Monongalia County Health Department
  • HOME
  • SERVICES
  • NEWS
    • Press Releases
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • MCHD Blog >
      • blog highlights
    • Video Library
    • Health Statistics
    • Training Opportunities
    • Education and Training
    • Posters
  • Dentistry
    • SMILE Express >
      • Portable SMILE Express Location Contact Form
      • SMILE Express Location Contact Form
      • Smile Express Referral Partner
    • Dental Services
    • Make an Appointment
    • Patients >
      • Child First Visit
      • Adult First Visit
      • Payment Options
    • Our Team
    • Contact
    • MCHD Dentistry Blog
  • Environmental
    • Contact Environmental
    • Food
    • Food Safety Training
    • Septic & Wells
    • Housing & Institutions
    • Recreation
    • Pools
    • Tattoo & Body Piercing
    • Rabies Control
    • Clean Indoor Air
    • Radon
    • Disaster Sanitation
    • Tanning
    • Fee Schedule
    • Online Permit Renewal
    • About Environmental Health
  • Nursing
    • Reproductive Health >
      • Family Planning
      • Adolescent Health
    • STD and HIV >
      • Syphilis
    • Immunizations >
      • Travel Clinic
      • School Immunizations
    • Communicable Disease >
      • TB Program
      • Influenza
      • Pertussis
    • Diabetes
    • Providers
  • Preparedness
    • COVID-19
    • Testing & Vaccines
    • COVID-19 Links
    • COVID-19 FAQs
    • COVID-19 Guidance
    • Mon Co. COVID-19 Stats
    • COVID-19 Press Releases
    • Recent Events
  • WIC
    • WIC Services
    • WIC Eligibilty Guidelines
    • WIC News
    • Doddridge County WIC
    • Harrison County WIC
    • Marion County WIC
    • Monongalia County WIC
    • Preston County WIC
    • Taylor County WIC
    • Breastfeeding
  • About
    • Contact Us
    • Our Location
    • Board of Health >
      • BOH Meeting Agenda
    • Meeting Rooms
    • Job Opportunities
    • Notice of Privacy Practices
  • Mon Co. QRT
    • QRT Press Releases

Open dialogue and correct information can help prevent teen pregnancies

5/28/2019

 
Picture
 Open dialogue and correct information can help prevent teen pregnancies
By Taylor Shultz
West Virginia was among the top 10 states that had the highest birth rates of women ages 15-19 in 2017.  

Teen pregnancy rates have continued to decline through the years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the birth rate of mothers ages 15-19 was 18.8 per 1,000 women. This was a record low and a drop of 7 percent from 2016. Birth rates also fell among ages 15-17 as well as 18-19.

However, although the rates have been on a decline, they are still higher in the United States than in other industrialized nations. And they are higher in West Virginia than the national average.

National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month is important because these teens and their children can suffer financially and educationally. According to the CDC, only around 50 percent of teen mothers receive a high school diploma by the age of 22. Teen mothers also tend to have more health problems, face being incarcerated and can face unemployment as an adult.

Not only does pregnancy prevention help keep teens from becoming pregnant, it can also prevent sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). STD rates continue to increase every year. In 2017, chlamydia increased by 22 percent, gonorrhea rose 67 percent, and syphilis increased by 76 percent. Using condoms and being abstinent are the only ways to prevent an STD.

Abstinence is the choice not to have sex. This is the only way to completely prevent pregnancy and STDs. A condom is another way to prevent STDs and pregnancy, although they are not always completely effective. If you choose to have sex, using a condom and a form of hormonal birth control or IUD is the best way to stay protected.  

As a parent or guardian of a teenager, it is important for you to help your teens learn about their sexual health. According to the CDC, research shows that teens who talk with their parents about sexual health topics have more positive outcomes. They have sex at a later age, use condoms and birth control more often if they do have sex, have better communication with their romantic partners and have sex less often.

If you visit the CDC’s website, there are even links that provide you with tips to help you talk with your teen about sex, birth control, relationships, pregnancy and other related topics.

If you are a teen who is having sex or thinking about having sex, make sure you are informed. Remember, knowledge equals power and you can increase your knowledge with different resources. You can talk with your parents and health care providers. These people are there to help you figure all of this out.

When it comes to your sexual health, you are not alone. According to the CDC, many clinics provide free or low-cost counseling and other reproductive health services. By law, Title X family planning clinics, such as MCHD Clinical Services at Monongalia County Health Department, must offer private and confidential services for teens.

Also, if you turn to the internet with your questions, make sure you are using reliable websites like the CDC. This site has several links that provide great information and tips on different sexual health topics.

For free and low-cost birth control or pregnancy testing, call MCHD Clinical Services at (304) 598-5119.
Taylor Shultz is an intern in the public information office at Monongalia County Health Department.

Comments are closed.
    MCHD logo

    Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    April 2016

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Picture
Lee B. Smith, MD, JD
Health Officer
Monongalia County
Health Department

453 Van Voorhis Road
Morgantown, WV 26505
Hours M-F 8:30-4:30
(304) 598-5100


Home Page
MCHD Services
Public Health Nursing
Environmental Health
WIC Program
MCHD Dentistry
Threat Preparedness
Food Safety Training

Provider Information
Health Statistics

Contact Us
Location/Directions
Training Opportunities
Job Opportunities
Privacy Practices
Website Notices

Contact Us
Find us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter