Preventing Teen Pregnancy

This article comes from Rachel Olis with Children's of Alabama.

Alabama has some of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the country. As an adult,
you should create a plan for discussing the facts about teen pregnancy with your son
or daughter. Parents are the first and primary educators for their children, so
start the conversation and arm them with the information they need to make safe and
healthy choices.
Some parents may find this a difficult discussion to have. Dr. Tina Simpson,
adolescent medicine physician at Children’s of Alabama, says that “the early stages
in the conversation don’t necessarily involve talking about sex.” As part of May’s
National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month, Children’s of Alabama offers these tips to
help you talk to your child about teen pregnancy:

Keep an open dialogue. This is the best way to prevent teen pregnancy.

Begin talking with them about sexuality when they are very young. Discussing body
parts with your child is very important at this age.

Follow their lead. Your child will have questions, and it’s up to you to answer them
with correct information and age-appropriate language. It’s better that they hear it
from you than other unreliable sources.

As your child gets older, ask them questions that are more developmentally
appropriate. This will help them consider their own changes during puberty as well
as the development of healthy relationships.

Emphasize family values. Go over where you expect your child to be and who you
expect them to be with. Education expectations and career goals are also important
to discuss.

Start to engage in more specific conversations. After the previous steps have been
taken, begin talking about sexuality, contraception, and other uncomfortable but
necessary topics. This will prepare your child for the possible reality of the
unintended consequences of sex, namely pregnancy.
Where to go for support:

The Adolescent Health Center at Children's of Alabama is open to every young person
ages 11-21.

Alabama Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy focuses on teen pregnancy prevention and
positive youth development.

Many community-based programs deal with teen sexuality and pregnancy prevention.
Talking with your child is the most important thing you can do to help your son or
daughter prevent teen pregnancy. Many parents regret not having done more once their
child is involved in a pregnancy, so take the necessary steps now to ensure they
grow up at just the right pace.
For more information, please visit childrensal.org.