Almost two thirds of adolescents are sexually active before completing secondary school (Berne 90). Many parents oppose the teaching of sex education and prefer their children to share their opinions and refrain from sex. For this reason, adolescents often have unprotected sex to avoid situations related to asking their parents for contraception such as contraceptives and condoms. Not using or having access to contraceptives increases the risk of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. According to studies sponsored by the Alan Guttmacher Institution, controlling adolescents' access to contraceptives fails to reduce sexual activity and increases the risks of pregnancy and transmission of sexual diseases (Rosenthal 144). Making sex education and contraceptives accessible to adolescent girls would reduce teen pregnancy rates, enable them to make informed decisions, and prevent health problems related to sexually transmitted diseases. Nearly 850,000 adolescent girls become pregnant each year, more than three-quarters of which are unintentional (Abstinence-Only 91). Although condom use is not restricted by age, only four states allow adolescent girls to access birth control without any restrictions. Other states have a minimum age requirement, a certain marital status, or a parent must be involved to purchase birth control. Effective use of contraceptives can reduce the risk of accidental pregnancy. Research by the Centers for Disease Control Prevention indicates that improved contraceptive use has cut the teen pregnancy rate in half (Abstinence-Only 95). Allowing adolescent girls access to contraceptives without restrictions could reduce the already declining number of unwanted pregnancies. Parents are often opposed...... middle of paper ......d. Emma Carlson Bern. Np: Greenhaven, 2007. 97-102. Print.Mundy, Liza. “Adolescents should have access to emergency contraception.” Teenage pregnancy. Ed. Emma Carlson Bern. Np: Greenhaven, 2007. 38-44. Print. National Association for Planned Parenthood and Reproductive Health. “Abstinence-only education does not reduce teen pregnancies.” Teenage pregnancy. Ed. Emma Carlson Bern. Np: Greenhaven, 2007. 89-96. Print.Pan, Richard. “Teenagers should not need parental permission to have an abortion.” Teenage pregnancy. Ed. Emma Carlson Bern. Np: Greenhaven, 2007. 58-62. Print. Williams, Tuala. “Teenagers should have access to birth control.” Birth control. Ed. Beth Rosenthal. Np: Greenhaven, 2009. 109-14. Print.Wind, Rebecca. “Teenagers should not need their parents’ permission to get birth control.” Birth control. Ed. Beth Rosenthal. Np: Greenhaven, 2009. 143-48. Print.