Current Issues

Why Advocate for Family Planning and Adolescent Reproductive Health?

Planning For Pregnancy Results In Healthier Pregnancies, Healthier Infants And Happier, Healthier Families. Unplanned Pregnancy Has Negative Health, Economic and Social Impact on Individuals and Society.

Health Impact

• Women having unplanned pregnancies get no pre-conception care, leading to inadequate folic acid, poor diet, and fetal exposure to alcohol, tobacco, drugs
• Major birth defects occur very early, before women not planning pregnancy know they are pregnant
• Women who have not planned a pregnancy are more likely to seek prenatal care late in pregnancy (third trimester) or not at all
• Babies born to women who have no or late prenatal care are more likely to suffer from lower birth weight, serious health complications, and developmental delays and disabilities.

Economic Impact

• Every $1 spent on subsidized family planning saves $3 in Medicaid prenatal and birth costs in the first year alone
• 80% of teen moms will receive government assistance before their child reaches age 10.
• In Hennepin County, while only 17% of all families begin with a teen birth, 55% of all Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) families began with a teen birth: $27 million each month

Social Impact

• Teen pregnancy is the greatest predictor of life-long poverty.
• Only one-third of teen moms finish high school
• Unplanned babies are more likely to suffer neglect, abandonment and abuse.
• Unplanned pregnancies are associated with higher rates of maternal depression, divorce, absent fathers.
• Roughly one third of all unplanned pregnancies end in abortion.

Minnesota's Minor's Consent Law

Minnesota's Minor's Consent law (§ 144.343) allows teens to seek the following medical services without parental consent:

• emergency medical care
• inpatient mental health care
• drug or alcohol abuse evaluation and treatment
• sexually transmitted infections testing and treatment
• contraceptive care
• pregnancy-related care

FACTS:

Three of the most widely accepted guidelines for the health care of adolescents and young adults support minor's access to confidential health care:

• Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents by the Department of Health and Human Services
• Guidelines for Adolescent Preventive Services by the American Medical Association; and Primary
• Preventive Health Care for Female Adolescents by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)

Parents are informed whenever other serious health issues are discovered. The law requires parental involvement if maintaining confidentiality would jeopardize the minor's health, or if health concerns beyond the strictly limited confidential issues are discovered during a medical visit. A minor cannot receive an abortion without notification of both parents, unless she petitions the court and receives a judicial waiver.

Minor's Consent opens a door for adolescents to obtain critical health care they otherwise would not seek. Often other mental and physical health issues are identified during the course of a teen's confidential visit to a clinic, including: eating disorders, depression, uncontrolled asthma, diabetes, severe acne, allergies, school problems, loneliness, relationship problems, urinary tract infections, ear infections, lack of dental care, chemical/alcohol abuse, violence in the home or elsewhere.

Minor Consent Law decreases unplanned teen pregnancies

• When 1 Illinois county began requiring parental consent for contraceptives at a public health clinic, the frequency of pregnancies and births among young women increased in that county compared with the surrounding counties (Zavodny, et al, American Journal of Public Health, 2004).
• Franzini and other researchers published an in-depth study (Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Dec 2004) that measures the potential economic and public health impact of recent legislation in Texas, in which minors cannot receive prescriptions for contraceptives without parental consent, and most adolescent sexual behavior is subject to mandatory reporting laws. They calculate that approximately an additional 8265 pregnancies, 5372 births, and 1654 abortions will occur, and estimate that the potential costs to the State of Texas associated with these consequences of confidentiality loss will be $43.6 million.

Parents are the primary educators of their children and parent-child communication is vital WSTC believes strongly in the importance of parental communication, connectivity, and engagement regarding adolescent sexual decision making. In fact, we provided 79 sessions to 2210 adults in 2004 on the topic "Parents as Sexuality Educators" at area churches, ECFE classes, Parent Fairs, and community education locations. Our Board of Directors has determined that, in 2005, increasing parental outreach and services to parents of teens will be a primary strategic goal. In education sessions in schools and the community, and in clinic exams and counseling, we encourage and teach adolescents to talk with their parents. However, it is also clearly vital that accessible, confidential reproductive health care be available, and that communication with parents be a proactive, positive message rather than a punitive one.

Research for this section was compiled from:

• The Statewide Organization for Family Planning (SAFPLAN)
• "Measuring Public Costs Associated With Loss of Confidentiality for Adolescents Seeking Confidential Reproductive Health Care: How High the Costs? How Heavy the Burden?", Editorial, Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Dec 2004

COMPREHENSIVE SEXUALITY EDUCATION

Substantial evidence of the effectiveness of comprehensive sex education has recently emerged. Comprehensive sex ed stresses abstinence and includes age-appropriate, medically accurate information about contraception and sexually transmitted infections. Comprehensive sex ed is developmentally appropriate, introducing information on relationships, decision-making, assertiveness, and skill building to resist social/peer pressure, depending on grade-level. WSTC supports comprehensive sexuality education, along with over 90% of parents of teens, the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, and many more national and statewide agencies (see www.siecus.org/policy/in_good_company.pdf. )

HUMAN SEXUALITY 

Human sexuality encompasses the sexual knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, values, and behaviors of individuals. Its various dimensions involve the anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry of the sexual response system; identity, orientation, roles, and personality; and thoughts, feelings, and relationships. Sexuality is influenced by ethical, spiritual, cultural, and moral concerns.

SEXUALITY EDUCATION

Sexuality education is a lifelong process that begins at birth. Parents, family, peers, partners, schools, religion, and the media influence the messages people receive about sexuality at all stages of life. These messages can be conflicting, incomplete, and inaccurate. At WSTC we believe that all people have the right to comprehensive sexuality education that addresses the biological, sociocultural, psychological, and spiritual dimensions of sexuality. Parents are--and ought to be--their children's primary sexuality educators, but they may need help and encouragement to fulfill this important role. Religious leaders, youth and community group leaders, and health and education professionals can complement and augment the sexuality education that takes place at home.

SCHOOL-BASED SEXUALITY EDUCATION

Comprehensive school-based sexuality education that is appropriate to students' age, developmental level, and cultural background should be an important part of the education program at every grade. A comprehensive sexuality program will respect the diversity of values and beliefs represented in the community and will complement and augment the sexuality education children receive from their families, religious and community groups, and health care professionals. Because child development involves sexuality, all pre-kindergarten through twelfth-grade teachers should receive at least one course in human sexuality.

www.mncn.org
Minnesota Counsel of Non-Profits

www.leg.state.mn.us
Minnesota State Legislature: Find your legislators, track a bill and get general information and schedules for the Minnesota Senate and house of Representatives

www.teenpregnancy.org
The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. Their web site has information on teen pregnancy and effective national prevention efforts.

www.agi-usa.org
The Alan Guttmacher Institute, a non - profit corporation for reproductive health research, policy analysis and public education. Their site has up-to-date information on teen pregnancy and sexual activity in the "Youth" section.

www.childtrends.org
Child Trends, Inc., a nonprofit research organization that studies children, youth and families. They have national statistics on teen pregnancy, including teen birth and abortion data from the past 25+ years.

www.advocatesforyouth.org
Advocates for Youth is a national organization dedicated to creating programs and advocating for policies that help young people make informed and responsible decisions about their reproductive and sexual health. Check out their 3R’s Campaign; Rights. Respect. Responsibility. ®

www.siecus.org
Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States is a national organization that affirms that sexuality is a fundamental part of being human, one that is worthy of dignity and respect. They advocate for the right of all people to accurate information, comprehensive education about sexuality, and sexual health services. SIECUS works to create a world that ensures social justice and sexual rights.

www.sexedforlife.org
Sexuality Education For Life Coalition focuses on 2 issues at the state legislature: comprehensive sexuality education for all students and the MN Minors Consent Law

www.SAFPlan.org
SAFPlan is a statewide coalition of health care professionals that advocates for reproductive health care access for all people in MN