TEENAGE PREGNANCY
Since, teenage pregnancy has attracted a great deal of concern and attention from religious leaders, the general public, policymakers, and social scientists, particularly in the United States and other developed countries. The continuing apprehension about teenage pregnancy is based on the profound impact that teenage pregnancy can have on the lives of the girls and their children. Demographic studies continue to report that in developed countries such as the United States, teenage pregnancy results in lower educational attainment, increased rates of poverty, and worse “life outcomes” for children of teenage mothers compared to children of young adult women.
Teenage pregnancy is defined as occurring between thirteen and nineteen years of age. There are, however, girls as young as ten who are sexually active and occasionally become pregnant and give birth. The vast majority of teenage births in the United States occurs among girls between fifteen and nineteen years of age. When being inclusive of all girls who can become pregnant and gave birth, the term used is adolescent pregnancy, which describes the emotional and biological developmental stage called adolescences. The concern over the age at which a young woman should give birth has existed throughout human history. In general, however, there are two divergent views used to explain teenage pregnancy. Some authors and researchers argue that labeling teen pregnancy as a public health problem has a little to do with public health and more to do with it being socially, culturally, and economically unacceptable.
The bibliographic citations selected for this article will be extensive. The objective is to cover the major issues related to teenage pregnancy and childbearing, and adolescent pregnancy and childbearing. Childbirth to teenage mothers in the United States peaked in the mid-1050s at approximately 100 births per 1,000 teenage girls. In 2010, the rate of live births to teenage mothers in the United States dropped to a low of 34 births per 1,000. This was the lowest rate of teenage births in the United States since 1946. In 2012, the live births to teenage mothers continued to decline to 29.4 per 1,000. This was a drop of 13.5 percent from 2010. In 2012, some 305,388 babies were born to girls between fifteen and nineteen years of age. Among girls fourteen and younger the rate of pregnancy is about 7 per 1,000. About half of these pregnancies (3 per 1,000) resulted in live births. In spite of this decline in teenage pregnancy over the years, approximately 820,000 (34 percent) of teenage girls in the United States become pregnant each year. What’s more, some 85 percent of these pregnancies are unintended.
These pregnancies and births suggest that the story of the teenage pregnancy, a general overview is provided as a broad background on teenage pregnancy. Citations are grouped under related topics that explicate the complexity of critical forces affecting teenage pregnancy. Topics that provide a global view of the variations in perception of and response to teenage pregnancy will also be covered in this article. Teenagers without open relationships with parents find it difficult to talk about pregnancy, abstinence, and other sex topics they encounter during adolescence. In fact, some teenagers find it so uncomfortable that they are less likely to buy birth control such as condoms, fearing that their parents would find out. Because parents and teenagers find it difficult to discuss these sensitive topics, more parents are turning to the education system to provide teenagers with knowledge about sex and pregnancy prevention.
Today, school counselors and teachers are often at the forefront of sexual education and pregnancy prevention. Sex education is all important, so talk about love and sex. If you believe that the adolescent is not ready yet, express and explain the same to them. In a nutshell, it is the responsibility of parents to look after activities their children are engaged in along with imparting sex education. Preventing teenage pregnancy may also come down to overcoming parent-child communication barriers. The National Campaign reports that teens say their parents influence their decisions about sex, love and relationships the most; even more than the media or their peers. Starting a conversation about sex early and often may prove beneficial. This conversation should ideally begin well before a child's teen years.
There are many solutions to prevent teenage pregnancy just like implement the proper education at the right time. Children nowadays are exposed to plenty of sexual innuendoes that tinker with their powerful curiosities, not knowing that these are actually strongly inappropriate for their age. Next solution is to practice better parenting. In a study conducted by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy last 2008, teenagers themselves expressed that their parents are the most influential people to them when it came to issues and decisions about sex. Another solution would be to implement extra-curricular tasks for teenagers, so as to keep them occupied, and also to help develop their sense of independence and responsibility.
From what teenagers have read about a teen parent it isn’t as great as it sounds. No one wants to become a parent when they are a teenager. Teenagers are not able to get a decent education, and some teens don’t know what they want to do with their lives. Teens don’t want to stay home and take care of a child. There are many thins teen mothers can do to help couples who have waited a long time to have a child, but could not conceive. A teen mother that isn’t ready and a woman who has waited awhile to have a child would be more prepared. Yes, a baby is really cute and all, but teenagers really need to think about what they are getting themselves into. There are many of things that teenagers have to give up one is by having a child at a young age, when they are a child themselves. Teens wouldn’t want to give up anything to take care of child. Teens should think about what they are doing before they accidentally become teenage mother.
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