The rate of abortion among teenagers of between 15 years old and 19 years old has been declined. The decline of teenage abortion between 1990 and 2008 has been statistically shown to be about 56 percent. According to a study carried out by Child Trends Data Bank, the decline in the rates of abortion has been common for both younger and older teens (Child Trends DATA BANK, 1). In the American society, about one quarter of all teen pregnancies are ended through abortion. The research carried out by Child Trends Data Bank thus found out that teens resort to abortion because of several reasons which include peer influence, intentions to further education, issues of self-esteem, and pressure from societal factors. This paper is going to focus on the causes that are rooted in the teen abortion in the American society.

Background Information

Abortion refers a deliberate act of terminating of a human pregnancy, which is normally undertaken within the initial 28 weeks of a pregnancy. According to a research carried out by Gutmacher Institute, 18 % of the women that obtain abortions in the U.S. are teenagers. The research further indicated that more than half of all abortions in United States are done by young women of around 20 years of age (Guttmacher Institute, 1).

According to American government records, an increase of teenage abortion was experienced during the 1970s (Luscombe, 1). It however stabilized in the years of 1980s at around the rate of 43 females per 1,000 females between the ages of 15 years old and 19 years old. A decline was then experienced to a rate of about 18 females per every 1,000 females by the year 2008. Though great declines have been experienced in the case of older teenagers, there has been a general decline even for the younger teens.

In the case of the different ethical\ETHNIC communities in the U.S population, rates for black, white, and Hispanic women have shown a substantial fall since the 1990s. However, for the case of Hispanic women, the decline started at a later time which was round 1993. In the case of white teens, the rates of abortion have decreased by about 68 percent. The second highest decrease in abortion rates is the case of the Hispanic teens, which is about 52 percent. In the case of black teens, the abortion rate has fallen by about 49 percent. The above decreases in rates are relative to the times when abortion rates were at their peaks (Kelleher, 1).

The decrease in the rates of teenage abortion has been attributed by the decline in the teenage pregnancy, with around 1985 being the year when teenage pregnancies were at its peak in the American society, with about 41 percent. The trends have however been on a decline with a rate of 26 percent of teen pregnancies ending in abortion.

In terms of age difference, the rates of abortion for older teens are higher than the abortion rate for younger teens. In this connect, younger teens are teens of15 years and below and their rate of teen abortion was about 0.6 per every 1,000. On the other hand, teens whose ages range between 15 and 17 years reported a rate of 10.4 per every 1,000. For older teens whose ages range between 18 and 19 years old, the abortion rate was 28.6 per every 1,000 teens. However, though the data indicated that older teens had higher abortion rates than the younger teens, the proportion of teenage pregnancies that were likely to be aborted was twice as high in the case of younger teens as compared to older teens.

Causes of Teen Abortion

There are several reasons as to why teens decide on undertaking abortions. These causes of teenage abortion are greatly influenced by peer group behavior and influence, teen’s socioeconomic status, access to services involved in family planning, educational level, and religious beliefs. In addition to fear for loss of self-esteem due to teenage pregnancy, the urge to continue further education, and the pressure from members of society.

Peer Influence

The first cause of teenage abortion is peer pressure. Teens are affected by peer pressure because of the notion that allows teen to be accepted in certain groups. All teens feel peer pressure to have sex even in their younger ages to allow them fit in their friend’s groups. Teen involvement in sexual activities is largely influenced by peer pressure. However, the susceptibility of the effect of peer pressure is different for different teens. Some teens are more susceptible to peer pressure than others. The most susceptible teens who are socially isolated in society. Thus increasing the chances of an unwanted pregnancy, which may end by abortion.

Self-esteem

Teenage pregnancy is associated with immorality in the America community. Teenage pregnancy is thus with shame. In the case of an occurrence of an unwanted teen pregnancy. Teens prefer an abortion as opposed to being known and seen by the general public for being pregnant. Teenage pregnancy could act as a teenage girl’s immorality. Furthermore, high school girls that manage to keep their children are subject to pity and gossip among other students in school. It is clear that there are self-esteem issues that are associated with teenage pregnancy in the American society.

Pregnant teens are faced with feelings of depression, shame, denial, guilt, and anger as in the following case involving a pregnant teen "I think I cried every night of my pregnancy. I felt a roller coaster of emotions: happy, excited, anxious, scared, betrayed, angry, confused, and then alone. I think the emptiness I felt at the end was the worst feeling of all. No one to share this 'beautiful' time of my life with—no friends, no supporting family, no boyfriend. For nine months the only person I had to talk to was the unborn child in my growing belly” (Wirkus, 5). Negative self-esteem is associated with future employment and financial problems. Teens are also faced with challenges of facing friends, family members, and parents on the issue of pregnancy (Lowen, 1). All these issues are likely to cause the withdrawal of the pregnant teen from the society. A teen would thus prefer an abortion as a way of keeping and maintaining self esteem.

Continuation with Education

Having the relevant education is a factor that determines the future life of an individual in the United States Society. This aspect of education thus has effect on abortion choices among American teens. Teens prefer abortion so as to get the chance to continue with education. For teens who have worries that they may be negatively affected if they drop out of school, the decision on whether or not to undertake and abortion largely controlled by educational ambitions (Wirkus, 5). This is because giving birth to their children has high chances of terminating of their educational aspirations and plans.

The disruption of educational plans and aspirations is associated with limiting of the teen’s better future lives and cuts away the potential of a better life (Lowen, 1). The risk of a teen living a future life full of suffering and raising of a child in poverty situations. On the other hand, teens who decide to undertake abortion may end up being successful in their education and probably end up forming families of higher socioeconomic status.

Societal pressure.

In the United States society and the Western society as a whole, there are many societal pressures that may have an influence on the decision made an individual. If an individual chooses the wrong decision, then one is likely to face severe punishment, criticism, or rejection from the other members of society. Teenage pregnancy falls in such kind of decisions in the society. This is based on the fact that people may look at a teenage pregnancy as an act that is deviant from the values and norms of the society thus considered as a breakage to the norms of the society.

The other societal reaction that are associated with teen pregnancy include conflicts with loved ones such as the parents and relatives, which results from hurt, anger, disapproval, which may result in emotional distress. Unplanned teen pregnancies are associated with impulsive decision making, which is based on the effects from society, parents, school, and peers. These aspects of the society influence the teens’ decisions to indulge in abortion as it enables the teen to avoid such pressures from the family members and the entire society.

Conclusion

In conclusion, teenage abortion among the American teens has been on the decline since 1980s. This has been attributed to the reduction in the pregnancy rates. Overall, the black teens have higher rates of pregnancies, and abortion, followed by Hispanic teens, and the least rates of pregnancies and abortion are encountered among white teens. Furthermore, older teens of the ages between 17 and 19 wages have higher abortion rates than younger teens of between 15 and 17 years old. There are several factors that are associated with the teen’s decision to have an abortion. These include peer group behavior, teen’s socioeconomic status, and access to services involved in family planning, educational level, and religious beliefs. The major causes of teenage abortions among the teens in the American society include peer pressures, influences of the society, the quest for furthering education and self-esteem.

Worked cited

Belinda, Luscombe. “New Data: Teen Pregnancy, Abortion on the Rise.” time.com. Jan. 26, 2010. Retrieved from: < http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1956645,00.html >

Child Trends DATA BANK. Teen Abortions. 2013. Retrieved from: http://www.childtrends.org/?indicators=teen-abortions

GUTTMACHER INSTITUTE. Facts on Induced Abortion in the United States. October 2013. Retrieved from: http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_induced_abortion.html/

James B. Kelleher, Editing by Cynthia Johnston. “Teen pregnancy, abortion rates at record low, study says.” reuters.com. Feb 8, 2012. Retrieved from: < http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/08/us-teen-pregnancy- idUSTRE8171J020120208>.

Linda, Lowen. “Why Teens Choose Abortion: How Parental Involvement, Abortion Access, Educational Aspirations Play a Role.” about.com. May 27, 2009. Retrieved from: http://womensissues.about.com/od/teenpregnancy/a/TeenAbortReasons.htm

Wirkus, Julie. Teen Pregnancy. 2009. Retrieved from: http://www.cedu.niu.edu/~shumow/iit/Teenage%20Pregnancy.pdf