The Importance Of Teenage Pregnancy

"Approximately four million teens get a sexually transmitted disease every year" (Scripps 1). Today’s numbers of sexually active teens differ greatly from that of just a few years ago. Which in return, projects that not only the risk of being infected with a sexually transmitted disease (STD) has risen, but the actual numbers of those infected rise each year as well. These changes have not gone unnoticed. In fact have produced adaptations as to how society educates its young adults about sex, using special programs, various advertising, and regulating sexual education courses in public schools. One major adaptation is the advancement and availability of

Sex education, most commonly known as family life, is any information about sex and sexual relationships taught to maturing young people as a part of a school’s curriculum. Currently, there is a constant political and ideological debate in the United States over the merits of abstinence-only and comprehensive sex education programs in the teaching of our youth. Abstinence only sex education has been the primary sex education taught in the United States. Although different in their approach, the overall goal is to help them build a foundation to be able to make healthy informed decisions as they mature into adults. The objectives of sex education programs are to help adolescents develop a positive view of sexuality, body image and make responsible decisions in relationships (Knowles, 2012). Ultimately, any sex education should be a partnership between parents, guardians and school personnel. However, in recent years, a large amount of information about sexuality is acquired through friends, music, books and the media instead of from their parents. For some individuals,

This age group is generally in an age of exploration of self-identity and fulfillment, instability, and optimism of the future (Munsey, 2006). This is also the time when most people complete their undergraduate degree, and many studies on emerging adults can be applied to college students. An individual age 12-18 is generally defined as an adolescent. For the purposes of this literature review, young adults will be defined as those ages 13-25. In a little over a decade, the choices made will influence the individual for the rest of their lives, and is often referred to as the crucial years for this reason. During these years, the brain is particularly impressionable, making sexual media a concern for

In today’s society, teenagers are becoming sexually active at an earlier age. Consequently, sixty-six percent of American high school students have reported partaking in this activity by their senior year – sex (Masland) (SC#8). Because of this promiscuous behavior among teens, there have been alarming rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and even unintentional pregnancies (Masland) (BE#3). In the United States, high schools usually decide whether or not to implement sexual education as a course (Sexuality) (BE#9). While schools may encourage abstinence of sex until marriage, most teenagers will need to know safe sexual practices before they are married. If the teenager is not informed on how to keep themselves and their partner safe during sex, major consequences could ensue. If high schools required a course about sexual education, teenagers would know the implications and consequences of engaging in unsafe

When it comes to the topic of do TV shows like “16 and Pregnant” and “Teen Mom” promote or discourage teenage pregnancy, most of us will readily agree that it in fact does promote teenage pregnancy. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of how does this promote teenage pregnancy. Whereas some are convinced that it promotes teenage pregnancy through the fame some of the young couples have achieved, others maintain that it in fact discourages teenage pregnancy by showing the struggles and reality of having a child at such a young age. I agree that the show “16 and Pregnant” promotes teenage pregnancy because a new Indiana University research study confirms it.

In 2011-2013 more than 80% of adolescents aged 15-19 had received formal information about sexual education. In the present sexual education is rarely taught today, unless you live in a suburban area. The more informed young adults are about sex at an early age the more it will refrain from a responsibility young adults are not ready for Sexual education classes usually start from grades 5th to 8th, sometimes earlier and young adults will live a more protected life. Thirteen states require discussion of sexual orientation in sex education classes. Nine of these states require inclusive discussion of sexual orientation, and the remaining four require that classes provide only negative information about sexual orientation(Guttmacher Institute, Sex and STD/HIV education, State Policies in Brief, October 2011). It is common for parents not to talk about sex to their children and children do not take the initiative to ask. The history behind young adults that gets pregnant still in high school is that they usually won’t finish school or has a difficult time living in a stable place. Only 40% of teen mothers graduate, and fewer than 2% graduate college before age 30. Sexual

Going through school can be a difficult time for children, especially during their adolescent years. The most difficult part of high school is dealing with peer pressure and the constant pressure of having sex. As children go through life and generations go in and out of the school system it is becoming more common for teens to partake in sexual activities. It is said that 47% of all high school students are sexually active and have been with more than one sexual partner. Unfortunately, this activity is something that does not discriminate. In-fact, it can be seen in all genders, races, and communities.

According to experts approximately 9 percent of Unite State teenagers between the ages of 15 and 19 become pregnant every year. And even though some studies have shown that the incidence of teenage pregnancy has generally been in decline since 1991, the causes and effects of underage childbearing has continued to be a big burden on families, the public and government. Babies having babies is the simplistic way that some people have described the specter of having a baby while teenager are unprepared. The United State case study which is the subject of this paper is unique, even though reflecting the same generic features with teenagers elsewhere in the world. Teenage pregnancy is a socio-economic and moral problem in the United State.

Teenage pregnancy is a hot-button issue in the United States that has lured the attention of citizens for many years. Since its peak in 1990, teen pregnancy has declined significantly, but is still held as the center for much controversy, especially with recent reality television shows that many claim are “glorifying” teenage pregnancy (The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, 2014; Henson, 2011). Although numbers of pregnant teens are down, certain areas continue to struggle with this issue, and are seeking new ways to get the message across. This case study focuses on a series of print and transportation advertisements that were distributed in Milwaukee and Chicago from approximately 2009 through 2013 (Murray, 2013). The following study also showcases the stigmas surrounding the ads and links relevant coursework from chapters two, three, and four via the campaign’s choice of tactics.

I suppose no one ever really expects things to happen to them until they actually happen. At least, that’s how I viewed things until I got pregnant with my first and only child at fifteen years old. It’s almost exactly the way they portray it in Hollywood movies and television shows and books. Although, unlike those books and shows, I never lost any friends from this experience. I will say that people are much more understanding nowadays. Still, no one is ever really ready to be a mom, especially at fifteen.

Are teenagers capable of making responsible decisions? Many adults have argued that maturity is dependent on age and experience and, therefore, claims that teenagers do not completely understand the principles of effective decision-making. This claim is supported by the many choices that teenagers have made in the past. For instance, the issue of teenage pregnancy has been of great concern to both men and women in all cultures. Teenage pregnancy has generated intense controversy where some feel strongly that teenage pregnancy can lead to many complications and health risks because of their undeveloped bodies, while others firmly advocate that teens are capable of making healthy lifestyle choices. Random surveys were conducted on women who experienced motherhood at a very young age to reveal the outcomes of young parents and their children. The findings of these surveys provided information that was shocking to the public and increased the demand of preventing teenage pregnancies. Certainly, teenage pregnancy should be prevented because it places teenagers at a higher risk of developing medical complications, discourage teens from pursuing a higher education, and places a huge responsibility on teenagers who are not completely ready or are able to accept.

Over the past decade, teenage pregnancy has increased to eye-opening numbers. In 2015, the United States had over 200,000 girls that gave birth between the age of 15-19(CDC). Without question, this alarming statistic makes one realize that some females are skipping their young teenage years and moving toward parenthood. Unfortunately, one drawback in the United States is that these unplanned pregnancies have forced some young mothers to drop out of high school. Subsequently, this results in not only a life changing experience, but also a difficult road ahead to earn their high school equivalency. Even if some mothers go back to school, their lives are changed dramatically. In addition to that, the families are indirectly affected by teenage pregnancies too. There many emotions that go through the parents of a teenage mother. Some of these emotions include resentment, anger and embarrassment. As a result, some parents will let their anger get the best of them and kick their children out of their home, while some will feel the stress of helping their child raise a baby. Parents can feel overwhelmed that it can lead them to depression because they feel they failed to bring their child up properly.

The most recent statistic I could find was unfortunately from 2007. But I found that approximately 33,000 teens get pregnant per year and around 18,000 of those pregnancies end up being terminated each year making it so only 15,000 teens give birth each year. Teen pregnancy rates have have been on the decline in Canada in the last 25 years. You may know that the classic sign of pregnancy is missing one or more of your menstrual periods. Some other signs of pregnancy can be morning sickness (although it can happen at any time of the day”, unusual extreme cravings for certain foods, sore breasts or nipples, being more tired than usual, needing to pee a lot more than usual, and mood swings that typically don’t occur. If you experience any or all of these pregnancy symptoms you should go see your family physician to get accurate results.

The best way to promote teenage sexual health is to create a supportive environment with a wealth of accurate, holistic information. If students do not receive accurate information about sexual health from reliable institutions such as schools, they will find such information, albeit inaccurate, elsewhere. Adolescents often rely upon peers and mass media for sexual information (Igras et al. 558), which poses problems because peers are equally uninformed and the media presents distorted or inaccurate portrayals of sexual activity. Like abstinence programs, television, movies, and the Internet perpetuate gender stereotypes, but by demonstrating how the genders are supposed to act in sexual situations rather than teaching about it (Kittleson and Howard-Barr 73). Additionally, the media includes abundant sexual references without the necessary health information to back them up. The average teenager encounters over 14,000 sexual references each year, but only 1 in 85 discuss serious matters such as “abstinence, contraception, or marriage” (Kittleson and Howard-Barr 73). Abstinence only education programs and the media may be on opposite ends of the spectrum as far as attitudes toward sex, but are both equally uninformative because they

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.