Dear Madam or Mr. President,

There are 1 million teenagers in America that become pregnant each year. Of those, 78% are unintended. Teen abortion is a very important topic that affects many teenagers around the world and is life changing to the entire population of the United States. My name is Carol David and I’m an eighth grader in massachusetts. I want young opinions and voices such as mine to be heard when talking about abortion because this is an issue that affects my age group, yet our voices are not considered when this topic is brought up. I believe that young teens should be allowed to enjoy their youth to the fullest and to live all parts of their life without having to end one short. Being a teen is one of the most important parts of your life because it is a learning period, a time where you make mistakes. Being a teen teaches you, and prepares you for the real world, and that is something that everyone should have a chance to experience.

Only 50% of teen mothers receive a high school diploma by the age of 22, versus approximately 90% of women who had not given birth during adolescence (Choices Pregnancy Care Center). Many teenagers around the world quit school after getting pregnant since it is a lot of work and pressure. They miss a huge part of their education which will probably affect them for the rest of their lives. In addition, many young girls are left alone to take care of the child when the husband/boyfriend does not take responsability. This often causes financial and emotional problems. As these people grow, they will often be looked down to, shamed or bullied. Lastly, many teenagers are raped and become pregnant, most of these girls do not have the choice of abortion. They will often do it illegally and their health may be risked due to unprofessional conditions.

Lastly, teen bodies are not made to have children at such a young age. Giving birth as a teen often has many complications, and can result in serious problems for both the mom and the child. Roe v. Wade (1973) ruled unconstitutional a state law that banned abortions except to save the life of the mother. Even though this law is very helpful, often times there may be complications that are not deadly.

Dear President, I believe that a teen should be allowed to abort based on her current conditions. If she is not for some reason able to take care of the baby or her health may be risked, she should be able to abort so that she can carry a regular life. If there are no complications and the teen cannot support the baby, I believe she should be given a scholarship to continue her studies. I hope that you, as the next president can take more time to deal with this issue and think of all the young teens involved in this very complicated situation.