Cause and Effect of Teen Pregnancy

assert that no social problem affecting youths has received as much attention in recent times as adolescent pregnancy. Literature shows that 13 million children are born to women under the age of 20 worldwide while 95% of the teenagers experience an unintended pregnancy. Increased Attention has finally been given to teenage pregnancy as a public health issue due to the realization of the abnormal prevalence, number of affected people, high levels of psychological distress, and high morbidity rates as well as the painfully apparent social and economic / public welfare cost of teenage childbearing and parenthood

In recent years, teenage pregnancy has been labeled a major issue amongst teens that it can be known as an “Epidemic.” Is teenage pregnancy directly responsible for a host of society’s ills? Increasing teenage pregnancy rate translates directly into increasing rates of “school failure,” early behavioral problems, drug abuse, child abuse, depression, and crimes. Many social problems can be directly attributed to the poor choices of teenage girls.

Summary: This article goes on to explain the major problems of teenage pregnancy. Around the world 11 per cent of births are giving from women who are just 15 to 19 years of age. 95 per cent of these is in developing countries. Teenagers are more at risk of dying during labor. When an adolescent gives birth to a baby the fact that they are still teens gives them less of a chance of surviving labor. They are more at risk of dying during birth than an adult would be. Teenage pregnancy is more common in less developed countries.

When a baby is born, it is a priority that said baby is healthy and happy. It is also important that the mother takes care of herself and the baby before it arrives, including taking vitamins, going to checkups, and eating healthy. It’s not easy, but teenage pregnancy is much more risky than adult pregnancy. Pregnant teens and their babies are at a higher risk than adult mothers and their babies, risks including high blood pressure, preeclampsia, premature birth, postpartum depression, and low birth weights (Teenage Pregnancy: Medical). However, this is not always the case. “...not every baby born to a teen mother will have health problems -- but the risks are definitely higher.” (Beirne, Dr.) Medical risks such as the ones listed can be very dangerous, to both the mother and the child. Children born to teenage mothers are not only at risk for medical reasons, but for educational reasons. These children are, more often than not, usually less ready for school than children born to older mothers, lacking childhood development skills such as social,

One of the main reasons for high rates of teenage pregnancy in the U.S. is the continuation of ineffective abstinence based education (Bell, 2009) and not allowing teenagers to make abortion related decisions. In the U.S. Eighty two percent of the teenage pregnancy is unintended and 37 % of total unintended pregnancies result in abortion. Teenagers choose to abort babies because of shame, staying focused on career, unstable financial status to support babies and not getting emotional and economic support from parents. Twenty two percent of pregnant teenagers choose not to tell their parents (ACLU, 2001).

Pregnant teens face high risks of medical complications as well as disruption in family life and education(Frick, 2007). Teenage girls usually lack the emotional maturity to deal with pregnancy. Choosing to keep the child, deliver it up for adoption, or opt for abortion also adds stress to the family(Frick, 2007).Adolescents who receive information on abstinence and participate in virginity pledge programs have improved outcomes as adults(Frick, 2007). Most participate in less risky behaviors, have

Pregnant teenagers are more likely to develop high blood pressure and anemia and go into labor earlier than women who are older. Teens also may be exposed to a sexually transmitted disease or infection that could affect their babies. Therefore, monitor patients regularly. Socially 16yrs old will be challenged with disturbed body image related to pregnancy, therefore, use cognitive strategies to improve the perception of body image and enhance functioning (Ladwig, Ackley, &

Bringing a baby into the world is seen as a blessing, but it can also cause many problems when the parents are teenagers. Teen pregnancy can be very damaging to a person. It is also easily avoidable by schools and parents increasing the education level on forms of contraception that are available to people. By discussing the effects of teen pregnancy with peers and adults, adolescents can take greater precautions in order to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Although the trend of teenage girls bearing children is is lowering, the rate of teen pregnancies in the United States remains higher than the rate of teen pregnancy in other developed countries. This is a serious issue that

Unintentional or unplanned pregnancies are a major health concern associated with increased risks of detrimental behaviors, abortions and negative social and birth outcomes (Feldman, 2012). While the rates of pregnancy and childbirth among adolescents under the age of 20 in the United States have been falling since 1990 it is not expected to disappear entirely and remains a national problem (Moeller, 2007). Pregnancy in adolescence have been associated with a variety of poor maternal and infant outcomes. Health risks to teens and their infants include low birth weight, risk of prematurity, developmental delays, and poor prenatal weight gain. The antenatal and postpartum social risks include depression, substance abuse, homelessness, child maltreatment, reliance on public assistance, lack of education, and domestic abuse (Bensussen-Walls & Saewyc, 2001).

Societal norms discourage sexual behavior in teenagers, however, it is found that many high school students have had sex; and many times, there are no types of contraception used. According to Mollborn (2017), it is found that 1 in 7 of these teenage girls become mothers. Teenage pregnancy has many negative lifelong implications. When a teenager becomes pregnant they are forced to make some very tough choices, and no matter which decision they make about the outcome of their pregnancy, their life will be changed forever. There is a domino effect that takes place when a teen becomes pregnant. The father of the baby, the parents and families of the two who created the situation, as well as their friends will feel the repercussions. Even

The rate of teenage pregnancies has decreased drastically since skyrocketing in the early decades. Teenagers today have shown an increased use of birth control and a slight increase in abstinence. To draw attention to the problem, people typically refer to it as ‘children having children,’ which is essentially the issue. If teens were to remain abstinent until they are completely ready, the issue would no longer be as relevant. In today's society, there are serious consequences that follow teen pregnancy, which result in the necessity for a more effective solution. By understanding the history, causes and effects, and possible solutions, the problem may be lessened.

Teenage pregnancy has long been acknowledged as an important health, social and economic problem in the United States, one that creates hardships for women and families and threatens the health and well-being of women and their infants. Unintended pregnancies span across age, race and religion, with a specific negative impact among the teenage population. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC, 2016) In 2015, a total of 229,715 babies were born to women aged 15–19 years, for a birth rate of 22.3 per 1,000 women in this age group. Birth rates are also higher among Hispanic and African American adolescents than any other race. In 2014, Hispanic adolescent females ages 15-19 had the highest birth rate of 38 births per 1,000 adolescent females, followed by African American adolescent females 34.9 births per 1,000 adolescent females (CDC, 2017). In 2010, the public cost of births resulting from unintended pregnancies was estimated at $21 billion, this includes costs for prenatal care, labor and delivery, post-partum care, and a year of infant care (Healthy People 2020, 2016). These pregnancies have led to many social, health, and financial consequences. When unintended pregnancies occur in the younger age group, negative outcomes occur at a higher rate as compared to women of an older age. As a national statistic, 1 out of every 5 unintended pregnancies are from the teenage demographic, with a staggering 82 percent belonging to the ages

Data has shown that children who are born to teenagers are instantly placed at a higher risk of physical development, social, and behavioral problems. For instance, one-third of pregnant teens (15-19) receives no prenatal care during the first trimester of pregnancy; this number has increased to 50% for girls under 15.

While many people are inclined to express indifference regarding this concept, teen pregnancy is one of the most controversial topics in the contemporary society. This experience can be devastating for some individuals, as the fact that they are raw makes it difficult for them to effectively deal with the problem. Society becomes more stressing and most teens who become pregnant come to express feelings related to shame and fear. The fact that these individuals are hesitant about letting their parents know that they are pregnant contributes to their problems and finding help sometimes becomes an impossible mission. Lack of life experience materializes into a more severe type of stress, endangering both the mother and the child.

"Teen pregnancy in the United States: In 2015, a total of 229,715 babies were born to women aged 15-19 years old, for a birth rate of 22.3 per 1,000 women in this age group. This is another record for U.S. teens and a drop of 8% from 2014. Although reasons for the declines are not totally clear, evidence suggests these declines are due to more teens abstaining from sexual activity, and more teens who are sexually active using birth control than in previous years. Still, the U.S. teen pregnancy rate is substantially higher than in other western industrialized nations, and racial/ethnic and geographic disparities in teen birth rates persist (cdc.gov)." As teenagers (in the United States), we are peer pressured or tempted to try new things. Some teens tend to try out drugs, and alcohol. However, some are having unprotected sex in which, is leads to having babies. This is called, teenage pregnancy. This has caused the United States to create records based off of the statistics and facts given from, researchers across the United States. In order to help prevent teenage pregnancy in the United States, teenagers must understand why, having a baby now isn’t such a smart move on their part.