Teen Pregnancy Essay

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

Teenage pregnancy may not be one of the bigger issues of the world, like war or drug abuse, but it still holds credibility. It also does not have a high declining rate. All of the world teenagers still get pregnant, whether it be by a small or high percentage, and the government has no way to stop it. However, the government can control what happens afterwards, when the baby is born. Obviously, teens would have trouble in raising a baby on their own because they are not yet adults so they need both financial and supportive help. So the government created Acts to help and states carried out assistance programs as well. However, there has been controversy in whether or not teenage mothers deserve all of this help. Teenage mothers should be

Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) serves low-income pregnant, expecting and post-partum women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk. The criteria for receiving services are as follows:

Most of these families and individuals now are in programs like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, also known as welfare(National Coalition,2009), Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. These programs provide cash, health care benefits and food for these families and most individuals helping the individuals or families to get back on their feet although some will get denied for such help.

The government provides help for single mothers through a variety of welfare programs. Welfare programs provide benefits to single mothers with low income - income so low that it is not possible to support a family.

Children from foster care or homeless, along with pregnant women are also eligible to receive Head Start services.

n the past young ladies were shunned if they became pregnant, were sent into hiding, and when they gave birth the baby would be sent away, now some girls are put on T.V. because of teen pregnancy. “In 2014, a total of 249, 078 babies were born to women aged 15-19 years, for a birth rate of 24.2 per 1,000 women in this age group” (About Teen para. 1). Pregnant teens are often put into stereotypes and are put down. Throughout their lives they are told that their life is ruined so often that she (or he if they impregnated a girl) start to actually believe it and they end up not living up to their full potential.

Teenage pregnancy and parenthood are often seen as strictly negative and problematic, with the moral panic surrounding them only growing as media and government play a role in perpetuating these ideas of negativity surrounding them. Though it is a contentious issue, what are often ignored are the underlying causes of the social phenomena that are teenage pregnancy and parenthood. The experiences of poverty and social exclusion by many pregnant teens and teen parents have not been proven to be more severe than what these young people were experiencing before, so it brings into question the validity of the moral panic as well as the aims of programs meant to decrease teen pregnancy and parenthood. Looking at teen pregnancy and parenthood, first

Fortunately, King County has several programs in place for women facing poverty. Maternal Support Services (MSS) and Infant Case Management (ICM) provides information and resources about the other programs available to mothers in King County. MSS and ICM provide health education, counseling, regular clinic visits, support from nursing, nutritionists, social workers and community health workers, and referrals to prenatal classes. Moms and Kids Plus provides a variety of services for the pregnant and parenting population, “The focus of service is to improve healthcare access for women and their families by encouraging prenatal care, substance abuse treatment, stable housing and reduction in the risk of infant death.” Eating healthy during pregnancy is very important but can be financially difficult, through the Women 's, Infants and Children Program or WIC, some of these financial burdens can be lessened. “WIC is a supplemental food program for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, infants and children and also provides health screening, nutrition and health education, breastfeeding promotion and support, help getting other services and checks for nutritious foods.” Lastly, another great resource for these women is the Nurse-Family Partnership, which partners low-income new mothers with registered nurses up until the child’s second birthday. The nurses provide education on maintaining a healthy lifestyle and parenting skills, information to resources available in the

Traditionally, pregnancy is a celebrated occasion but for women who live in poverty this life changing event can be wrought with uncertainty and apprehension. Typically, new mothers living in poverty are most likely already facing multiple stressors such as unemployment, unfavorable living conditions, substandard environment and threats of violence. Additionally, the increased physical demands and need for supplemental financial resources consistent with a new pregnancy are more likely to leave a mother living in poverty feeling overwhelmed and depressed. One of the ways expanded Medicaid coverage can reduce this burden is by facilitating improved access to medical care for both the mother and her unborn child.

The Department of Health and Social Services offers WIC and food stamps for those that need extra support with food and baby formula. Having a baby is expensive and much of it surrounds the supplies such as diapers, wipes and a safe carseat

"Over one million teenage girls become pregnant each year. In the next 24 hours, about 3,312 girls will become pregnant. In addition, 43% of all adolescents become pregnant before the age of 20. These are incredible statistics when you consider that there are only 31 million females. The United States has the highest adolescent pregnancy rate in the developed world. As statistics show one in nine women between the ages of 15 through 19 become pregnant each year. Also, every 26 seconds a teenage girl becomes pregnant and every 56 seconds a child of a teenage mother is born."

After reading Martha Balash’s article, Schools Can Help to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. Balash has put time and effort into this proposal on stopping Teen Pregnancy. I think Balash’s introduction is very effective because she goes straight to the facts. She doesn’t try to mislead you with any false facts. She goes straight to the point and the point is to prevent teen pregnancy. Balash tells that schools has more influence over teen pregnancy than what the public thinks. She thinks that if schools and parents put enough effort into their teen pregnancy programs that the teen pregnancy numbers will drop. And I agree with Balash on this subject fully.

Why is it important to understand how adverse childhood experiences create risk factors that can impact teenage pregnancy? The answer is multifaceted and complex, but an important consequence of teenage pregnancy is to the baby itself. Children of teenage mothers have more health issues, are more likely to be abused, be less educated, and more likely to become criminals (Hillis, et al., 2004, p. 2). Moreover, because teenage mothers are poorer and have less emotional support, children of teenage mothers are more likely to be abused both physically and emotionally (Rosenberg, 2001, p. 185). Consequently, by understanding how adverse childhood events can increase teenage pregnancies and its risk factors, education could be implemented to

"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.