Effects Of Restrictive Contraceptive Legislation On...

Effects of Restrictive Contraceptive Legislation on Unintentional Teenage Pregnancy Danielle Assibu-Gilmore Frontier Nursing University Abstract The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of restrictive contraceptive legislation on unintended teenage pregnancy. Teenage pregnancy has declined steadily over the past 40 years, however in the past decade the rate of pregnancy among adolescents is rising. Restrictive contraceptive legislation such as abstinence only education, mandatory waiting periods, parental notification laws, or Medicaid funding restrictions could all play a part in the increase of pregnancy in teenagers. One study found funding for abstinence-only education programs were linked to increased birth rates among black and white adolescents (Yang Gaydos, 2010). Another study found restrictive contraceptive legislation resulted in higher unintended pregnancy rates among adolescents. The implication of this review is state and federal policies should focus on improving education regarding contraception use and forming policies which improve access to abortion. Keywords: teenage pregnancy, unintended pregnancy, contraception legislation Effects of Restrictive Contraceptive Legislation on Unintentional Teenage Pregnancy Legislation dictates the degree of access teenagers have to contraception and in the event of pregnancy, termination services. It is therefore important to understand the impact of legislation on the occurrence of unintended