For five years now, America's teen birth rate has plummeted at an unprecedented rate, falling faster and faster. Between 2007 and 2013, the number of babies born to teens annually fell by 38.4 percent, according to research firm Demographic Intelligence. This drop occurred in tandem with steep declines in the abortion rate. That suggests that the drop isn't the product of more teenagers terminating pregnancies. More simply, fewer girls are getting pregnant.Nobody is exactly sure why fewer girls are getting pregnant. Several theories are proposed and discussed at some length in the article. These include:
The recession theoryCOTTonLINE would like to propose three additional theories, and describe each briefly. Let's begin with the oral sex theory. This theory suggests more teens are engaging exclusively in oral sex, which results in fewer pregnancies.
The IUD theory
The sex ed theory
The 16 and Pregnant theory
The perfect storm theory (essentially, all of the above)
Second, there is the vanishing sex drive theory. First reported in Japan, and not understood there or elsewhere, it is a diminishing interest in sex with another person. Large percentages of Japanese young people express no interest in sex or romance with another human. Full-size sex dolls proliferate there.
Third, there is the social isolate theory. This suggests a large number of people spend their lives online at social media sites, or sexting/texting via smart phones, alone except for the electronic presence of others in their lives. Essentially unlimited free online pornography may meet these individuals' sexual needs.
