...Teeange Pregnancy 3 What Are The Risks And Causes Of Teenage Pregnancy? There are many reasons as to why Teenage Pregnancy remains to be. Sexual activity beginning at a young age is thought to be caused by drug and alcohol abuse, lack of knowledge and parental guidance, as well as peer pressure. Television plays a role in what our children come to believe that how things should and shouldn't be. Some shows and movies portray life to be something other than that of being realistic. There was a time when HIV was a scare, but now that folk are seeing victims living with this disease longer due to the medication at hand, the use of condoms have decreased. Since the ninety's, teen pregnancy have decreased but remain to be at a high level. Some believe that pregnancy among teens are okay in that they are permitted to marry young. We the people in America don't see this as being normal. Americans see teen pregnancy as being a deficit, a henderance to life. Not only does teen pregnancy cause a delay in life for some, the health risks can be life threatening. Research shows that 85% of these pregnancies are unplanned, which in any population can increase the risk for problems. The biggest risk for teen mothers is delaying prenatal care or worse, 7.2% received no care at all. (Weiss, August 2013.) Some teens are ashamed of their situation and refrain from telling their parents or someone who would be able to guide them to the help needed. They are afraid of what would be...
Words: 1923 - Pages: 8
...Vulnerable Population Teenage pregnancy is common, preventable, and associated with negative consequences for both the teenager and the baby. Babies born to teenagers compared to older mothers have “lower birth weights, increased infant mortality, and increased risk of hospital admission, less supportive home environments, poorer cognitive development and if female, a higher risk of becoming pregnant themselves as teenagers” (“Teenage pregnancy: trends, contributing factors and the physician's role.,” 2007, para 1.). Teenaged mothers have a tendency to feel isolated because their friends are out having fun and these mothers are at home taking care of the baby. They also have an increase in mental health problems and have fewer educational and employment opportunities. (“Teenage pregnancy: trends, contributing factors and the physician's role.,” 2007). Demographics In the United States, teenage birth rate has seen a decline of eight percent from 2007 through 2009, reaching a historic low at 39.1 births per 1,000 teens aged 15 – 19 years. Birth rate for this age group fell in nearly all races in 2009 and were at the lowest levels ever reported in the United States (CDC: Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). In the State of Kansas in 1995 girls from the ages of 15 – 19 the birth rate was 94.6, in 1996 89.2, and in 1997 87.9, showing a steady decline in teenage pregnancies (CDC: Center for Disease Control and Prevention 2000). Locally, Planned Parenthood offers a...
Words: 1603 - Pages: 7
...Institute (AGI), a nonprofit agency that focuses on sexual and reproductive health research, policy analysis, and public education, teenage pregnancy has adverse consequences for the parents, the child, and society. Pregnant teens are less likely to complete high school and attend college than teenagers who avoid pregnancy. Many teenage parents live below the poverty level and rely on welfare. The children of teenage parents receive inadequate medical care, have more problems in school, and spend more time in prison than children of adult parents. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy (NCPTP) claims that teenage childbearing costs society about $6.9 billion annually; this estimate includes welfare and food stamp benefits, medical care expenses, lost tax revenue (teenage childbearing affects the parents’ work patterns), incarceration expenses, and foster care. In an effort to reduce teenage pregnancy and the problems associated with it, policymakers have recently focused on what causes the widespread poverty and welfare dependence that teen moms experience and have attempted to devise solutions to these problems. Some social critics argue that because pregnancy limits a teenager’s opportunities for education and well-paying jobs, many are forced to accept welfare to support themselves and their children. Only 64 percent of teen moms graduate from high school or earn a general education diploma within two years after they would have graduated compared with 94 percent...
Words: 2551 - Pages: 11
...Babies having babies; Teen Pregnancy not just a personal issue but an economic one too Kaplan University Babies having babies, teen pregnancy It is 2014 and the advancement in technology far surpasses what we have ever thought possible yet no resounding solution exist that would help us get a handle on teen pregnancy. Pregnancy and diseases that accompany teen sex has become a serious problem having irreversible effects on our society and economy. Although there has been a recent decline in the past several years teen pregnancy continues to plague our younger generation with consequences that span almost every facet of our economy. Ultimately creating a negative cycle for teens. Society has become immune to 16 year olds having babies and the programs geared toward prevention have become ineffective. Teen pregnancy has become something American’s would rather not acknowledge. Making the United States number one in teen pregnancy worldwide. Government funded programs are only free to the non-taxpaying individuals receiving services yet never putting back into the system. Ultimately this becomes a burden for the hard working, tax paying citizens. Over seven million dollars are spent on program in an attempt to promote abstinence and safe sex amongst teens. Billions of federal dollars are allocated annually, providing assistance to teens who find themselves in the precarious situation of becoming a parent. “As we all know, teen pregnancy is exceedingly costly. It...
Words: 1848 - Pages: 8
...Preventing Teen Pregnancy Institution Affiliation Name Introduction Prevention of teen pregnancy is a national priority. For instance, teen pregnancy and birth rates in the United States continues to be higher than other Western industrialized nations. To address teen pregnancy prevention, it is advisable first to understand what teen pregnancy is, causes of the teen pregnancy as well as the effect on the nation and fundamental community as well as a family (Nolan & Mary, 2009). Teen pregnancy is simply pregnancy in a female under the age of 20 at the time that the pregnancy is conceived. The act is associated with a variety of factors and effects. Prevention Teen pregnancy is a critical public health issue since it directly affects the instant and long-term welfare of a child, mother, and father. The act contributed school dropout among most of the female as well as increasing foster and health care costs. In addition, it has provided to a broad range of age-related problems for teen born children (Kaplan, Beth & Susan, 2007). Causes of teen pregnancy There couple of factors which contributes to teen pregnancy that include the following; Peer Pressure Teens habitually feel pressure to make groups or friends and fit in with their peers during their adolescence. Most of the times these teenagers let their groups influence their choice to have sex even when they are not fully aware or understand the consequences and magnitude associated with the action...
Words: 1727 - Pages: 7
...“Teen Moms and Adoption” Anthony Arcieri Dr. Bob Baron English 102 July 26th, 2012 OUTLINE History of Adoption A. Origination of Adoption B. Reasons For Adopting Early Pregnancy in the United States A. Teen Pregnancy B. Teen Moms Financial Struggles Emotional Struggles and Suicide Positives of Adoption A. Abortion Alternative B. Better the Quality of Life C. A Second Chance Arcieri 1 Recent studies in the United States have shown that thirty-four percent of teenage women will become pregnant at least once before the age of twenty. Of the 820,000 teen pregnancies each year seventy-nine percent occur out of wedlock, while one third never achieve a high school diploma or GED (Chappuis). It is estimated that about five percent of teen mothers end up putting their child up for adoption. As for the ninety-five percent of those teen moms that choose to raise their child on their own, many of them feel differently about their decisions once they attempt to balance the hardships of raising a child with living the life of a teenager ("Abortion.org"). This can easily lead to added stress levels, an unhealthy environment, and improper care for the child. One and a half percent of teen moms that decide to keep their child do not achieve a college degree before the age of thirty (Chappius) where as on average forty-three percent of adopted children end up in homes where at least one parent already has a college degree...
Words: 2812 - Pages: 12
..."If adolescent pregnancy prevention is to become a priority, then our strategy, as advocates, must contain two key elements: civic engagement and education"(Fonda Screen 1). In her book, Kids Having Kids, Maynard, encourages teenagers to wait until they are adults to have children. She explains in great detail, the cost and effects of having children at a young age. "Each year, about 1 million teenagers in the United States- approximately 10 percent of all 15-to- 19-year-old women become pregnant. Of these pregnancies only 13 percent are intended"(Maynard 1). This quote infers that teenagers are un aware of the consequences when having unprotected sex. "[Maynard argues] that the relevant one for assessing both the extent to which the teenage childbearing, per se, is the reason young mothers appear to fare so poorly over their subsequent lives and the source of the substantial costs government currently bears"(Maynard 53). There is a compelling statistical association between the age at which a woman has her first...
Words: 1265 - Pages: 6
...Unwed Mothers Is Teen Pregnancy the Problem? Institute for American Values This report comes from the Marriage Project of the Institute for American Values. Maggie Gallagher, the principal investigator, is an affiliate scholar at the Institute and the director of its Marriage Project. The Institute is grateful to Amara Bachu, Douglas J. Besharov, Norval Glenn, Dana Mack, Steven L. Nock, and Maris Vinovskis for their scholarly and editorial suggestions, and to the William H. Donner Foundation for its generous financial support of this initiative. The contributions of other supporters are also greatly appreciated. On the cover: Maternity (1950) by Milton Avery. Oil on canvas, 32 X 46 inches. Collection of Sally M. Avery. ©1999, Milton Avery Trust/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York, NY. © 1999, Institute for American Values. All rights reserved. No reproduction of the materials contained herein is permitted without the written permission of the Institute for American Values. ISBN 0-9659841-5-X Institute for American Values 1841 Broadway, Suite 211 New York, NY 10023 Tel: (212) 246-3942 Fax: (212) 541-6665 info@americanvalues.org www.americanvalues.org The Age of Unwed Mothers Is Teen Pregnancy the Problem? Executive Summary Why have three decades of intensive national effort to reduce teen pregnancy not been more successful? Largely because for three decades, we have framed the problem falsely. What we have called our “teen pregnancy” crisis is not really...
Words: 27687 - Pages: 111
...TEENAGE PREGNANCY IN AMERICA: AND OTHER RELATED COMPLICATIONS Teenage Pregnancy in America: And Other Related Complications Teenage pregnancy is defined as a teenager or underage girl (usually within the ages of 13–19) becoming pregnant. The term in everyday speech usually refers to women who have not reached legal adulthood, which varies across the world, who become pregnant (MedlinePlus 2008). Adolescent mothers are more numerous in western societies and especially in the United States. Today, young people are sexually active at an earlier age compare to the previous generation, and there are several associated consequences. Sexual activity among adolescents is often associated with unprotected sex or use of ineffective methods of contraception. A large proportion of adolescents are suffering from sexual transmitted diseases (STDs) and girls become pregnant and young mothers. Given the increase in teenage pregnancies and the consequences on the quality of life of the young people, an intervention, is needed starting in the middle schools. According to a study done in late 2009 by the Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI), a pro-choice organization, nationwide, teenage pregnancy rate was 71.5 pregnancies per 1,000 women ages 13 to 19 (Huffington Post 2010). Before intervention, however, it is essential to understand the factors underlying the premature and unprotected sex leading to unwanted pregnancies and STDs among adolescents. These risk factors include individual characteristics...
Words: 3679 - Pages: 15
...Teenage Pregnancy Name: Institution: Teenage Pregnancy Introduction One of the questions that arise at the mention of the teenage pregnancy is why different countries record different rates of teenage pregnancy, with others having high States of America is one of the countries that have recorded high rates of teenage pregnancy with its prevalence in the country rating higher than any of the Western industrialized nations. For instance, A National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy conducted in 2006 revealed that in the United States of America, 4 out of every pregnancy occur in women of younger age. They go ahead to explain that annually, the United States among other countries with high rates of teen pregnancy record approximately one million teenage pregnancy. The purpose of this essay is to provide a claim of evaluation that critically examines the statistics of teenage pregnancy and the relationship between depression and poverty on teenage pregnancy. Given the establishment of how bad the prognosis for teenage pregnancy is, this claim of policy intends to establish the link between this public health issue and depression and poverty. Relationship between Teenage Pregnancy and Poverty One of the steps towards with any issue that appears to be a predicament is to establish the root cause of that particular problem. In this case, therefore, the main purpose of this claim of evaluation is to find out the relationship or link between...
Words: 3274 - Pages: 14
...Teen pregnancies in the Philippines By Rebecca B. Singson Philippine Daily Inquirer Filed Under: People, Lifestyle & Leisure MANILA, Philippines—The sexual revolution has ushered in a period in which the average adolescent experiences tremendous pressures to have sexual experiences of all kinds. Filipino teens get a higher exposure to sex from the Internet, magazines, TV shows, movies and other media than decades ago, yet without any corresponding increase in information on how to handle the input. So kids are pretty much left to other kids for opinions and value formation when it comes to sex. Sexual misinformation is therefore equally shared in the group. Parents at home and teachers in school feel equally inadequate or uneasy to discuss the topic of sex with youngsters. The problem mounts because the barkada (gang) has a more profound influence than parents do and they exert pressure and expect the adolescent to conform to the rest of them. In fact, female adolescents whose friends engage in sexual behavior were found to be more likely to do the same compared to those who do not associate with such peers. If the teen perceives her peers to look negatively at premarital sex, she was more likely to start sex at a later age. Numbers Statistics in the United States show that each year, almost 1 million teenage women—10 percent of all women aged 15-19 and 19 percent of those who have had sexual intercourse—become pregnant and onefourth of teenage mothers have a second child within...
Words: 1642 - Pages: 7
...Teenage pregnancy among today’s Filipino youth http://opinion.inquirer.net/74517/teenage-pregnancy-among-todays-filipino-youth The National Youth Commission, supported by the Department of Health and the World Health Organization, convened the 2014 National Summit on Teen Pregnancy last April 24. This summit, which saw the active participation of adolescent youth, delivered a clear message: Adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH), or the lack thereof, is fast becoming the defining issue of this generation of young Filipinos. Without a robust response from all stakeholders, the Philippines is on track toward a full-blown, national teenage pregnancy crisis. Staggering facts support this call for concern. Recent (2014) data from the Philippine Statistical Authority (PSA) reveal that every hour, 24 babies are delivered by teenage mothers. According to the 2014 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality (YAFS) study, around 14 percent of Filipino girls aged 15 to 19 are either pregnant for the first time or are already mothers—more than twice the rate recorded in 2002. Among six major economies in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Philippines has the highest rate of teenage pregnancies and is the only country where the rate is increasing, per the United Nations Population Fund. According to Josefina Natividad, YAFS coordinator and director of the University of the Philippines Population Institute, young Filipinos have limited access to sex education and ASRH services...
Words: 6336 - Pages: 26
...English 111 Kennedy, Cecilia Proposal Paper October 27, 2010 To Finish or Quit? High School dropouts represent an important problem that affects thousands of students each year. Roughly one third of all students will drop out of high school without having received their diplomas. According to The National Center for Education Statistics, "only 86% of the class of 1998 graduated." Many students today choose to graduate from high school and continue their education further whether it is technical training or a more formal degree. Why is it that 14% of high school students do not graduate? There are various plausible explanations that could alter a student from completing high school. Some examples for not graduating could include pregnancy, poor influences, no friends, poor grades, or simply lacking the motivation to finish. Dropping out of school is not only an educational problem but a significant social problem as well. Indeed, it has obvious psychological, economical, and social ramifications. For example, dropouts may undergo a loss of self-esteem and turn to drugs or become a financial burden to society. Nearly every student struggles with meeting their personal goals pertaining to grades. Some students may strive for all A's while others struggle to complete an assignment. Students who are struggling to receive credit may find it easier to quit. For some, this option may be less embarrassing than trying to graduate and fall short and not being able to...
Words: 1063 - Pages: 5
...a teenager to get a good education. Some start to fail in school because they are hanging out with their boyfriend or girlfriend instead of doing their work. Throughout adolescence, teenagers are positively and negatively impacted by several relationships such as friends, family, and love relationships. Friends have a big influence on teenagers because they can say and do many of things to teenagers who think they were friends. They also start rumors and take their friends girlfriend or boyfriend and have them cheat on their friend. Some go out to drink, smoke, or to do drugs just to have fun but some think of driving home and most teenagers do not even make it to their driveways. Some teenagers who are so depressed about their social problems even think about committing suicide. Most start to hurt others turn into “goth’s” by dressing in all black. Many of depressed people show how they feel by dressing differently by acting out and hurting others in school. Parents have a big influence on teenagers because their children look up to them and 90% of them grow up to act and do things just like their parents did with them. Teenagers who have parents that are in jail, or do drugs do not always have a good education or a household. “Children who have experienced a family break-up may have lower...
Words: 7946 - Pages: 32
...defined as the termination of pregnancy. It is a surgical procedure, available in almost every country in the world, in which a fetus or embryo is removed from the uterus of a pregnant woman. According to an article made by the Herald-Journal, a U.S. newspaper based on Utah, 22% of all pregnancies around the world end in abortion. This means that every year millions of lives are destroyed before they even have the chance to breathe. These poor babies, who could have accomplished great things in their life – babies who are already alive – are killed deliberately by doctors. And everyday, more and more abortions occur as they are starting to be legalized in more countries. With that stated, I don’t agree with abortion and I definitely think it should be illegal in every country. As a teenager I’ve been warned and talked extensively about abortion by my parents, teachers, and relatives in general. Abortion is a very popular topic among adolescents. The reason why this is a very prominent issue among the people of my generation is because every day more and more teenage girls are getting pregnant. They don’t take sex seriously and are very irresponsible during intercourse. An internet article states that in the U.S. alone there are 820,000 teen pregnancies annually. This is very shocking because it means that 34% of all teenage girls in the States will end up pregnant before turning 20. Other alarming figures include that 8 out of 10 of these pregnancies are unintended and that 81%...
Words: 2002 - Pages: 9
