In today's society, teen mothers are very common. MTV has two television programs that follow the lives of young mothers and document their first trimester. They show these girls under the influence, arrested and not taking care of their children. Even though this is a reality TV show, there is a lot of truth in what these mothers are doing. Teen pregnancy is a controversial issue due to negative stereotypes, the health of teen mothers, and the health risks they subject their babies to. Although the rate of teen pregnancy in the United States has decreased significantly in recent years; it's still a huge problem that needs to be addressed. In the 1990s, rates are even higher than just a period ago.” The U.S. teen birth rate beats most other industrialized nations, even though American teens are no more sexually active than those in Canada or Europe” (Gormly 348). The latest statistics regarding the birth rate among teenagers are frightening. Approximately 560,000 teenage girls give birth each year. Eight out of ten of these births are the result of unwanted pregnancies. Teens who become sexually active at an earlier age are at greater risk, especially because they are less likely to use contraceptive methods. “African American and Hispanic adolescents are twice as likely to give birth as white adolescents. Teens who come from disadvantaged neighborhoods and attend segregated schools are at greater risk of pregnancy” (Calhoun 309). Schools need to start programs that encourage abstinence and show the consequences of being sexually active. "They are not taught the importance of abstaining from sex nor, at the very least, the correct use of... half of paper... ssip. Np, nd Web. May 15, 2014."HowStuffWorks "Pregnancy Complications in teen mothers."" HowStuffWorks. nd Web. May 15, 2014."Jenelle Evans. "Teen Pregnancy Statistics." - Teenage pregnancy. Np, nd Web. 8 May 2014. "Facts on teenage pregnancy". Pulcini in crisis, 8 May 2014. "Navigating teenage pregnancy". for health: protect yourself and your baby." RSS 20. Np, nd Web. 7 May 2014. "Guide to teenage pregnancy". 07 May 2014