Adolescent pregnancy [letter]

Dr. Litts three proposed interventions to decrease adolescent pregnancy have been tried and failed. Her first proposal suggests that adolescents delay sexual experimentation until they have the "psychosocial maturity" to protect themselves. Even adults often lack the desired level of maturity to protect themselves as evidenced by two recent studies: among stable heterosexual relationships in which one partner was HIV positive and both partners were informed of the risks only half the couples used condoms reliably. Adolescents often do not know whether their partners are HIV positive and they are prone to taking risks. Litts second proposal is for counseling adolescents about pregnancy and disease prevention before they begin having sex; such counseling should include information about high contraceptive failure rates among first-year users the lack of disease protection afforded by contraceptives and that women are at higher risk than men. Litts third proposal is to give adolescents greater access to school-based and family planning clinics. According to studies in St. Paul Minnesota and Philadelphia Pennsylvania increased resources to such clinics has not lowered adolescent birth rates. New approaches to sexuality education are needed. The curricula should be abstinence-oriented and emphasize character development. Parents should be urged and helped to participate. The program should identify what is wrong with the way the mass media portrays irresponsible sex and does not portray its consequences.