To wonder why teenage pregnancy rates have gone down

[Reallytired17]

here

Anecdotally, I remember four girls having babies in Year 11 in 1999.

Is it to do with better access to contraception, or are more pregnancies being terminated?

Yes the rise in anal sex is another factor.

Interesting with the links to teenagers not actually seeing each other but being able to contact through social media.

There was a whole series of programmes about this very topic on Radio 4, last summer.

They looked at everything; better contraception, education etc which have made some difference however the fall in teenage pregnancies coincided with the introduction of smart phones and social media.

So teenagers now had a whole new world for inspiration and also new role models to aspire to. Previously they’d only have their own school/neighbourhood and small circle of family and friends.

So the conclusion was that teenagers had done it themselves !

Less alcohol abuse among teens must be a factor.

There was documentary about sex ed in schools on a few years ago. On it they asked a boy who was about 14/15 what sex is and how you do it and he finished his explanation with

"And then you jizz on her face"

Maybe facial jizzing is the answer?

I think it's a combination like pp have said. I do wonder if the use of cannabis (esp among boys) is a factor too - known for supressjng libido etc.

Higher aspirations?
Less actual contact?
Less alcohol?
Stigma amongst their peers?

Massive push with free condoms in youth centres and sexual health clinic for teenagers, MAP, sexual health nurses and helplines and access to advice and free contraception in venues accessible to teenagers over the last 10 years.

All now cut sontje rates will rise again

*so the

Complex reasons - all of the above

Working class girls especially have a lot more options open to them nowadays with more going to University and having aspirations beyond motherhood.

I have a dd in year 10 and she is very keen to go to university and get a good job. That’s all she’s interested in. (And you tube make up tutorials)! She really disapproves of the girls in her year and above who are boy mad. She fancies boys but isn’t interested in having a proper boyfriend and has never even kissed a boy. Her best friends are the same. They are much more sensible than I ever was at the same age...! I think being a teenager now is strange because in some ways they grow up so fast and in other ways they stay younger for longer. I think if dd knew someone who became pregnant at her age she would be absolutely horrified (obviously she wouldn’t say anything out loud, she knows better than that, but I mean she would be really shocked).

In the school I teach you get a y11 student pregnant every 5 years or more (that we know of).

That's in your job description?

It's probably the most successful public health strategy of the last thirty years.

This Guardian article is excellent on how it was done.

:o

I read it was about social media interaction. They sext each other rather than actually have sex.

Went to a catholic high school, I feel pregnant in year 13 and another girl in year 12.
I was back in school within a week, complete with baby. I had course work to finish, had no child care and was told to bring him in by teachers as there was 'plenty of cuddles to go around'.
My teachers would be walking around talking to the class complete with babe in arms. This was in 1999. It made that last few months of school so much easier. Plus it meant I was still able to accept my place at university.

It’s interesting about the rise in the use of the implant (maybe other hormonal contraceptives too?) - but does that affect the rates of STIs I wonder? As people may be less likely to bother with a condom if they know they can’t conceive anyway?

I've read that with the rise of social media kids don't feel the need.to go out as much as they already feel they're connected.

So their loins aren't connecting now I guess.

Parents don't give kids as much freedom as we were given 20 years ago. And going by my Uni friends - lots of them were having sex at 13 years old - that now is very much seen as illegal, no grey area - back then, people raised an eyebrow, but that was it, no charges pressed...think Bill Wyman and Mandy Smith, that would never be allowed to happen now - they'd be a lynch mob out after Bill Wyman.

Only being 18 myself (and being on very recently sexually active) sex ed was a big factor. Very clear and well done I knew all my options for contraception and there was a relationship bit in the education as well so I knew what kind of situation I wanted to be in with someone before I slept with them. Being t-total is very common among teens now (I don't drink at all) and I think general hopes for the future play a bit factor. Being pregnant would really make life difficult if I wanted a uni education/ job. A lot of girls in particular pick that over boys.
Also with exams who has the time. At uni now but for three years since I was 15 I have had intense exams each year which means the entire year each year for three years I have been working my butt off. Honestly I barely had time for friends let alone a boyfriend. There is a lot of pressure in schools to acedemically succeed.

Odd that is really helpful thank you

StealthPolarBear - I'd be interested in that book, can you give me the title?

According to a Freakonomics podcast I heard, some posit it's MTV's Teen Mom show.

What about general conception rates irrespective of age?
Just curious if fertility might be falling across the board due to use of pesticides and hormones affecting the food we eat?

Probably because you can't get pregnant from a guy coming on your face...which is what 'the kids' are into in these pornhub/snapchat times...