Because it should have been private in the first place but media attention made it very public. The Palin haters couldn't stop maligning Bristol for getting pregnant, and deriding Sarah for being Sarah. Their whole family was a target.
There was no end to the viciousness directed towards Sarah Palin and her 17 years old daughter. Late-night comedians were foaming at the mouth calling Bristol all kind of names they could think of, while the audiences laughed. Republicans are regular targets of that kind of derision, while Democrats get a free pass.
I understood what Bristol was saying – though in all honesty, I would've preferred she had not given an interview. I understand her desire for wanting to take the opportunity to tell people her side of the story. This was her first chance after months of merciless scorn from the media and their cronies.
I also understood Bristol when she characterized teenage abstinence as "unrealistic." I think what she was saying is that if it was realistic, then the number of teen abortions in the USA would be very low. In fact, more than 33% of all US teen pregnancies end in abortion. Frequently, teens opt for abortions because a new baby often presents a radical change in their status quo, upsetting educational plans and presenting daunting financial problems.
The fact is:
"There were 214,750 abortions among 15-19-year-olds in 2002.""Twenty-nine percent of pregnancies among 15-19-year-olds ended in abortion in 2002, compared with 21% among all women."
"The reasons teens give most frequently for having an abortion are concern about how having a baby would change their lives, inability to afford a baby now and feeling insufficiently mature to raise a child."
"Thirty-four states (as of August 2006) require that a minor seeking an abortion involve her parents in the decision."
"Six in 10 minors who have abortions do so with at least one parent's knowledge. The great majority of parents support their daughter's decision to have an abortion." link
These numbers tell me that the reality is that there are a great number of teenagers who are sexually active who use contraceptives, and yet there are still many unplanned pregnancies that end in abortion, and other pregnancies that are carried to term (a minority).
It takes a lot of discipline, an incredible amount of strength and will power to maintain oneself in celibacy. And for all those who are able to do it, there is often laughter and jokes for their efforts.
And one more thing: Bristol is an 18 years old adult right now. The media doesn't need Sarah's permission to interview her, and Bristol doesn't need her mother's permission to give an interview.
On the other hand, if Sarah had the power to stop her daughter from giving interviews, she could have easily used that power to stop her from getting pregnant in the first place - that kind of power just isn't very realistic. Obviously, her daughter has a mind of her own.
Thank you for your typically intelligent response, Victoria. :)