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Puspa Gautam
Professor: Simone
English: 1010
Dec. 11, 2015
Teenage Pregnancy
The prevalence of teenage pregnancy worldwide has become a major issue that
seriously impacts the future of the young women in recent years. It is viewed as an urgent crisis
as the number of teenage girls bearing children outside of mirage increases. The risk factors that
lead to teen pregnancy are participation in unsafe sexual activities, poor performance and
insufficient attendance of school, substance abuse, and low family income, under use of
contraception, deprivation and single parent families. This includes higher dropout rates and less
schooling, health and medical complication, poverty encircled life and decrease career
aspirations.
The United States has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the western
industrialized world. U.S teens are two and half times as likely to give birth as compare to teens
in Canada, around four times as likely as teens in Germany or Norway, and almost 10 times as
likely as teens in Switzerland. Teenage pregnancy is a rising factor throughout the world thats
caused by many unfortunate actions. The effects of early pregnancy include an unexpected rise
of responsibilities for teen and cause many health concerns for both teen and newborn child.
Teen pregnancy will be a challenge as teens typically lack skills needed to handle a pregnancy
and motherhood. Patience, maturity and ability to handle stress are required by pregnant mothers
of all ages.

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Adolescence can be a time filled with uncertainty and excitement. Boys and girls alike
worry about their looks, grades, peer pressure, dating, and their future. When sex is added to the
mix, another layer of anxiety or concern can bring about more complications to an overwhelmed
teen. The consequences of becoming sexually active during adolescence include pregnancy,
sexually transmitted diseases, and depression. High school is a time for teenagers to discover
themselves, explore their future, meet new people, try new activities, and become more
independent. Along with the new opportunities comes peer pressure and tough decisions. Among
the adolescents, peer pressure is a major factor that encourages the teenage boys and girls to
indulge in sexual activities. Many young people feel that they are under pressure to have sexual
relationships, even if they are not mentally and physically ready. Early dating, as early as 12
years of age, is another factor that contributes to teen pregnancy. Teens have inadequate
knowledge and unaware of safe sex. Most of them do not have the knowledge about the
preventive methods of pregnancy. Teenage behavior on sexual activities with uncertainty and
excitement. Early dating, unaware of safe sex, inadequate knowledge of preventive methods of
pregnancy. (Agyei, W.K.A.& Epeme, E.J). Many teenagers admit that they believe common
myths such as cant get pregnant the first time doing sex, cant get pregnant in certain sexual
positions and cant get pregnant if have sex during periods. Teens are unaware of the widespread
availability of contraception and many may scared to go to the doctors and to their parents to talk
about contraception. The main reason behind is that they are either too embarrassed or fear to
seek information about it. Girls who date older men are more likely to become pregnant before
they attain womanhood. Rape, sexual exploitations etc. also takes place that leads to unwanted
pregnancy among teenage girls. Rape does happen and is one of the reasons that teen
pregnancies occur. Rape by boyfriends, family members and even strangers can result in teen

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pregnancy. However, many teens feel pressure of a more subtle kind. Most teenage girl, who
engages in sexual activity, and especially those who do so before the age of fifteen, admits that
they wish they had waited but often they feel pressure from their boyfriends.
Teenage pregnancy can be devastating. Once it happens, there is no way going back. This
is why a lot of parents dont let their children date until 16. The immature and irresponsible
behaviors are arising due to complex teenage psychology that causes teenage pregnancy. The
lack of attention and affection from family resulting in depression forces them to seek love and
support from other people, especially members of the opposite sex. Teenage girls who belong to
the poor families are more likely to become pregnant. Teens who are not shown love and
affection from parents will seek it out with their peer group. Lack of supervisions before teens
are ready for independence is one the cause of pregnancy. Most people evade their children from
talking about sex. In some cases, they provide false information regarding sex and discourage
them to participant in any informative discussion about sex and also due to religious beliefs they
restrict teens from information. Families play a critical role in affecting the risk of adolescent
pregnancy. Family involvement should complement any program's best practices
recommendations. The following factors have been noted to reduce the risk of adolescent
pregnancy: parents with higher education and income; parental supervision; parents who hold
strong opinions about the value of abstinence (or protected intercourse); teens who have
supportive family relationships (connectedness), and teens who participate in a large number of
shared activities with parents. The following factors can increase the risk for adolescent
pregnancy: little supervision for teens; strict/overly controlling parents; low socioeconomic
status; a single parent; older, sexually active siblings or pregnant/parenting teenage sisters.
(Miller, 1998). According to teen pregnancy statistics, teen pregnancy rates have been declining

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in the United States since they reached a peak in1990. This decline is occurring among younger
and older teenagers, and among all racial and ethnic groups. The rate of the teen pregnancy,
however, is still higher in the United State than other in other developed or industrialized nations
such as Canada and most of Western Europe.
Low self-esteem is among the causes of teen pregnancy. Teen drinking alcohol and
substance abuse accompanied by unrestricted interaction with opposite sex can cause unexpected
pregnancy. Drinking lowers a teens ability to control impulses, leads to pregnancies that occur
between the ages of 14-21. There are many risks that teenagers take when they decide to have a
child at a young age. The baby, as well as the parents, may face long-time problems from the
pregnancy. Most teenage girls don't plan to get pregnant, but many do. Teen pregnancies carry
extra health risks to both the mother and the baby. Often, teens don't get prenatal care soon
enough, which can lead to problems later on. They have a higher risk for pregnancy-related high
blood pressure and its complications. Risks for the baby include premature birth and a low birth
weight. Author Leishman L June wrote on his article Pregnancy health Risks states that over the
worlds current population is made up of the young people, many of whom are sexually active
despite of limited knowledge or understanding of sex, reproductive health risks and related
consequences. These problems may include school failure, poverty, and physical or mental
illness. Most young boys and girls never think that sexual encounter could make them financially
responsible for the baby until turns 18 years old. A teenager can face multiple challenges during
a pregnancy that can include health concerns, family problems, judgment of peers and
psychological issues. It also has major consequences in life and can change education, but also
freedom, health, loss of friends and even families respect. Promoting abstinence as the best way
to prevent unintended pregnancy, providing comprehensive and medically accurate sex

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education both in and outside of school settings; advocating and supporting youth development,
public awareness and education campaigns. Another very important concerns for preventing teen
pregnancy are having a good guidance throughout the teenagers teen years. The guardians of the
teens play a crucial role in guiding the teen making the right choice in the life. Family members,
particularly parents if appropriate, need to be incorporated into teen pregnancy prevention
programs in order to enhance the life opportunities of pregnant and parenting teenagers and their
infants. Not having the proper and strong guidance the teenager has a higher chance of dropping
out or failing out of a school, such as being a high school dropout. By preventing teen for an
unplanned pregnancy, can significantly improve other serious social problems including poverty,
child abuse and neglect, father-absence, low birth weight, school failure, and poor preparation
for the workforce. Promoting positive parenting among young mothers can also improve their
childrens chance for success. Increasing parents knowledge about child development and
effective parenting strategies will help them buffer their children from many of the risks that
accompany early parenthood. Teenage mothers may feel like they are at greater risk for neglect
and abuse from different aspects. Another author Hutchins argues different pregnancy preventive
method. He stated that Effort to reduce teen pregnancy have traditionally focused on girls, but
researchers are speculating that targeting teen boys and young men can have significant effects
on preventing teen pregnancy as well. Boys and young men have for long been a neglected piece
of the teen pregnancy puzzle. Therefore, involving boys and young men as the other half of
the issue may prove to be a key part of the effective pregnancy prevention. The source is very
focused on promoting abstinence as the way to prevent unintended pregnancy. Some states in the
US have significantly different rates of teen pregnancy.

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As of 2014, the teen birth rate was 24 births per 1,000 teen girls. In 2013, among high
school students who were sexually active, 86% reported using any methods of contraception.
Among the states, New Mexico had the highest teen pregnancy rate, in 2010, with 80
pregnancies per 1,000 women in the age group (14-19 years), followed by Mississippi, Texas,
Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma. New Hampshire had the lowest rate, with 28 pregnancies
per 1,000, followed by Vermont, Minnesota, Massachusetts and Maine. Teen pregnancy rate was
declined between 1990 and 2010 by more than 50% among white, black and Hispanic teens.
However, pregnancy rates for black and Hispanic teens remain twice as high as the rate of white
teens. In 2010, the rates among black teens were 99.5 pregnancies per 1000 teens, the rate among
Hispanic teens were 83.5 per 1000 and the rates among white teens were 37.8 per 1,000.
In conclusion, teen pregnancy has several adverse effects and thus measures should be
taken to reduce its prevalence. It is necessary for schools, families and the society to help teens
understand the role of sex and sexual education rather than explore it on their own. Youth
development programs focus on supporting and encouraging young people, on providing young
people with skills that will help them succeed as adults, and on helping them form meaningful
relationships with adults and older peers. Young people need opportunities to acquire a broad
range of skills and to build connections within their community. There is a strong relationship
between educational and career plans and protection from adolescent pregnancy. Improving girls'
education and life options are correlated with reduced pregnancy and birth rates.

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Work Citation
Agyei, W.K.A. and Epeme, E.J. Social Problem International Journal of Family Planning.
1992. Site: web.a.ebscohost.com.libpro1.slcc.edu.
Dudley, James. Teenage Pregnancy Taylor and Francis. May 2014. Site:
web.a.ebscohost.com.libpro1.slcc.edu.
Miller, Dannielle. My mission 1998. Site: enlighteneducation.com.
Guttmacher Institute, U.S. Teenage Pregnancy Statistics National and State Trends and Trends
by Race and Ethnicity, www.teenpregnancystatistics.org.