Birth Control for Teen-Agers

Catherine O’Neill (“Teen Sex: The Case for Norplant,” Commentary, May 5) is right on with her suggestion of serious birth control as a solution to the very serious problem of teen pregnancy. I, too, come from the background in which premarital sex was off limits; but let’s face it, unfortunately that is no longer a viable reality. Popular culture endorses, indeed, promotes sex as the major adult recreational activity. Children receive this message from TV in everything from soaps to “family” sitcoms and commercials, as well as from movies and print media. Of course we should still try to teach abstinence; but meanwhile we must curb the epidemic of children having children. And Norplant is one good answer.

The other situation for which this solution should be considered is to help welfare mothers stabilize their lives by avoiding further pregnancies. In fact, a “radical” idea, which will most likely receive much criticism, is that after two children women who are on AFDC might be required to use Norplant in order to continue receiving their payments or until they are financially independent.

And for all those anti-abortion folks out there, consider this: To make abortion unnecessary, promote birth control.

PRISCILLA F. WOLZ

Huntington Beach