Teenage pregnancy prevention: The vital importance of the medical community's involvement: Presidential address

Abstract

The author calls upon fellow physicians to actively advocate steps toward the prevention of teen pregnancy. To this end problems related to teen pregnancy are reviewed and specific solutions posited. Multifaceted approaches are necessary and should enjoy the full support of governmental bodies communities businesses churches and specialty societies. Community-based initiatives may employ public awareness events and media campaigns and attempt to reduce the school dropout rate substance abuse poverty and crime which contribute to the incidence of teen pregnancy. Program interventions must reorient their curative stance addressing the results of early childbirth and aim at the root causes fueling adolescent high-risk sexual behavior. Specifically medical practitioners are urged to support teenage sexual abstinence more programs that involve and target teenage males family life education comprehensive school-based health services and increase the availability of contraceptive services for adolescents. Individual practitioners are also called upon to be more involved and communicative with their teenage pregnancies.