High School Dropout Rates And Teen Pregnancy

Teen pregnancy has been a problem in the United States for years. Although rates have dropped since the 1990’s, teen pregnancy rates in the United States are still higher than other western societies. Teenage pregnancy is accompanied with many negative consequences such as shortened educational experience, diminished employment, larger family size, increased risk of single- parent and poverty. Teen mothers struggle on a daily basis, if you are one of them you should visit a psychoeducational group. Teen mothers should attend psychoeducational groups because they can teach teen moms parenting skills, social skills, and provide them with the support they

Teen pregnancy continues to be a problem in America even though the CDC documents a decrease from 2007-2009 in all racial groups. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d.). Reducing the number of pregnancies in teens 15-17 is a core indicator identified by Healthy People 2020 to assess the status of adolescent health. Children born to teens are at risk for health concerns from being of low birth weight and having poor prenatal care such as delayed development. (Magness, 2012). Repeat pregnancy, dependence on welfare, and poverty are some of the results of adolescent pregnancy. Teen mothers tend to have health problems such as hypertension, and anemia and are at high risk for early delivery. Magness looks at the issue from the teen’s viewpoint and discusses the idea that some teens become pregnant to provide stability in an otherwise chaotic life and can gain maturity from the experience. Emphasis on continuing their education after delivery can prevent repeat pregnancies. Lack of productive or positive social activities or guidance can leave room for a teen to indulge in risky behavior to occupy their time. Peer pressure and influence from present day norms can cause teenagers to give in to early onset of sexual activity (Kirven, 2014). Finding after school or extracurricular activities can promote a healthier self

Teen pregnancy is surprisingly decreasing over the years. According to Farber, “the most recent studies have shown that there has been a decrease in the rate of pregnancies among all teenagers and among sexually active teenagers (16). Although this issue seems is decreasing this is still a problem faced by many teenage girls today. Each year, 7.5 percent of all 15-19 year old women become pregnant (Maynard 1). Not only does this issue affects the pregnant teen but it also affects the economy. Teen pregnancy affects graduation rates. Many teen mothers cite pregnancy as the key reason of them not finishing school. Only 40 percent of teen mothers finish high school (Teen Pregnancy Affects Graduation Rates). The 60 percent of teen mothers

Girls who gave birth while still in high school only 38% of them graduate. The reason the rest of them drop out is since they are forced to work in order to support their child. Nearly all cannot manage parenthood, school, work without family or friends help. With teenage mothers “Their children showed reduced educational attainment, had more emotional and behavioral problems, were at increased risk of maltreatment or harm, and showed higher rates of illness, accidents and injuries.” (Dennison P. 6) Just in the state of Texas, in 2012, there were 44 births per 1,000 girls’ state wide. Nationwide 50% of pregnancies are accidental in 2006. Teen parents also are a financial load to society, According to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, in 2004, all together taxpayers paid more than eight billion dollars to help support health cares designed to help the 420,000 teenage mothers who gave birth in that year. “results from economic analyses suggest that implementing evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs, expanding access to Medicaid family planning services, and utilizing mass media campaigns to promote safe sex may reduce teen pregnancy and save taxpayer dollars.” (Without the help of drugs like Plan B or any type of birth control, a large amount of teenage girls will become unplanned mothers, making more of a financial burden to society.

Over the last few decades the rates in teen pregnancy have been a debate; did they rise over the past few years or did they actually decline? Contrary to some doctors and politicians the numbers associated with teen pregnancy have decline over the last couple of years. Although there are still people out there who believe this to be an issue it’s made more of an issue than it actually is. The ads and commercials are set out to scare teen-agers into believing that were at an all time high for this issue, but realistically its actually the exact opposite. Teen pregnancy rates haven’t dropped on there over the course of the years. There are a few major factors that have contributed a great deal to this change. Those changes include but are not limited to: more resources being available to these teenagers to prevent themselves from becoming pregnant, society is more open to talking about this issue as well as the religion and culture change aspect of families today. Despite the beliefs of others, teen pregnancy rates are at an all time low for the first time in decades.

    A new challenge has overcame this generation of society. Keeping teen-moms in school and graduating with a degree, is a circumstance the community should risk fighting for. This generation of humans, the thought of sexual activity is more common and there are higher risks of producing a baby. The importance of keeping pregnant teenagers in high school, is so influential for their education and their future career. Becoming a new mom would lead to new stressful situations, which may cost them to quit high school and get a job to care for their newborn. Having new ideas and ways to prevent dropout rates from increasing, could just save their education. There are some strategies that are more common in high schools today,

According to Colorado's Family Planning Initiative, teen birth rate dropped by 40% when 68 clinics that provided birth control opened up across the state. When “16 and pregnant” premiered, teen birth was reduced when teens realized the hardships from pregnancy and being a teen mom. There are also man methods of birth control available. Birth control methods depend on health and lifestyle, making it easier to use. Teen pregnancy also contributes to teen dropout. Only 40% of mothers finish school,, 70% of all dropouts are pregnant, or mothers. 1 in 4 girls dropout because of their pregnancy. Had birth control been provided, teen dropout could be prevented. Birth control opens up more opportunities for women, and helps them to have more control over their life. Males do not become pregnant or have to worry about how a pregnancy during high school will affect them. Females are held back by unexpected pregnancies, and have to change their lifestyle and goals in life in order to take care of themselves during pregnancy, and the baby afterwards. Mot to mention the stress of pregnancy, and the stress when it comes to figuring out whether or not to keep the baby or put it up for adoption. Even facing the choice of abortion can cause anxiety. Males do not face the same consequences of teen pregnancies that females do, and they

Bad news to see the growing disparity between the pregnancy rate of students in higher income white communities compared to power income communities to color. Approximately 70% of teenagers girls who give birth leaves school. Not everybody are open to the birth control products like others. They either leave schools so they can take of their kids or either were judge and like it. When having a kid you need to have time for them , as a student that has to go to school , work. Birth control could help them more. When they drop out of school , they likely face a life of economic in security ( Mangel ). Theses pregnancy rates play a key role in the significant disparity in high school graducation rates between these same groups of teen girls ( Mangel ). More than any other group of high school dropouts , girls who leave due to pregnancy report that would have stayed in school if they had recevied greater support from the adults at school ( Mangel

Society in general is currently addressing the social problem of teen pregnancy in several ways. One of the most important is an increase in parent’s willingness to not only bring the issue up and discuss it with their children, but also allowing educators to address the issue in schools.

Teenage birth rates, defined as live births per one thousand 15-19-year-old US females, declined by 10% from 2012 to 2013 from 29.4 to 26.5. In fact, the birth rate has been on a steady decline over the past 20 years, from 61.8 in 1991 to 26.5 in 2013. Teenage pregnancy represents both a health and social inequality in our society. Specifically, teenage childbearing is a public health issue because teenage mothers are more likely to experience negative social outcomes such as dropping out of school. This is a self-reinforcing cycle, as children of teenage mothers face higher chances of poor academic achievement as well as getting pregnant or getting someone else pregnant in their teenage years (CDC). Although the overall rates of teenage pregnancy have dropped, ultimately, the variations in the rates reflect the intersecting disparities regarding race and ethnicity, income inequality, geography, and environmental factors, which in turn affect access to medical care, education, and resources.

Tax payers have to pay a small fortune every year because of costs associated with teen pregnancies. The American people had to cover $9.4 billion in expenses in 2010 ("About Teen Pregnancy"). High school dropout rates are obscenely high amongst teen mothers. Approximately 50% of women who give birth during adolescence will go on to graduate high school ("About Teen Pregnancy"). This causes the young mother to be at a higher risk for poverty and a lowers the amount of opportunities to be successful. Children being born into broken homes are more likely to follow in their parent’s footsteps. Students whose families aren’t intact are less likely to receive sexual education, and are more likely to have a teenage pregnancy (Kohler, et al. 347-48). Teenage pregnancy is a problem which compounds as it progresses unless it is controlled in an effective way. In this case, that is teaching at safe

“Nearly one-third of teen girls who drop out of high school state early pregnancy and parenthood as keys reason for their decision, according to TheNationalCampaign.org.” Getting an education, raising an infant, financially supporting an infant, and custody issues are only some of the reasons young women and men are dropping out. Not only is it difficult to do in the public school system, but even harder when in a private school system. Most private schools, believe it or not, have policies that if the school is notified that the young woman is pregnant, they have the right to make her and the young man be dismissed from the school. As a result, making it even more stressful for a young student to stay in

Not only will birth control decrease risk for disease and teen pregnancy, it will increase the rate of teens receiving a high school diploma. Teenage girls are more at risk of dropping out if they become pregnant; however, if they had birth control, a higher quantity would not get pregnant and drop out. Saras Chung, author of “New Study Links Teen Pregnancy and Dropout, Spotlight Solutions,” asserts, “Teen pregnancy and high school dropouts are linked.” This expert opinion displays that vital consequences are linked to teen pregnancy. Chung also listed some statistics in the same article. She affirms, “One in three teen mothers earned neither a diploma nor a GED” (Chung). Some teenage mothers do not go on

In the article “Teenage Births: Outcomes for Young Parents and their Children “the Schuyler Center touches on many important topics concerning teenage pregnancy and parenting. The foundation speaks on how teenage pregnancy is a global issue and explains why teens often get pregnant along with the hardships that come with it. Although, according to them “teen pregnancy rates are at the lowest level in 20 years. . . ” (page 3) it is very apparent that being a young mother will defiantly effect your education and your child future.

Teen pregnancy is a very controversial social issue and the vast majority of Americans consider the outrageous rate of teen pregnancies a severe issue, certainly a problematic occurrence that is believed to be a moral decline in our country. Teenagers are physiologically capable of reproducing but not emotionally or financially prepared to be parents at such a tender age. Through various research studies a plethora of determinants has pin pointed teens unprecedented pregnancies. One cause of this problem is the apparent indication of social separation or disadvantage. Within this issue you would find poverty, single parent households, educational disadvantages on the parents behalf, a lack family/parental support, and unemployment. A child’s educational performance, inappropriate sexual acts, and inferior apprehensions about their futures play a vital role in teen pregnancies as well. Amongst the listed disadvantages the three that take precedent are lacks of family communication, sexual abuse, and poverty. Furthermore, teen mothers do not fit the ideal ideology of the normative scheduling of motherhood, therefore, ultimately resulting in negative consequences for them and society. What needs to be understood is, as to why the numbers of teens are becoming parents at such a vernal age.