My 18 year old friend just had a baby. I know it’s not exactly a new trend but it just seems like more and more young women around me are getting pregnant. It bothers me that girls are having unprotected sex without considering the consequences of their actions. Not only are they risking the chance of having an unplanned pregnancy, but also the possibility of contracting an STI. Personally, I don’t think that it’s worth it. Don’t get me wrong, life is a beautiful thing, but I think having a baby should be planned at a time in a woman’s life when she is well situated and is sure that her baby will be well taken care of.

My parents had my sisters and me at a very young age. In fact, when my mother was only 21 years old, she had three young children to support. I am convinced that this has had a huge impact on my life and my sibling’s lives and childhood. Watching my mom struggle to support us as a single mom has helped us understand the importance of abstinence. To this day my parents tell us that if they could change one thing in their lives, they would have waited longer to have kids. Having a child before you’re ready doesn’t only affect your life, it also affects your child’s life. It’s hard to raise a child when you’re young because in many ways you’re still a child yourself.

Although abstinence is the most effective way to prevent unplanned pregnancies and STI’s, I’m aware that many young women are sexually active. So, if you’re sexually active and you don’t want to get pregnant, talk to your health care provider about the best birth control method for you. Remember, only condoms protect against most STI’s.

-Kerrin