Socio-Economic Status Affecting the Early Teenage 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

Based on the readily available images broadcast from films, MTV and other mass media, one might assume that the teen pregnancy epidemic is on the rise. In one respect, this health risk condition has rarely been more culturally visible than it is right now. However, it does bear noting that teen pregnancy has actually been on the decline in the United States over the last two decades. According to the source provided by Sheets (2012), "from 1990 to 2008, the teen pregnancy rate decreased 42 percent (from 117 to 68 pregnancies per 1,000 teen girls)."

An ongoing epidemic in the United Sates is teen pregnancy. In America, our society is run down by many problems. Most are caused by the older generation, but this problem has risen with the younger generation around the age of 15-19. The peak of the teen pregnancy trend started in 1990 when 60 teen girls out of 1,000 had a teen birth ("About Teen Pregnancy.”). For every 1,000 females in 2013, on average only 27 out of the 1,000 had gone through teen birth ("About Teen Pregnancy.”). Over the years, it seems that the trend is winding down and that less and less teens appear to becoming pregnant. In 2013, the teen pregnancy rate decreased by 10% since 2012 and 57% 1990 ("Teen Birth Rate | The National Campaign.”).

Teenage pregnancy is a major issue socially, economically, and emotionally. Especially in the United states where rates are astoundingly high. In "Politicians, Teen's and Birth control by Nicholas Kristof "and "Teens and Sex in Europe from the advocates for youth organization" the issues surrounding teenage pregnancy was addressed. Comparison's were shown between the US and other countries' approach toward such a delicate matter.

Summary: The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy wrote the article called, “Teen Pregnancy Is a Serious Problem,” stating that teen pregnancy is an issue in todays’ world. There are many negative effects of being a teen mom. In the United States, teen pregnancy is seen as being “ok” because it is normal in today’s world. Adolescents don't know how quickly a pregnancy can happen. When they asked the girls why they became pregnant they said, “It just kinda happened.” Also, many teen moms have more than one child before the age 24. A recent study

It is hypothesized that social status has the highest correlation to teenage pregnancy. If a teenager’s status were to change, they would feel pressured to hold up to that new status and norm. If a teenager were to move up in their social status, they would feel as though they would have to live up to the expectations of that new social structure. The direction in which your social status moves determines the rise or fall of the next generation.

Many researchers have tried to explain why young women living in poverty are more likely to have kids in their teens, and have concluded that growing up with few economic disparities can lead young women to choose teen parenting. The cycle of poverty and teen pregnancy is a controversial topic in today’s society, and has many contributing factors. Teenage pregnancy is an effect of poverty and economic immobility, not a cause. Studies reveal many different factors such as limited access to health care, poverty, state geography, state culture, low educational attainment, sex-education, and unemployment contribute to teen pregnancies in America. Impoverished teens often do not see the importance of avoiding pregnancy. They often feel uninterested to work toward future planning because they may lack a

Teen pregnancy statistics in the United State over the years have gone up. Referencing from 1996 to 2014. Has teen pregnancy been glorified in today’s society? Or became a trend. MTV producers portray that it’s okay to be a teen mother. Based on their hit TV shows, “16 & Pregnant” and “Teen Mom.” Producers pick one girl who’s pregnant and document her everyday struggles during one thirty-minute episode. Most of the teens from this show come from broken homes or have parents that don’t really show attention to them.

In the early 90’s, studies have shown that teen pregnancies occur on a regularly basis and has been severely increasing (Newsweek: Birth rates in U.S, 1991-96). As a result, this brings out a wrong impression of women to society.

One thing teens seem to fall into during or after pregnancy is teen poverty. “The literature shows that youth living in poverty have a teen pregnancy rate which is five times the average” (“Gender” 1). Poverty is already bad in Memphis, TN without teen pregnancy. By adding teen pregnancy in this equation, it increases even more. “Children of teenage parents are more likely to have problems and to eventually become teenage parent themselves, thus perpetuating the cycle of poverty begun by a teenage birth” (“Gender” 2). It is a cycle that many young ladies go through. A lot of times this is because parents that become parents as young adults may not have been well educated on the subject of sex their selves.

Teen mothers are at an increased risk for having subsequent births due to multidimensional and complex needs. These risks contain complex social and economic aspects and public health issues. These mothers appear to have a recurring theme associated with “poorer medical, educational, economic and parenting outcomes” (Barnet et al., 2009, p. 435). Factors that affect these teen mothers appear to be multi-disciplinary, and therefore the efficacy of such interventions has been difficult to determine. Risk factors that seem to be prevalent with an increase in subsequent pregnancies among teen mothers include emotional and psychological aspects as well as race, poverty, school concerns, and inconsistent use of contraception. A number of programs have been implemented as an intervention to reduce secondary teen pregnancies. Examination of different methodologies aimed at prevention confirms that an integrated or multi-disciplinary approach appears to be most successful. Such programs address reproductive health needs, preventative care, and effective parenting behavior for the teenage mother, including a broad scope of services aimed at life’s concerns, and promotion of social skills.

According to cda.org, in 2013, a total of 273,105 babies were born to women that were in between the ages of 15-19 years old. Teenage pregnancy is a major concern in today’s society. This paper will talk about teenage pregnancy, statistics, ways to prevent teenage pregnancy, and after birth options.

Like Amy and Loeber (2009), when it comes to the ecological paradigm of teenage pregnancy, Corcoran, Franklin, and Bennett (2000) also believe one’s socioeconomic status is a huge factor that contributes to this problem. A person’s socioeconomic status a lot of times determines “education, expanded family size, single-parent household structure, and lessened resources in terms of employment and income.” These three authors claim that educational performance and goals “dictate the potential costs of child bearing at a young age.” Their studies have also shown that teenage girls’ relationships with the school setting and poorer performance in school serve a greater risk for adolescent pregnancy.

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.

The teen pregnancy rate had decreased by the maximum of about 55 percent. Most teen birth rates had also gone down about 64 percent, but yet teen pregnancies and birth rate for teenagers ages 15-19 in the U.S still remains one of the highest comparable countries. Due to parenthood, most of teen moms drop out of school. More than 50% of teen mothers never graduate to get their diploma. Sexually active teens that don’t use any type of protection has a 90 percent chance of becoming pregnant within a year, 84 percent of teen pregnancies are unplanned.