Sociology

Introduction
Teenage pregnancy has increasingly become a major health concern that results in social problems in the modern society. The United States has higher rates of teen pregnancy, birth and abortion than in other Western industrialized countries (Allen, 2010). The overall teen pregnancy rate was up 3 percent in 2006, with a 4 percent rise in the rate of births and a 1 percent rise in the rate of abortions, according to the report by the Guttmacher Institute (Allen, 2010). There were 71 pregnancies per 1,000 U.S. girls aged 15-19. In 2006, 7 percent of all teenage girls got pregnant, according to the report (Allen, 2010).

Teenagers also get involved in sex and invite unplanned or unexpected pregnancy. Youngsters look forward for marriage before they are mentally and physically prepared for it. This brings about disastrous consequences like teenage marriage failure, divorce and dissatisfaction in sex life.  The young couples do not get any support from the society. They are an exception in the society and are devoid of any help. Teenage marriage is a big challenge to the modern society. Teens do not have the right approach towards marriage. They are not settled in their lives and are not able to bear the responsibility of a child. Most of the adolescents who plan for a marriage are unaware about the seriousness and importance of marriage (Jeanne Warren, 1995). The sex life of the teen couples also turns out to be a big failure. They are also not mature or educated enough to bear the financial responsibilities of a family. They are not strong enough for parenthood and are also not able to fulfill their marital responsibilities. Many of the married teenagers are not even privileged to sign for the most basic facilities like car purchasing and renting. In most countries teenagers do not acquire the adult status even though they are married. Married teenagers also do miss their educational opportunities, as married people are not given admission in certain educational institutions like public schools. Married teenagers are not even able to afford insurance, as they do not have a good job and other financial assistance (Jeanne Warren, 1995). The negative consequences of teen marriage are many. Lack of adequate financial support is the main problem. Financial deprivation can create problems that can destroy an otherwise happy family life. Young couples would not be position to cover the expenses as a family. Another problem associated with teen marriage is the lack of personal maturity of the couples. Even though immature and irresponsible actions do not appear to be serious before marriage, they will make big problems once people enter the marriage bond. Lack of seriousness and responsibility creates problems among young couples.

Problem Statement
Increase in teen pregnancy over the years is result of increased pressure, increased influence of media and peers, lack of sex education at schools, lack of parental guidance and lack of adolescent socialization (socialization at home).

Adolescents are highly perplexed because of the complications in the contradictory and complex spheres of life even though they are lavishly provided with numerous choices. All these situations demand the adolescents to be more self-organized and prudent in the crucial decision-making processes of life. The constantly changing education and development-related tasks bring the adolescents in the risk of failing as majority of them are denied access to the required coping resources. Because of the profound effects of the social changes like educational pressure and changed mode of family and personal life adolescents are increasingly becoming open to sex and drugs. Lack of proper guidance is the cause of such problems. Adolescents being unable to bear the pressure turn to sex and early marriage. This invites further problems.

Problems faced by the adolescents are numerous. They drink most, smoke most and have sex at very early age. They hate schools, neglect their health, and are least satisfied in their life. They dont have any fellowship with their parents and are always out of their house. They lack good company and guidance. Adolescent marriages are also not uncommon in the modern world. Teenagers also get involved in sex and invite unplanned or unexpected pregnancy. Youngsters look forward for marriage before they are mentally and physically prepared for it. This brings about disastrous consequences like teenage marriage failure, divorce and dissatisfaction in sex life. Young people below 21 years do not know the disastrous consequence of early sex and childbirth. Early marriage and sex destroy their life and career. Youngsters below 21 years are also psychologically vulnerable that they may indulge in sex without any afterthought (Jeanne Warren, 1995). These youngsters really do not know why there are asked to abstain from sex. They are highly influenced by media. They are reluctant to share their problems with parents. They therefore find solace in sex and invites problems like teenage pregnancy.

Adolescents are deviated from public interaction and socialization. Adult supervision and guidance is reducing at a fast rate. Increasing influence of mass media also block adolescent from having proper interaction in the society. Peer group influence and other activities also encourage adolescents to neglect extracurricular activities and interaction. They prefer to be lonely interacting with their PCs and video games. Society has become very sedentary nowadays. Computer, television, and video games are responsible for the inactive lifestyle of teenagers. Children, especially girls, become less enthusiastic and active as they move through adolescence. According to the estimates, nearly forty-three percent of adolescents watch more than three hours of television every day. They become very reluctant to engage themselves in activities that would require interaction. Lack of interaction and activities make adolescents more vulnerable to sex. Teenagers fall into sex and cause unwanted teenage pregnancy.

Absence of sex education in schools is yet another reason for teenage sex and pregnancy. Sex education is important for deviating children from early sex. Lack of knowledge about sex makes teenagers eager to explore the world of sex. Lack of sex education makes teenagers look for sex-related information from books and other media like magazines, internet and televisions. These sources give them incorrect idea. These media also encourage teenagers to have early sex. Media corrupts the mind of teenagers. Media triggers them for trying sex.

Lack of parental guidance is yet another reason for the increased rate of teenage pregnancy. In some families, children are not given proper care and they are not treated properly. Parents will be preoccupied with their works or will be under various malpractices, and seldom give any time for their children. There are cases when children are completely neglected. When parents get divorced, children have to stay with one of the parents or with relatives or other caretakers. They may have to undergo physical and mental abuse and even big assaults also. Such children will be deprived of parents love and care and will lose a good family environment. Parents who are busy with their tough job schedules, suffering from various financial, social and personal strains naturally will not have sufficient time to spend with their children. Relatives and caretakers will be least bothered about their welfare and will torture them to maximum. These abused and neglected children suffer depression and various other mental and physical problems. Poor family and broken attachments can prepare children for early sex. Children, who are brought up in good family environment in the care of loving parents, develop admirable self and excellent characters. They rarely look for early sex. Similarly children who are brought up in chaotic background are vulnerable to various bad behavior and worst self-development. Children do undergo defective self-development because of their poor family attachment. Poor family structure and bad attachment negatively influenced the childrens construction of self. They are susceptible to various negative behaviors. They would feel themselves very odd in the society and develop wrong perspectives. The collapsed family background also destroys their individual identity. The poor relationship children maintain with their parents would defectively mold their personality and it will ultimately affect the ideals in their life. Their ideals on family, society, and relationships would be defective. They easily fall into the trap of teenage sex. This is a leading cause of teenage pregnancy.
Effective ways to address the issue of teenage pregnancy

Sex education at Schools
Sex education would educate teenagers about the real facts about sex. Sex education would transfer authentic information about sex to teenagers. This would help eliminate all incorrect information from their mind. This would reduce those accessing media for sex-related information. Giving sex education at school would save teenagers from pornography and misusing internet for sex-related information. Sex education given at schools is found to be an effective method of improving teenagers attitude, behavior and sex-related knowledge. Sex education in schools would be useful for teenagers as parents are often reluctant to educate children about sex. Educating teenagers about sex should include proper introduction of the topic and teaching only the necessary info (knowing what information to be shared and what to hold back). This can only be performed by a trained sex educator. Teenagers must be educated regarding the consequences of pre-marital sex and pregnancy. They should be able to understand the importance of sex. Proper sex education would educate teenagers the danger behind unprotected sex which would result in sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancy.

Parental Adolescent socialization
Parental guidance and adolescent socialization are important for deviating teenagers from early sex. Socializing adolescents at home is the best away to keep them from negative influences. Social interaction and adult guidance is necessary to keep teenagers in the right track.  It is high time that society recognizes the importance of making children and teenagers engage in various activities that would save them from drugs, early sex and other negative influences. Socializing adolescents is the best way to distract them away from early sex. Parents should socialize children at home. Social interaction and adult guidance is necessary to keep the adolescents in the right track. Socializing children at home, at school and other levels would erase the negatively influences their mind. More adult supervision and guidance would help solve the problems of early sex and pregnancy.  Parents can guide their children and socialize them at the family level. Teachers also play a major role in socializing children at the societal level. Socialization at various levels can divert adolescents from negative practices like and early sex.