Teen Pregnancies: Has Media Aided or Unassisted

With the  influence from pop icons such as The Jonas Brothers and even Lady Gaga,  messages have been sent in favor of taking pride in virginity.

The  Jonas Brothers had their devoted fans idolizing the idea of wearing  celibacy rings. Lady Gaga at one point said that it’s okay not to have  sex and to get to know people instead. “I’m celibate, celibacy’s fine,”  she said while in England promoting MAC’s Viva Glad Campaign.

So has being a virgin actually been praised?

Clearly  it hasn’t with all the couples featured on MTV’s “Teen Mom” and “16 and  Pregnant”. If anything, teenage sex and pregnancies seem to be adored.

Surprisingly,  since MTV’s shows have caused teen pregnancy to become the topic of  national conversation, the rate of teen pregnancy has lowered. The  Center for Disease Control and Preventions has actually recorded that  teen pregnancy in the U.S. has declined to record low.

As of  2009, around 410,000 girls between the ages of 15-19 gave birth,  bringing about a live birth rate of 39.1 per 1,000 women in the age  group. A percentage which is 37 percent less than what it was in 1991.

Has media helped this natural crisis? It would seem that it has.

Whether  teens have stopped having sex, which I highly doubt, or have become  more reliant on contraceptives, the fact remains that teen pregnancies  have declined.  With much respect aimed towards media, for aiding the  cause.