It’s a situation no teenage girl wants to be faced with, but thanks to a new resource launched today by Marie Stopes International, telling your parents that you are pregnant has become that little bit less daunting.
Launched to coincide with the end of Schoolies, the Telling someone…..I’m pregnant! information sheet aims to help teens break the news to those that play a significant role in their life.
“Thousands of teens have been partying hard over the last few weeks, but unfortunately a number of those have also been partying unsafely,” said Jill Michelson, National Clinical Adviser for Marie Stopes International.
“We have traditionally seen an increase in the number of people needing advice for unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections reported in the weeks following the Schoolies vacation.
“It is therefore vital that teenage girls have access to information to help them through what can be a time of great uncertainty and confusion.”
The Telling someone…I’m pregnant! resource includes ideas on who to talk to first, what to say and how to deal with the reaction. Contact details on where to go for more help and information are also listed.
Marie Stopes International developed the resource following research which found that half of all teenagers (51%) say they either don’t talk about personal issues with their parents or don’t fully confide in their parents on some personal issues.[1]
Based on the responses of the 1,000 teenagers and their parents who took part in the national research, the findings also showed that approximately 1 in 10 teens (9%) considered their parents unapproachable on the topic of sex.
“To best support our teens, open communication and a solid sex education offering is vital - yet feedback from both teenagers and their parents indicate that this is lacking in many cases,” said Ms Michelson.
“Teenage pregnancy is a key health issue that affects many Australian teens and it is time that they received the help and support they need and deserve.”
The Telling someone…..I’m pregnant! information sheet can be downloaded from the Marie Stopes International website – www.mariestopes.com.au. (ends)
About Marie Stopes International: Marie Stopes International is a not-for-profit sexual and reproductive healthcare provider, with centres in the ACT, Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia. The organisation offers a range of services, including abortion, vasectomy, sexually transmitted infection check-ups and contraception. Surplus proceeds from Australian activities support the work of the Marie Stopes International Partnership, which delivers sexual and reproductive health services to over four million people in 38 countries worldwide.
For media enquiries, contact Kath Markov on 0421 097 150 0421 097 150
[1]Sex – telling it like it is: a parent and teen insight, Marie Stopes International/ Quantum Market Research, November 2008. Available for download from www.mariestopes.com.au
