What Can Be Done To Reduce Teen Pregnancy And Out
Why Focus on Teen Pregnancy?
Virtually all of the growth of single-parent families in recent decades has been driven by an increase in births outside marriage. Divorce rates have leveled off or declined modestly since the early 1980s and thus have not contributed to the rising proportion of children being raised by only one parent nor to the increase in child poverty and welfare dependence associated with the rise in single-parent families.
Not all non-marital births are to teen-agers. In fact, 70 percent of all births outside marriage are to women over age 20. For this reason, some argue that a focus on teens fails to address the real problem and that much more attention needs to be given to preventing childbearing, or raising marriage rates, among single women who have already entered their adult years.
But there are at least four reasons to focus on teens:
First, although a large proportion of non-marital births is to adult women, half of first non-marital births are to teens. Thus, the pattern tends to start in the teenage years, and, once teens have had a first child outside marriage, many go on to have additional children out of wedlock at an older age. A number of programs aimed at preventing subsequent births to teen mothers have been launched but few have had much success. So, if we want to prevent out-of-wedlock childbearing and the growth of single-parent families, the teenage years are a good place to start
How To Get An Abortion
Abortions can only be carried out under the care of an NHS hospital or a licensed clinic, and are usually available free of charge on the NHS.
There are 3 main ways to get an abortion on the NHS:
- you can self-refer by contacting an abortion provider directly the British Pregnancy Advisory Service , MSI Reproductive Choices UK, the National Unplanned Pregnancy Advisory Service or your local NHS sexual health website can tell you about eligibility and services in your area
- speak to a GP and ask for a referral to an abortion service the GP should refer you to another doctor if he or she has any objections to abortion
- contact asexual health clinic clinics) and ask for a referral to an abortion service
Waiting times can vary, but you should not have to wait more than 2 weeks from when you first contact an abortion provider to having an abortion.
You can also pay for an abortion privately if you prefer. Costs for private abortions vary depending on the stage of pregnancy and the method used to carry out the procedure.
My Pregnancy Wasn’t Planned And I’m Worried About Telling My Partner
Its important to understand how you feel about the pregnancy first. It may help you to talk to a close friend or a nurse at your family planning clinic or GP.
It may be best to tell your partner early on, rather than putting it off. Finding out you are pregnant for the first time can be isolating if you are keeping it a secret. This can lead to anxiety and extra stress.
Bear in mind that their first reaction might not show their true feelings. Like you, they may be in shock need time to get used to the idea of a baby. Give them some time to think about the news.
There are some other things you might like to think about when youre telling your partner:
- Think about the best time of day when you will both be calm and in a good head space.
- If youre worried about their reaction, ask someone you trust to be with you when you tell them.
- If you think you might not get emotional support from your partner during the pregnancy, let your midwife know. You can talk to them about how you feel and they can help you think about your support network.
If you have any concerns about how your partner will react to the news, especially if you feel they may be abusive, its important to ask for support.
Remember that anything you say to your midwife or doctor is in confidence. That means they can’t tell anyone else without your permission.
You can also contact Womens Aid 24-hour domestic violence helpline on 0808 2000 247. They will give you confidential advice and support.
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What Is The Current Legal Position On Home Use
Scotland was the first part of the UK to introduce home use in October 2017. The Scottish decision was the subject of an unsuccessful legal challenge in SPUC Pro-Life Scotland Ltd v Scottish Ministers. The substance of the challenge was that classifying a home as a place where a termination could be carried out was not a permissible understanding of the Abortion Act 1967, and that allowing women to take misoprostol at home ran afoul of the requirement in the Abortion Act 1967 that abortion be carried out by a medical practitioner. The court held that the extension of places where terminations could be carried out to homes was a reasonable and rational one, and that while doctors are ultimately responsible for the regime of care administered to a woman seeking a termination, there was no requirement for a doctor to be physically present throughout the treatment. The court considered that patients who self-administer medication at home, e.g. diabetics self-administering insulin, are still fairly considered to be under the treatment of their doctor.
In June 2018 the Welsh Health Secretary, Vaughan Gething announced that his department had communicated approval to Welsh health boards for the home use of misoprostol. In August 2018 the Health Secretary of England, Matt Hancock, announced that his department would be following suit and planned to implement home use of misoprostol by the end of 2018.
What Are The Different Types Of Abortion
What are you different forms of abortion?
There are two kinds of abortion the abortion pill and in-clinic abortion. Medication abortion consists of using two different medicines called mifepristone and misoprostol to end a pregnancy. This medicine causes cramping and bleeding to empty your uterus. Its kind of like having a very heavy and crampy period, and the process is very similar to an early miscarriage.
In most states, the abortion pill can only be taken up to 10 weeks after the first day of your last period. If youre past 10 weeks, you can still get an in-clinic abortion. Your doctor or nurse will give you detailed directions about where, when, and how to take the medicines. You may also get some antibiotics to prevent infection.
In-clinic abortion is a medical procedure. It works by using suction to empty your uterus. How late you can get an abortion depends on the laws in your state and what doctor, abortion clinic, or Planned Parenthood health center you go to. It may be harder to find a doctor or nurse who will do an abortion after the 12th week of pregnancy, so its best to try to have your abortion as soon as possible.
You can make an appointment for a safe and legal abortion at one of our health centers.
Tags:abortion pill, in-clinic abortion, Abortion
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How Early Can You Terminate A Pregnancy
If youre pregnant and you dont want to be then you might be wondering how quickly you can get an abortion. You should be able to have a termination as soon as you notice youre pregnant, around the time you miss your first period. If you find out later, you may be faced with a different issue as there are also time limits on how late you can have an abortion.
How Is a Pregnancy Dated?
We usually date a pregnancy by when you had your last period, even though this isnt when you actually got pregnant. Its just easier to tell when your period started than it is to know when you ovulated. The first day of your last period is considered day 1 of the pregnancy. Depending on the length of your cycle, ovulation usually happens about two weeks later. Your next period will be due a couple of weeks after that.
First Signs of Pregnancy
The most obvious sign that you might be pregnant is that youve missed a period. As you can see from the dating information, you are considered about 4 weeks pregnant by the time you miss a period. However, you will only actually have conceived about two weeks before your period was due.
You might have noticed some other changes in your body such as nausea, fatigue, or your breasts feeling tender. Some early pregnancy symptoms like mood swings and headaches can actually be easy to confuse with pre-menstrual symptoms and you could also have some bleeding or cramping too. You might not even realise youve missed a period.
What Happens During A Medication Abortion
The abortion pill process has several steps and includes two different medicines.
First, you take a pill called mifepristone. This medicine stops the pregnancy from growing. Some people feel nauseous or start bleeding after taking mifepristone, but its not common. Your doctor or nurse may also give you antibiotics to take to prevent infection.
The second medicine is called misoprostol. Youll either take the misoprostol right away, or up to 48 hours after you take the first pill your doctor or nurse will let you know how and when to take it. This medicine causes cramping and bleeding to empty your uterus.
For most people, the cramping and bleeding usually starts 1-4 hours after taking the misoprostol. Its normal to see large blood clots or clumps of tissue when this is happening. Its kind of like having a really heavy, crampy period, and the process is very similar to an early miscarriage.
The cramping and bleeding can last for several hours. Most people finish passing the pregnancy tissue in 4-5 hours, but it may take longer. The cramping and bleeding slows down after the pregnancy tissue comes out. You may have cramping on and off for 1 or 2 more days.
You can take pain medicine like ibuprofen about 30 minutes before you take the second medicine, misoprostol, to help with cramps. You can also take anti-nausea medicine if your doctor or nurse gives it to you. Dont take aspirin, because it can make you bleed more.
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Can You Stop A Miscarriage Once Its Started
In most cases, you cannot stop a miscarriage once it has started, no matter the trimester you are currently in. The symptoms of a miscarriage typically indicate the pregnancy is already over.
In some cases, the symptoms may be a sign of a condition called threatened miscarriage. This can occurs in people who are less than 20 weeks pregnant. You may experience heavy bleeding and assume your pregnancy is ending.
However, if a fetal heartbeat is still present, the pregnancy can continue, despite what appears to be signs of an impending miscarriage. Its important, however, that you work with your doctor to help prevent a full miscarriage.
Treatment for a threatened miscarriage includes:
- bed rest
There is no shortage of misunderstandings and myths about the unexpected end of a pregnancy. Here, learn more about several common miscarriage misconceptions and the truth behind them.
Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs
Governments across the world also take initiatives to control teenage pregnancy through different programs. Some effective programs are:
Teens play an important role in society. Their health and well-being can have an impact on the country. Therefore, communities and families must get together to devise effective ways of tackling teen pregnancies, else they disrupt their education, career, and family. Support and awareness programs help prevent the rates of teen pregnancy to a great extent.
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What Happens During A Medical Abortion
Medical abortion involves taking medication orally or through the vagina. It does not require anesthesia or surgery. It works by using a combination of two drugs that, when used together, induce an abortion. Mifepristone works by blocking progesterone. Without progesterone, the uterine lining will thin, and the embryo will not stay attached. When misoprostol is taken, it causes the uterus to contract, bleed and expel the embryo.
The most common medical abortions are:
- Mifepristone and misoprostol : You will take mifepristone with your healthcare provider or once you are home. Then, you will take misoprostol 24 to 48 hours later at home.
- Mifepristone and misoprostol : This is the same medication, except the misoprostol is taken through the vagina or dissolved in the cheek or under the tongue. It is also taken within 24 to 48 hours of the first medication.
The most severe side effects from a medical abortion start shortly after taking the second pill. After both doses of medication have been taken you can expect the following to occur:
- Bleeding and cramping that starts between one and four hours after taking the second pill.
- Heavy bleeding with blood clots for the next several hours.
- Heavy cramping for several hours.
- A low fever or chills that last about a day after taking the second pill. Others report feeling tired, nauseas and dizzy, and having diarrhea.
Ways To Terminate A Pregnancy Safely
There are a lot of ways how to terminate a pregnancy, and these ways often depend on how far along in your pregnancy you are.
- Morning After Pill. One of these things that are used for the termination of early pregnancy is one that you use the morning after you had sex and may think that you conceived. Termination of early pregnancy in this stage can be done with the use of what is called a morning after pill. This pill basically flushes out the fertilized egg cell before it can anchor itself and become a fetus. While called a morning after pill, this can be taken up to three days after you had sex.
- Abortion Pill. While called an abortion pill, how to terminate early pregnancy with this method is actually done with the use of a couple of pills used in conjunction with each other. This can be taken during the first nine weeks of pregnancy. This consists of mifepristone and misoprostol taken together. Called RU-486, this pill often flushes out the fetus in a matter of hours after ingestion.
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Watch Out For Threatened Miscarriages
Vaginal bleeding during early pregnancies , can be a symptom of a threatened miscarriage. Other symptoms include pain in the lower back and abdominal cramping.
When a miscarriage actually happens, you may experience a dull or sharp pain in the lower back or abdomen as well. Also, you may discharge clot-like tissue from your vagina.
If you suspect that you may have a threatened miscarriage, seek a medical professional immediately.
Why Is A Medical Abortion Performed
Having a medical abortion is a highly personal decision based on your own circumstances. Women may choose medical abortions because of the risk of a congenital or inherited disease, to end an unwanted pregnancy or to complete an early miscarriage. It can also be an option for women with health complications where carrying the pregnancy could be life-threatening.
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Have Sex During Your Safe Period
This method provides an added layer of precaution if you already have some kind of protection in place. You can avoid the ovulation days, which usually occur two weeks before the period. A good way to go about it is to consult a fertility expert to track your ovulation days and schedule your intercourse accordingly.
Questions To Ask Your Doctor
- Which type of abortion is best for me?
- What will I experience during the abortion?
- Will I be given any anesthesia for a surgical abortion?
- How heavy will my bleeding be?
- How long will bleeding last?
- What are my options if a medical abortion doesnt work?
- Should I talk to a counselor before or after the procedure?
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Why Do People Choose The Abortion Pill
Which kind of abortion you choose all depends on your personal preference and situation. With medication abortion, some people like that you dont need to have a procedure in a doctors office. You can have your medication abortion at home or in another comfortable place that you choose. You get to decide who you want to be with during your abortion, or you can go it alone. Because medication abortion is similar to a miscarriage, many people feel like its more natural and less invasive.
Your doctor, nurse, or health center staff can help you decide which kind of abortion is best for you.
Monitor The Influence Of Media
In the US, one in three television programs emphasizes sexual behavior. Research shows that watching television programs depicting sexual behavior causes teens to indulge in non-marital sexual activity from an early age .
How to help:
- Monitor the type of content children watch, read, or listen.
- Discuss what they are learning from these programs .
- In developed countries, including France, the Netherlands, and Germany, teenage pregnancies are much lower than in the US because they promote low-risk sexual activities through national media campaigns .
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