Teenage Pregnancy

Teenage Pregnancy is one of the most distressing problems that are prevalent in the United States. Statistics show that without a doubt, teenage pregnancy should be a national concern, not only because four out of ten women are bound to get pregnant before they even reach the age of twenty. Rather, it is because of the fact that teenage pregnancy has various adverse effects not only among the individuals involved, but also on the whole country as well.

Gaining attention through the use of popular media…

Various non-government organizations (NGOs) and government agencies have sought for various ways to significantly decrease the number of teenagers aged 19 and below. According to recent studies however, the most effective way to deliberately reduce the teenage pregnancy rate is through sex education through songs about teenage pregnancy.

Teenagers who have risky behaviors that are associated with the susceptibility to early pregnancy should be subjected to various education programs that increase awareness on the effects of this problem. Aside from regular lectures and discussions, most advocacy groups have tried to make use of the popular media in order to promote awareness. Among the most effective measures is through the use of songs about teenage pregnancy.

Why songs are effective mediums

Mass media allows one to promote ideologies, popularize a certain concept, and somehow dictate the trends and styles that will be prominent in the society. That is why studies show that programs that aim to reduce the incidence of teenage pregnancy should incorporate the use of popular media – primarily that of songs and music.

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Teenage pregnancy is definitely an alarming national concern in the United States. This is because 10% of annual births in the country belong to that of a teenage mother. While this number alone can be a clear-cut source of apprehension, there are far more facts on teenage pregnancy that can cause distress and concern among every citizen of the United States. Below are some of the most vital statistics published by the Guttmacher Institute regarding this social concern:

•    Teenage pregnancy is very prevalent. On a yearly basis, an estimate of 750,000 young girls aged 15 to 19 become pregnant. This means that 750,000 young girls are subjected to responsibilities that they are unprepared to face.

•    Among this pregnant population, it should be noted that only a few teen mothers planned to be pregnant in the first place. According to statistics, more than eight percent of all the teenage pregnancies are unintended. What’s more is that twenty percent of all the unplanned pregnancies in the United States every year fall under cases of teen pregnancy.

•    Facts on teenage pregnancy also showed that approximately 66% of all the cases happen to girls within the age range of 18 to 19 years old. This means that they are almost at the brink of adulthood and they are almost starting out on their way towards the fulfillment of their dreams but then suddenly, teenage parenthood demands a lot of lifestyle changes from them.

•    One of the most alarming facts on teenage pregnancy is that among all the cases of adolescent pregnancy, only 57% end in birth while the rest end either in miscarriage or abortion. This only implies that abortion is a popular choice among teenage mothers.

•    About 33% of all the pregnant mothers want to abort their babies. In this case, abortion seems to be the only easy way out from the responsibilities and hardships associated with becoming a young mom. However, it should be noted that abortion is very dangerous. If the pregnancy is not terminated by abortion, it can cause various serious birth defects to the unborn child. In the case of mother, he can suffer from hemorrhage, infection, infertility, and even death even if the pregnancy is terminated.

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Becoming a teenage parent can be very difficult. Girls who still regard themselves as young individuals who still need and want a lot of adventure are forced to face the task of becoming a young mom. Instead of studying and loafing around with friends their age, young moms should stay at home and watch their babies. More than often, young moms are also forced to make a living and earn enough money to sustain not just their own needs, but that of their babies. Young moms are also subjected to lots of physical and emotional stresses.

The need for support

Without a doubt, young moms need support from people around them. They definitely need the love and concern of their partner, as well as that of their family. Such can help them realize that they still have someone that they can rely on. However, aside from family members, young moms still need friends. This can come in the form of teenage pregnancy support groups.

With these support groups, young moms will have someone to relate to. Contrary to popular misconceptions however, these groups are not just composed of people who share the same problems about teenage pregnancy. Rather, experts – such as counselors and advisers – also join such groups. In various meetings, get together activities, and programs of these teenage pregnancy support groups, the members can talk about their situations, problems, and the hardships associated with becoming a young parent.

Finding support

There are many support groups that young moms can join. They just have to know when and how to look for these teenage pregnancy support groups. There are local groups and international ones. Prior to the searching phase however, young mothers should know what kind of support that they are looking for – they should determine the kind of activities that the group promotes, the general profile of its members, and its main objectives.

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People think that the definition of teenage pregnancy should be limited to the basic concept that girls aged 19 or younger already have the ability to conceive and reproduce. However, experts argue that everyone should look beyond the concepts in our vocabulary books.

Without a doubt, teenage pregnancy is one of the most devastating problems that can strike women regardless of their social class, educational attainment, and social inclinations. It is a widespread problem that concerns everybody primarily because it affects not only the teenage parents but their families, communities, and the whole society as well. Experts even note that in order to fully address this national problem, people should be taught to look at teenage pregnancy not just as somebody else’s burden but as a social phenomenon that concerns all.

Teenage pregnancy, a product of various social factors

When one considers the definition of teenage pregnancy, people should regard the problem as a product of various social factors – poverty, lack of education, liberation, democracy, and youth empowerment. Although the rate of teen pregnancy continuously decline year by year since 1990, it should be noted that still, the numbers are terribly alarming. According to experts, the decline should be attributed to the increase in the use of condoms but since no contraceptive provides 100% protection, teenagers should be taught the importance of abstinence. Such seems to be quite impossible since more and more teenagers are becoming sexually active.

Product of pop culture…

Looking at the social definition of teenage pregnancy, it should be noted that adolescent pregnancy is a product of the various components of pop culture. As observed, the youth of today are growing up in a society that promotes the idea that unmarried sexual relationships are very common and even “accepted”. This concept is promoted by various TV series, movies, music, and magazines. What’s more is that although premarital sex is regarded as an “expected action” from many teenagers, the society also lacks awareness and education on responsible sexual actions.

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Teenage pregnancy is a very alarming problem, especially in the United States. According to the recent statistics, the country has the highest rate of teen pregnancy among all the industrialized nations. In fact, there are 42.9 births for every one thousand teenage girls within the age 15 to 19 and four out of ten girls get pregnant as soon as they reach the age of 20. In this pregnant population, 80 percent were unintended and 79 percent of the pregnant teenagers are not yet married. Because of this continuously hiking number of pregnant teenagers however, many social groups and government agencies have been prompted to look for various ways on how to reduce teenage pregnancy in the soonest time possible.

Knowing the causes

In order to determine how exactly teenage pregnancy should be dealt with, action groups try to determine its various causes. According to experts, teenage pregnancy is often associated with many risk factors. That is why studies aimed at how to reduce teenage pregnancy look at the scenario as a general social phenomenon that is a product of several circumstances.

Based on earlier studies, a teenager who has been subjected to child abuse is more likely to be pregnant at an early age. Being poor and living with a broken family or in a single-parent setting also prompts an individual to engage in early sex which causes teenage pregnancy. Furthermore, engaging in various risky behaviors such as drug abuse and delinquency in the community can also be predictors of a teenager’s susceptibility to early pregnancy.

Possible solutions

According to experts, there are three general strategies that action groups can use in their quest to significantly reduce the incidence of teenage pregnancy all around the country. Foremost of which is to provide campaigns that promote abstinence. However, it should be noted that this approach is not effective especially in industrialized countries where sexually active teenagers are abundant.

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The Reality of life is that we have to deal with obstacles. What makes happy moments so special is that we go through tough times and eventually have better times. There are some people that don’t have enough strength to deal with the tough times, and some are simply misguided.

An obstacle that a teenager may have to deal with is early parenthood. It is easy to point fingers and blame people for what had happened, but it wouldn’t solve anything. A youngster would be going through the emotional effects of teenage pregnancy, and some parents may find it hard to understand what they are going through. People tend to alienate and loathe things that they don’t understand. This is why it is so important for them to know about the emotional effects of teenage pregnancy.

Feeling of inadequacy

Pregnant teenage girls may find themselves to have lower self esteems because of a couple of reasons; one of them being inadequacy. This is true for teens that have parents that have high expectations of them, especially for teens that have excelled and have done the “right thing” their entire lives. These could be teens that have had exceptional grades and have been very active with school. One mistake could spell disaster because they have never had the experience of making one their entire life and may have a hard time dealing with it. This is why it’s so important to let them know that everyone makes mistakes, and that there are always solutions to every problem.

Shunned by society

Even though teenage pregnancy happens more today than in past decades, it is still seen as a taboo in society. This is because the norm is that a person should be married upon getting pregnant; which is also the reason why a lot of teens are forced into marriage to people they don’t love because of early pregnancy. These teens also worry about what their peers think about them. They worry about being talked about in school, and seen as a girl that sleeps around. The emotional effects of teenage pregnancy could prove to have dire consequences if not dealt with correctly and with much sensitivity.

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One of the most beautiful things in life that a person could experience is having a child. There is an unspeakable bond between the parent and the child, which starts as early as the time they first hear about being pregnant. This is true, but it is good to have everything in place when you have a child such as finding the right partner, having a good job, and stable finances. The truth is that things don’t always go according to plan, and there are some consequences that you would have to learn to deal with. The negative effects of teenage pregnancy could prove to be catastrophic if not dealt with the right way.

Facing the facts

There are a lot of people that when faced with certain problems, think the easy way out is by turning their backs on it. Big mistake. The way a person should deal with any problem is through assessing the situation, locating the root of the problem, isolating it, and find possible solutions. Here are some of the negative effects of teenage pregnancy that families may have to deal with.

Change of plans

We all have our plans of pushing through with our dream jobs after college. Being a famous musician, traveling the world and writing about it, becoming an astronaut, are just some of the great things that we envision as early as the third grade. These plans are cut short when early pregnancy comes into the picture. The teenagers would have to find sources of income immediately, and would have to spend time with the child. There are countless stories of how parents never had the chance to do what they have always wanted because of early pregnancy. This leads to other negative effects of teenage pregnancy.

Living Vicariously

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We all have different dreams and plans for our future but oftentimes, they don’t always go the way we would like them to. There are certain things we do that lead to life changing consequences that may be good or bad. It’s how we deal with the consequences of our actions that make things better.

Parents only like what’s best for their children. Seeing them march during their college graduation, getting a good job, and having a family are just some of the joys that any parent could ask for. This is why it is so painful for them to find out that some of the wrong decisions made by their children have the chance to hinder their future. The psychological effects of teenage pregnancy can be one of the most difficult things a family could deal with.

Psychological effects of teenage pregnancy on parents

A lot of parents blame themselves when their children walk the wrong path. This could also trigger some other psychological effects on parents such as denial, rejection, and self-loathing. There are parents that choose not to face the problem, and turn their backs on their children. Others that blame themselves are consumed with guilt and may overwhelm their children with care and help. Both of these are definitely not a solution, but only create a bigger problem.

The problem with too much help

The psychological effects of teenage pregnancy have consequences that lead one after the other. Some parents think that they are helping their children when they shower them with assistance such as paying for all of the bills, going with the teenager at every appointment with the doctor, and arranging everything from the baptism to the first birthday party. While it is a good thing to help your child, he or she should learn to be more responsible especially since they are entering parenthood at an early age. This way, your child would become more assertive, and would know how to deal with certain problems that could come his or her way during parenthood.

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Teen pregnancy is a problem that a lot of families deal with one way or the other. It is a reality, and it’s not something that will not just go away if we turn a blind eye on it. There are a lot of reasons why this happens, some of which include a flawed sex education system, the awkwardness of a teen purchasing contraceptives and condoms, and teen rebellion. Sometimes this cannot be avoided, but there are ways of dealing with it. The impact of such an event affects the teens involved and the people around them. While the long term effects are quite obvious, there are long term effects of teenage pregnancy that should be considered by everyone concerned. These long term effects can be positive or negative, depending on how the pregnancy is dealt with.

Positive effects

Some children are simply hard to handle and can prove to be very irresponsible. This is caused by factors that are sometimes beyond the control of the parents. One of the positive long term effects of teenage pregnancy is a sense of maturity. Some wild teens may have a complete turn around and become more responsible with their lives because of apparent parenthood. Sometimes, it takes a big event in their lives in order for them to change. With the proper guidance and support, a teenager may find themselves studying harder so that he or she may eventually get a good job to support the child. This heavily depends on how the family treats the teen concerned.

Negative effects

The downside is that there are also negative long term effects of teenage pregnancy. This may affect the teenager’s child. Everyone has their own dreams and aspirations and they would often be cut short because of unplanned pregnancies. During the course of the child’s life, the parent that had had an early pregnancy may have the tendency of blaming the child unconsciously for their unattained goals. This could be manifested by the parent being too needy, too strict, or taking it hard on the child whenever he or she commits a mistake. This clearly isn’t a healthy relationship.

The long term effects of teenage pregnancy really vary from one situation from another. In the end, it’s a matter of how the teen and the parents deal with the situation. It’s a very sensitive event in the life of the teenager, and he or she should be given the proper guidance and support. Without the support of the parents, relatives, and friends, the teen would have a hard time coping and the negative effects would seem to be inevitable. GP

A lot of things change as a result of having a new member of the family. This can be a very sensitive subject if the mother is still in her teenage years. A lot of things go through her mind, as well as her parents and loved ones. It is essential that it is treated with proper care, and the girl is given guidance by more experienced people. There are certain physical effects of teenage pregnancy that a young mom would have to deal with, and it’s also important that her parents and loved ones know about it.

No more wild times

Most of us adults remember the vigor and the strength of our bodies when we were still in our teenage years. Crazy alcohol consumption, smoking, and partying all night didn’t have heavy effects on our bodies and it seemed as if we were invincible at this age. If the teenage mother is used to this lifestyle, she would have to learn to quite or put these on hold for a while.

What the mother consumes directly affects the development of the baby. It is important that the mom leads a healthy lifestyle when she is carrying the baby in her womb. Vices such as smoking and alcohol could cause serious problems to the baby’s development and may lead to retardation whether physically or mentally. The mother should also have the proper sleeping habits and get enough rest because she is actually feeding and nurturing two people (her body and the baby).

Psychological to Physical

The physical effects of teenage pregnancy may also find its roots in what happens to the mother psychologically. Because teenage pregnancy is still quite a taboo in our society, the mother may find her self often depressed. People that are feeling depressed often loses their appetites and this is something that is physically bad for both the mother and the baby. The topic should be dealt with much sensitivity and tact because it does lead to some bad physical effects of teenage pregnancy.

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