Business, Government Legal News from throughout WVResources Abundant for Pregnant Teens

Although several organizations, both for- and non-profit, offer an array of services to educate teens and prevent pregnancy, the teen birth rate continues to remain high.

West Virginia was the only state to see an increase in teen births from 2007 to 2009. But unprotected sex and lack of information, while a factor, are not the only reasons why, according to Kathy Szafran, chief executive officer of Crittenton Services in Wheeling.

"For the most part, teen pregnancy really is a symptom of a very multi-dimensional situation," Szafran said. "The young women who walk through our doors are the young women we would consider marginalized."

Szafran said the majority of teens who become pregnant find themselves in that situation because they lack support. She said the cycle of poverty, multi-generational teen births, the over-sexualization of young girls and substance abuse issues are just a few of the factors that contribute to teen births.

"When that's all that you really know and your family really knows, its an on-going cycle," Szafran said. "When you put into play all of the other issues regarding the over-sexualization of girls, the media's responsibility with emphasis on reality shows really putting girls in the position of questioning their value as sexual creatures — that all plays into why a girl is getting pregnant."

Kira Miskimmin, the West Virginia public affairs coordinator for Planned Parenthood, said her organization, like Crittenton, takes a community-wide approach in educating and providing resources to pregnant teens.

"Teen pregnancy is a complex issue," she said. "There are a lot of factors involved. We need to take a community wide approach. One of the things we need to do is make sure teens have affordable access to birth control."

Planned Parenthood is pushing one bill moving through the West Virginia Legislature that would require state insurance plans to extend contraception and prenatal care coverage to dependent minors if that care is available to adults. However, House Bill 4076 has been before the House Banking and Insurance Committee since it was introduced Jan. 15.

Miskimmin said Public Employees Insurance Agency does not extend contraception or prenatal care to dependents, and that lack of coverage is not always in the best interest of mother or child.

"That is such a huge gap," she said. "It's forcing teens to go outside of their continuum of care to seek prevention. If they're pregnant, it prevents starting prenatal care."

Despite gaps in insurance coverage, many agencies and programs are available for pregnant teens or teen moms. Crittenton offers a residency program, which currently houses more than 40 teen moms and their babies. In addition, the program also provides behavioral health counseling, substance abuse treatment and child care. Szafran said her organization uses those resources to take a more holistic approach in treatment and services.

"A part of it is the baby," she said. "It is a small part. Being able to manage all of the other issues that surround the young lady will make our outcomes better."

Both women agreed education is a large component of teen pregnancy prevention. However Szafran said most of the education focuses on young women, but young men can also benefit from more education.

"No one is talking about services to young males," she said. "For a lot of times, this should not be surprising. These girls are impregnated by adult males—not always peer males. That alone needs to also be addressed."

Planned Parenthood also offers information to teens before and during pregnancy. Miskimmin said each pregnant teen who seeks the agency's services.

"For the teens who come into our health center, education is a large part of their visit," she said.

Teens talk with a health care provider about health and family histories and discuss the right option for each situation. Miskimmin said that no matter what teens decide—to keep the baby, put the baby up for adoption or terminate the pregnancy—she will leave with information and a full list of providers to help her make the right choice.

"Each teen leaves with a list with referrals for whatever option they choose or are thinking about," she said.

In addition, Planned Parenthood also offers a women's health coordinator who provides teens with information regarding pregnancy prevention, testing and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases or infections and birth control options. Planned Parenthood also maintains a website that provides information about "the full range of reproductive health." She said the tool allows teens and their parents to access a series of pages tailored to the questions and topics they are curious about.

"Planned Parenthood places a strong emphasis on getting people the right information," Miskimmin said.

Szafran said her organization not only supports sex education in schools, but also teaching young women how to value themselves.

"I think a big issue would be access to birth control," she said. "But the other part of it is along with sex education is education about young women learning to value themselves, value their bodies, giving them opportunities beyond their vision of everyday. These young women need to know they can get an education, they can stay in school and they can have a support system that can come from the school or community to help them improve their own personal value."

For information about Crittenton Services, visit www.florencecrittenton.com. For information about Planned Parenthood, visit www.plannedparenthood.org.