Teen pregnancy has become one of the most derogative statistics in Ohio. In 1999, the number of births in Ohio total 5,000 births to girls between the ages of 15-19. Among those girls African Americans rate the highest from their White, Hispanic, Native and Asian Pacific Islanders. When viewing the lifestyle of young adolescent females it becomes easy to see what kind of relationship they allow themselves to establish with their male peers. While making these choices the values, norms and ethical reasoning's learned from peers and society are now being questioned. This statement becomes more evident because past and present statistics prove that the majority of these women fall into strong sexual interaction, drug usage and abusive relationships. Based on the Final Report given by the Ohio's Governor's Task Force named "Creating Opportunity From Crisis- summarizes the recommendations and activities of the Task Force on Adolescent Sexuality and Pregnancy. This report on Teen Pregnancy is a way to minimize adolescent pregnancy problems, while increasing prevention tactics within the community by developing more services that will specifically aid the clients based on need. Teenage pregnancy have become known in Ohio as a "Crisis Situation- every since the 1980's, according to the Task Force Summary.
According to R. T. mercer there are three ranges based on age groups that adolescent females experience before becoming an adult. Within each range they experience different psychological, emotional, environmental and physical affects. This is viewed to determine how the female will develop and what kind of lifestyle that female will establish; it has been known to either makes them or break them in the future. The stages are Early is 12-14, Middle 15-16 and Late 17-19. He mentions six events in life that will take place. 1) Adolescents will search for acceptance and comfort with their personal body image, how do they look and are they ok with it.
