding the dangers and responsibilities of being sexually active will
help teenagers better understand why it is important to wait.
•
According to the Guttmacher Institute, “virginity pledges are promises to
abstain from sexual intercourse until marriage and have become popular
courses of action for sex education programs across America.
Unfortunately, studies show that pledgers are just as likely as non-pledgers
to have STDs and less likely to use contraception if they do become
sexually active.”
•
•
It is not enough to teach teens to make pledges; they have to be informed of
what exactly they are pledging to do.
Emergency contraception and comprehensive sexuality education have
both proven to reduce the rate of unintended pregnancy and teach teens to
wait until they are ready.

7. Being informed about
sexual education at a
young age will help
teenagers make more
educated decisions in the
future.

8. •
Teenagers that understand the dangers of becoming sexually active will
make more education decisions instead of just acting on their hormones.
•
The number of teen pregnancies each year will decrease due to teens
knowing how to protect themselves with contraception.
•
According to the Guttmacher Institute, “teens who receive a comprehensive
education about sex are 50% less likely to have an unintended pregnancy
than those who receive sex educations that are abstinence-only or
contraception-only programs.

9. It is critical that sexual
education be taught to
children as early as 6th
grade if you want to help
protect them for the future
so they make smart sex
decisions.

10. Guttmacher, Alan. “Facts on American Teens’ Sources of Information About Sex.”
Guttmacher Institute. Guttmacher Institute, February 2012. Web. 17 November
2013. <http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/FB-Teen-Sex-Ed.html>
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Trends in Teen Pregnancy and
Childbearing.” Office of Adolescent Health. U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, 30 September 2013. Web. 17 November 2013.
<http://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/adolescent-health-topics/reproductivehealth/teen-pregnancy/trends.hml>