These financial deficits put the country in a larger hole because $1.5 billion dollars is needed each year to help with teen pregnancies, and only $100 million is received, causing more state and federal debt. This also has a negative effect on the economy. I think if people care less about money and more about others, this problem would not be such a challenge to solve.

Since George W Bush stepped out of office, the amount of funding has dropped significantly. With the closing of Bush's funding programs, Obama created new ones to help fund organizations like Planned Parenthood. The only problem is that this new financial aid program receives only $100 million a year, as opposed to Bush's program which received over $200 million each year. I hope that whoever steps into office next realizes the importance of these organizations and works to get them fully operational and provides more opportunities for teens to get help.

U.S. Teen Pregnancy, Abortion Rates Continue To Decline

Teenhelp

Teenhelp.com recently posted an article regarding teen pregnancy, explaining that the United States currently holds the highest ten pregnancy rate in the Western world. It expresses the fact that 79% of teens who become pregnant are not married, which can sometimes result in a one parent family, concluding that it will make it extremely difficult for the teen mother to become as successful in life as she could be on her own. In terms of the economy, the United States spends an average of $7 billion each year on teen pregnancy alone.

Source:

1. "Teen Pregnancy Statistics and Teen Pregnancy Facts," FamilyFirstAid. [Online.]

* "Facts and Stats," The National Campaign to Prevent Teen

Teen Mom Nation: A Cycle of Teen Pregnancy | Our America with Lisa Ling ...

Statistics

With research, an article on healthychildren.org has concluded that 2 in 5 young women will become pregnant before the age of twenty, most of which have been on accident. This new discovery leads to questions regarding what will happen to these teens later in life, and whether or not they can be successful if they decide to keep the child. With a situation as such, the article also stated that teen girls may try to keep their pregnancy a secret, resulting in insufficient care which increases risk for both the teen and their child. On a related note, teens may also hide the fact that they are pregnant to their peers, due to fear of being ridiculed.

Source: Caring for Your Teenager (Copyright © 2003 American Academy of Pediatrics)

Planned Parenthood

I would like to shed some light on the importance of Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood uses their resources to provide help for teens who cannot pay for healthcare, helping them to get tested. It also helps teens test for other diseases such as STIs or STDs. I think it is important that we continue the funding of Planned Parenthood for the benefit of teens who have made mistakes or are victims with unsanctioned results.