Teenage pregnancy may have a lot of causes. As a teenage girl, you may become pregnant due to either of the following: one night stands, long-term relationships, or even rape situations.
Whatever the cause is, only one thing is clear – teenage pregnancy is a result of voluntary or involuntary sexual activity. And since birth control methods can also fail if you used it incorrectly, you might found yourself pregnant in your teenage years. Then, you have no choice but to prepare yourself from the negative effects of teenage pregnancy.
Social Effects
It is true that unplanned teen pregnancy is hard. There are many life-changing decisions that you need to face including: whether or not you will keep the baby, how you can cope with motherhood, or whether you will just create an adoption plan.
But the most immediate social effect of teen pregnancy is the fact that your body will change, and along with it, your lifestyle will follow as well. So as your body prepares for childbirth, you should avoid the following activities:
• Unhealthy eating patterns
• Lack of sleep
• Smoking marijuana or cigarettes
• Drinking alcoholic beverages.
Also one of the effects of teenage pregnancy is physical change. As your uterus expands, simple things such as different clothing choices and your inability to participate in sports may be depressing to you.
Emotional Effects
Moreover, dealing with unplanned pregnancy may be scary. This is a natural response. Other emotions that you’ll encounter include:
• Initial excitement
• Frustration
• Resentment
• Fear
• Confusion
Emotional effects of teenage pregnancy do not end with you. Your child may also suffer self-esteem problems if you let him or her grow up in a one-parent household. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, “One-parent families are becoming more tolerated in Western industrialized societies. However, they are often not successful.”
Children of teenage parents go through tremendous emotional pressure. They often feel unloved, especially if there are no father figures present in their lives.
Financial Effects
Also according to Gordon Hinckley, author of workshops for U.S. Conference of Mayors, “Children who grew up in single parent homes usually live below poverty.” This is because teen mothers are not yet prepared to handle the financial responsibility of having a child. Since she is usually left alone to raise the baby and earn a living, the last resort could be to rely on welfare or government aid.
However, all hope should not be lost. The effects of teenage pregnancy may be unavoidable, but a lot of people (including your family and friends) are there to help you along the way.