National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month- May

Reported by Kathy Fitisone, Alliance Staff   Photo from: https://samoaglobalnews.com/new-orders-prohibit-pregnant-women-from-workplaces/
 
May is National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month.  It’s a month that focuses attention on engaging the health sector and service providers in continuing the dialogue and implementing prevention strategies that help promote the prevention of unplanned and often, unwanted pregnancies.  According to the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Program of the U.S. Department of Human & Health – Family & Youth Services Bureau the teen birth rate has declined by over 40% in the past decade compared to its highest recordings. (teenpregnancy.acf.hhs.gov) 
 
The 2017 American Samoa Statistical Yearbook also shows a decline in teen pregnancies with no recorded pregnancies of teens under 15 from 2014-2017; and a steady decline in the number of births to teens between 15-19 years old from 2014-2017.  It is important to note that of the 99 births in 2017 to teens in the 15-19 age group, 20% were delivering a 2nd child, and 9% were delivering a 3rd child.
 
While we see an overall decline in teen pregnancy, there is still much to talk about and much to focus on in order to empower our youth to make informed decisions.  These include focus on positive goal setting, the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, and focusing on building healthy relationships.
 
The following summarizes the 2022 themes that are being observed by the Office of Population Affairs this May that can be used by organizations, communities, and families to help promote and support adolescent health.
 

• Empower youth with sexual and reproductive health information and services.

Ensuring adolescent health requires equipping youth with the sexual and reproductive health information and services that they and their families need to make healthy decisions.  While the birth rate has dropped teen pregnancies still remain high among youth in foster care and homeless setting.  Nearly 50% of the 20 million STDs/STIs are attributed to the 15-24 year old age group.
 

• Support adolescent mental health and well-being.

Mental health is vital part of overall health!  Young people face a myriad of negative factors such as discrimination, violence, and social and economic inequality that affect their mental health and well-being.  Technology advances have led to an increase in anxiety and depression for many teens,  COVID-19 has compounded these issues with disruption to routines and learning.  Promoting and supporting mental health can help strengthen their resilience.
 

• Encourage physical health and healthy decision-making.

Encourage and assist with the formation of positive habits.  Allow them to take on more responsibility about their physical health including healthy food choices. Support teens with education and skills training on how to navigate the healthcare system.  These positive traits will help mold health behaviors into adulthood.
 

• Sustain equitable, accessible, youth-friendly services.

Healthcare providers should offer welcoming, youth-friendly care and create environments that maintain respect and confidentiality but encourage the involvement of parents and caregivers.
 
There is still so much we can do!  Get involved and use the month of May to promote the well-being of our youth and learn how empowerment of our youth can lead to continual decline in teen pregnancies and the catalyst for healthy teens and young adults.
 Citation:
 Administration for Children & Families, Get Creative for Teen Pregnancy Month May 4, 2022, (https: acg.hhs.gov)
American Samoa 2017 Statistical Yearbook, May 4, 2022, (https://purl.org/spc/digilib/doc/jg78z)
 Office of Population Affairs, National Adolescent Health Month Overview, May 4, 2022, (https://opa.hhs.gov/NAHM#srh)