
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, December 18, 1993                   TAG: 9312210238
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A9   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: GERALD W. ROLLER, M.D.
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

HOW ABOUT MANDATING PATERNITY TESTS AND BIRTH CONTROL?

I REALIZE that some of my suggestions on dealing with the teen-age pregnancy epidemic in the Roanoke Valley, as well as elsewhere, may be quite controversial, but I think it's time that we as adults help guide our adolescent children in a more positive and direct manner than what we've been doing. I'd like to make the following recommendations:

A task force of individuals who represent churches of the community should meet - under leadership from persons who work in this area, both in the Roanoke Valley and other centers of high teen pregnancy - to discuss what such an organized group might do to promote education in moral and sexual matters for the young people with whom they are in contact. In addition, this group could spearhead reaching out into the community in a different manner from that presently being pursued.

Additional opportunities for education could be offered by neutral persons from community groups such as the Roanoke Academy of Medicine, city and county Parent-Teacher Associations, and social and service groups such as the Lions and Rotary clubs and the Junior League.

We as a community could ask our representatives in the state legislature to sponsor legislation that would require:

(a) Mandatory DNA determination of parental status for any young man deemed to be the father of a child born to an unwed mother. Identification as the father of this child would then require him to participate in the care of the child through mandatory support and/or participation. DNA testing, while expensive, would be an undeniable means of identification, and also would serve as a deterrent to the somewhat ``laissez-faire'' lifestyle of many young men in our community today.

(b) Mandatory use of birth-control measures by any unwed mother after the second birth of any child. Such sterilization could be obtained through use of an intrauterine device, injections of Depo-Provera every three months, or the insertion under the skin of Norplant, which would last up to five years.

These measures could be supervised by gynecologists, obstetricians, primary-care physicians, clinics and other appropriate organizations and persons.

I recognize that these legislative mandates may be considered by some to be infringing upon the civil rights of persons. I believe, however, that the continued production of infants, which constantly add to the welfare rolls and society's burden, marks a point at which one's freedom to procreate infringes upon the freedom of others who must pay for this procreation. Such contraceptive measures could be reversed at any time when the patient gets married or is otherwise capable of paying and caring for additional offspring.

I believe that sex education, marriage- and family-life evaluation for the public in general might also be of great benefit since responsible sexuality doesn't seem to be taught, and since irresponsible sexuality seems to be the norm for many of our television and video programs. Such public education could be offered by many experts in the field, including psychologists, counselors, social workers, physicians, laypersons and others trained in the field of sexuality. Such programs could be sponsored by the city, by organizations mentioned above or by a combination of multiple groups.

I don't think the problem will go away without concerted effort, but I believe it can be altered and changed. And over a period of time, I think public opinion will mandate such changes.

Gerald W. Roller of Roanoke is a doctor of internal medicine.

by CNB