Influence of Sex Education on Abortion Prevention among Adolescents in High Level, Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State

This study was conducted to find out the influence of sex education on abortion prevention among adolescents in High Level, Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State. The objectives of the study were, to identify the major factors responsible for lack of sex education among adolescents, to identify the various means of carrying out sex education among adolescents, to identify if adolescents have the right information about sex and sexuality, to identify the influence of sex education on abortion prevention among adolescents. Related literatures were reviewed. A descriptive research design was used to study 100 respondents which were selected from a target population of 200 adolescents. A simple random sampling technique was employed. The instrument used for data collection was a self-constructed Sex Education questionnaire (SEQ) and Abortion Prevention questionnaire (APQ). The results were analyzed and presented using tables. Findings of the study showed that, family settings, schools, culture, peers, mass media are some of the major factors responsible for lack of appropriate sex education among adolescents in High Level, Makurdi. Parents/guardians, schools/teachers, peers/friends, religious bodies are some of the means of carrying out sex education among adolescents. Some of the influence of appropriate sex education includes, abortion prevention, reduction in the rate of teenage/adolescent pregnancy and adolescent fatherhood, prevention of STIs including HIV/AIDs etc. Based on these findings major recommendations are that the government should create and fund effective sex education programs, seminars and sex education should be included in secondary school curriculum.