Category: Teenage Pregnancy

An Inside Look at Abused Children and Teen Pregnancy Child Development

Abstract

It is accepted by many that abused children are more likely to experience teen pregnancy than non-abused teenagers. Researchers single out several major reasons for that trend. The present paper dwells upon these reasons in detail. Thus, low self-esteem of abused children is regarded as the major factor contributing to the development of the existing trend.

Other factors include poverty, alcohol/drug use, sexual abuse, ineffectiveness of programs and incentives aimed at reducing the rate of teen pregnancy. Clearly, these factors are interrelated, so it is important to address all of these issues to solve the problem.

Teenage Pregnancy

Many people still think that teen pregnancy is simply an educational concern which should be touched upon in terms of sexual education of US children and teenagers. However, many researchers, scholars, educators, and officials agree that teen pregnancy is a social and economic issue which should be addressed.

Thus, it is estimated that teen pregnancy, i.e. pregnancy before 18, costs the United States about nine billion dollars each year (Brace, Hall, & Hunt, 2008).

Children of teen parents, mothers in the vast majority of cases, are often abused and neglected; they often underperform at school, have a myriad of health problems, and have problems with drugs and alcohol.

Notably, teen pregnancy rates have been declining since the 1980s nationwide. Brace et al. (2008) reports that the rate was about 116 per 1000 in 1990 and it was slightly over 40 per 1000 in 2004. It is necessary to note that such rates differ from state to state.

For instance, Alton (2011) points out that a decrease was not that significant in Texas. The researcher provides the following data: teen pregnancy rates decreased 37% nationwide and this rate decreased 25% in Texas (Alton, 2011). The same trends can be traced in some other states (e.g. Georgia).

Importantly, the teen pregnancy rate is significantly higher in teenagers who have been abused (Saewyc, Magee, & Pettingell, 2004). Saewyc et al. (2004) claim that different researchers provide quite different data, though all surveys show that there is a clear link between abuse and teen pregnancy.

It is important to note that the US government as well as various non-governmental organizations try to work out possible ways to solve the problem, or, at least, are trying to help teen mothers and especially the most vulnerable group, i.e. abused teenagers. Of course, to address the issue it is necessary to know the major causes of the problem.

It is possible to single out several factors which can be responsible for the existing trend. Thus, such factors as low self-esteem, which is the major factor, alcohol and drug abuse, poverty and violence, are all associated with teen pregnancy.

It is also necessary to note that ineffective strategies used to address the problem also contribute to the development of the existing trends. The present paper dwells upon the factors mentioned above in detail. Analysis of the influence of these factors will also be provided.

The Major Factor: Low Self-Esteem

Mooney, Knox, & Schacht, (2010) states that low self-esteem is often associated with abused children and are one of the factors that shape teenagers sexual behavioral patterns and lead to teen pregnancy. Notably, Berger (2008) claims that self-esteem is usually rather high during early childhood in many children. However, when it comes to abused children trends are a bit different.

Self-esteem decreases if a child is being abused. In the first place, abuse in early childhood leads to various diseases and disabilities (Mooney et al., 2010). For instance, the researchers provide an example of typical abuse:

Shaken baby syndrome, whereby a caregiver shakes a baby to the point of causing the child to experience brain or retinal hemorrhage, most often occurs in response to a baby typically younger than six months, who will not stop crying. (Mooney et al., 2010, p. 163)

Shaken baby syndrome sufferers often experience various disabilities. Of course, there are numerous other cases when parents or family members resort to violence when dealing with a child. This abuse leads to physical and, more importantly, to psychological trauma. This trauma makes abused teenagers feel they are different.

Of course, when a child or especially a teenager understands that he/she is not like others, the child or teenager develops low self-esteem. On one hand, children suffering from physical disabilities are often mocked at. They also need more effort to keep up with children without disabilities.

Therefore, they have more stresses in their academic life. On the other hand, if the teenager knows that disability was caused by a parent or a family member, the teenager feels anger or even hatred and distrust. Such teenagers often think they cannot evoke positive feelings (love, friendship, etc.) if their own parents or a family member have abused or used to abuse them (Berger, 2008).

It is important to note that these teenagers often have a few or no friends. First of all, abused teenagers feel ashamed of the fact they are being abused. They can hardly share this experience with their friends. They often cannot bring their friends home.

All this makes it difficult to maintain friendly relationships which require sincerity. Secondly, abused teenagers often feel they are more experienced in many ways. This is especially true when it comes to sexually abused teenagers.

This fact could be supported by ideas presented in the research carried out by Saewyc et al. (2004), who indicate that &those who had been sexually abused were significantly more likely than their nonabused peers to report pregnancy involvement and risk behaviors associated with teenage pregnancy (Saewyc et al., 2004, p. 101).

Admittedly, such teenagers understand that they know and have experienced what other teenagers have no idea about. This negative experience makes abused teenagers avoid friendships with other, usually non-abused, children. Clearly, lack of friends contributes to the development of low self-esteem as teenagers sink into a shell of distrust.

Low self-esteem is the major outcome, and the need to integrate into society, which, in its turn, leads to teen pregnancy. As has been mentioned above, abused children do not trust people. However, in the majority of cases these children seek for help, support and understanding as humans are social creatures.

These teenagers want to prove they can be a part of the society or at least a particular community or some subgroups since & when a teenager has been sexually exploited both within and outside the family, who can be trusted to help? (Saewyc et al., 2004, p. 102).

Sex is often seen as a sign of adulthood and toughness (Saewyc et al., 2004).. Thus, teenagers often try to start sexual life either to prove they are adult enough or to prove they are worth being a part of a specific community. It is important to note that females are especially vulnerable as they often regard sex as a way to keep a male.

These females have a very low self-esteem and, thus, they think only sex can help them keep their boyfriends. They do not deem that their own individuality, characteristic features, or their own achievements are enough to build proper relationships with males who will cherish them instead of using them.

As has been mentioned above, low self-esteem is the major factor contributing to the change of sexual behavior. It is also necessary to point out that this factor is closely connected with other factors which will be analyzed below.

More so, all these factors (low self-esteem, poverty and neglect, sexual abuse, alcohol/drug abuse) are interrelated. In many cases, teen pregnancy is the result of a group of these factors.

Other Factors

Poverty

It has been acknowledged that social status of a family influences child development greatly (Saewyc et al., 2004; Berger, 2008; Mooney et al., 2010). Children coming from such families are often abused as parents often try to wreak their anger on their children.

Apart from this, such children are often neglected as their parents do not have time to raise the children, as they need to work to support the family.

As has been mentioned above, these children are often neglected. Their parents do not talk to them and do not touch upon such themes as proper sexual behavior. Of course, teenagers find out a lot about sexual development and sexual behavior at school.

However, in the majority of cases teenagers adopt rules existing in their peer communities. The lack of parental support makes teenagers feel neglected and helpless. They start believing they have no future, in other words they develop low self-esteem.

Apart from unfavorable conditions at home, children coming from poor families have problems at school. Teenagers coming from poor families often feel frustrated at school as they underperform. More so, these teenagers lack commitment, and they are not ambitious.

They often think they cannot compete with other students and do not even think of higher education. These teenagers feel helpless and they want to find some sort of consolation in sex and developing relationships with peers.

Such authors as Scher (2008), Mooney et al. (2010) Alton (2011) state that it is also important to add that teenage pregnancy leads to increase of rates of poverty as teen parents often have low income and fewer opportunities.

Psychological Traumas Caused by Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse is another factor that leads to teen pregnancy. Thus, various surveys suggest that there is a certain correlation between sexual abuse and teen pregnancy.

Saewyc et al. (2004) reports that teenagers with a history of sexual abuse (incest as well as nonfamilial abuse) are more likely to be involved in teen pregnancy. Interestingly, researchers claim that males are more vulnerable in this group of teenagers:

The prevalence of pregnancy involvement among abused teenagers was substantially greater in males than in females. Among males, those who had experienced both incest and nonfamilial abuse had the highest proportion indicating pregnancy involvement; almost two in three such males in 1992, and one in three in 1998, had gotten someone pregnant. (Saewyc et al., 2004, p. 101)

One of the major reasons for such trends is that males find it more difficult to cope with their psychological trauma associated with the sexual abuse, which leads abused male teenagers to alcohol and drug abuse.

The correlation between alcohol/drugs abuse and teen pregnancy will be discussed below, so at this point it is possible to focus on other outcomes of sexual abuse.

Saewyc et al. (2004) singled out cultural factors which can lead to teen pregnancy. Thus, researchers mention that irrespective of certain liberalization of sexual identity conventions, homosexuality is still condemned. Thus, same-gender sexual abuse makes teenage males try to prove they are heterosexual.

Fathering a child is regarded as a sign of heterosexuality. However, even if males were sexually abused by older females, abused teenagers can try to father a child as this is seen as a sign of their masculinity as it is believed that males should initiate any relationship, especially sexual intercourse (Saewyc et al., 2004).

Alcohol/Drugs Abuse

Admittedly, substance abuse is often associated with teen pregnancy. Teenagers who use alcohol or drugs before sexual intercourse are much more reckless. They do not usually use condoms or other birth control means (Saewyc et al., 2004). It has been estimated that abused teenagers are more likely to use alcohol and drugs:

Some 2734% of abused females reported regularly using alcohol or other drugs before intercourse, compared with 26% of non-abused adolescents& For males, the
ndings were similar to those for females, but the differences were more pronounced. (Saewyc et al., 2004, p. 101)

Clearly, abused teenagers start using alcohol and drugs to find consolation and some sort of relaxation. Many abused children leave their homes, which is often associated with drug or alcohol abuse.

It is also important to note that the use of drugs or alcohol is often associated with poverty and low self-esteem. Using drugs or alcohol makes teenagers feel they fit in with the society or, at least, some part of it. The use of drugs or alcohol helps teenagers to become more confident because they feel relaxed and they often act irresponsibly.

Ineffective Programs

Finally, ineffective programs aimed at addressing the problem also contribute to increase of teen pregnancy rates (Scher, 2008). As has been mentioned above, the rate of teen pregnancy is decreasing steadily. Nonetheless, the rate is still too high, especially in some states.

Alton (2011) states that various programs and incentives fail because of large populations and the necessity to cover large areas. The programs simply cannot cover all stakeholders.

Furthermore, Alton (2011) notes that the lack of skilled employees is also a big problem for various programs and incentives. Finally, some programs simply fail to address the problem as they fail to single out major factors contributing to the increase of teen pregnancy rate.

Abused children are likely to experience teen pregnancy due to several major factors such as low self-esteem, poverty, traumas associated with sexual abuse, alcohol and/or drug use, and ineffective programs aimed at reducing the rate of teen pregnancy.

It is necessary to note that these factors are closely connected and even interrelated. However, self-esteem is still the major factor even if a teenager is not affected by some of the other factors mentioned above; low self-esteem is always present in teen parents.

Therefore, to reduce the teen pregnancy rate, it is important to take into account all the factors mentioned above.

Of course, the US government, local authorities, educators, parents should understand that abused children require special attention as they are especially vulnerable. This group should be involved in various projects aimed at raising awareness about consequences of certain sexual behavior and teen pregnancy.

Abused children should feel support of their parent(s), peers and the entire society. They should feel a part of the society. This will help them improve their self-esteem and avoid various problems, including teen pregnancy.

References

Alton, F.L. (2011). The challenge of preventing teen pregnancy in Texas. Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk, 2(2). Web.

Berger, K.S. (2008). The developing person through childhood and adolescence. New York, NY: Worth Publishers.

Brace, A.M., Hall, M. & Hunt, B.P. (2008). The social, economic, and health costs of unintended teen pregnancy: The circle of intervention program in Troup County, Georgia. Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association, 1(1), 33-46.

Mooney, L.A., Knox, D. & Schacht, C. (2010). Understanding social problems. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.

Saewyc, E.M., Magee, L.L. & Pettingell, S.E. (2004). Teenage pregnancy and associated risk behaviors among sexually abused adolescents. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 36(3), 98105.

Scher, L.S. (2008). What do we know about the effectiveness of programs aimed at reducing teen sexual risk-taking. In S.D. Hoffman & R.A. Maynard (Eds.), Kids having kids: Economic costs & social consequences of teen pregnancy (pp. 403435). Washington, DC: The Urban Institute.

The rates of teenage pregnancy in the United States are still high. Despite this, the American media does not pay enough attention to the issue. At the same time, teenage pregnancy can and should be regulated, with the participation of adolescents, their friends, parents, teachers, advocates, health workers, and the media. This paper aims to address the issue of teenage pregnancy in New Jersey and identify the parties that influence young peoples decisions related to sexual behavior.

Teenage Pregnancy in the Media

American CNN journalists write about Tanzania, and Sierra Leone bans for pregnant teenage girls to visit schools, El Salvador teenage raping, immigrant teens abortion, and Indian child brides, but pay no attention to US problems. ABC News materials are mostly dated 2016-2017 and earlier, but some of them are notable. The most recent news is dated December 2018, and it is about killing a teenage pregnant girl by her ex-boyfriend.

Also, two ABC News story articles address the topic of young future moms and school principals relationships; in both cases, schoolmasters behave extremely incorrectly. The director of the Christian school, Heritage Academy, Maryland, where Maddie, a 17-year-old, had her classes, forbade her to attend graduation ceremony (Wright & Hawkins, 2017). Therefore, the girls parents organized a private party for her on their own. Maddie also received $ 16,000 from a local human rights organization and many gifts for her future child from supporters around the US.

Nonetheless, Maddie was disappointed with the principals and teachers attitude, as they stopped talking to her and ordered her to sit at the end of the class, separately from other students. This happened after Maddie wrote several letters to the principal and teachers, in which she apologized for upsetting them and asked for forgiveness (Wright & Hawkins, 2017). Parents, and a boyfriend, who studied in college and had a job in a neighboring state, supported Maddie, saying they do not share the views of the school principal. Maddies father even decided to leave the school board after the incident. This story allows concluding that although the Heritage Academy is a Christian school, its leadership and teachers had demonstrated anti-Christian ethics when it came to school reputation.

In another case, the expectant mother, Hannah Talbert, posted on Instagram photos, which showed her growing belly. The editor Anderson Bonilla selected some for publication in Surveyor, the schools yearbook (McGraw, 2016). The director of Mount Vernon High School, New York, immediately called both the editor and Hannah and banned the publication. Moreover, a new clause was introduced in the school rules, according to which the editor was deprived of the right to publish images without the principals consent (McGraw, 2016).

Hannah was surprised by the directors reaction, noting that she didnt want anyone to find her photo provocative. She said, Its just skin and just a baby in there& Im not trying to be provocative. I think its because Im 17 (McGraw, 2016, para. 8). The school administration did not comment on the event; however, journalists suggest that the decision was made out of fear of harming the schools reputation  just like in the first case.

Aberdeen.com presents two convincing materials on the lack of parents attention to their childrens sexuality education, noting that teenagers are more open to dialogue than their parents. There is also an article on the factors that influence the decisions to start a sexual life, where authors note that peers are the greatest influencers of each others choices. There is also disturbing material about expectant mothers trying to reduce the weight and size of their unborn children by smoking cigarettes. Besides, there is an article that reveals all the secrets of sexting.

Decision-Making Factors

Since adolescents are part of the society they live in, they are transmitters of its social norms. According to a study conducted through the analysis of social media posts, female teens who violate social standards often face bullying, shaming, and stigma (Barker, Subramanian, Selman, & Austin, 2019). Common arguments against teenage pregnancy range from potential socioeconomic harms to life-course rationales that view adolescence as a special, carefree period in life (Barker et al., 2019, para. 4). Scientists conclude that health workers should change preventing teenage pregnancy strategies, which provoke condemnation of pregnant young women.

The good news is that parents and friends influence the opinions of teenagers more than society does. According to the study, parents and friends advice to delay sex and use contraception was associated with lower sexual intentions and higher levels of contraception use (Donoghue et al., 2017). Scientists also emphasize that peers have a more significant impact on teenagers than parents. The possibility of an open dialogue with teenagers seems to be extremely important since individuals usually make wrong decisions being isolated or under pressure.

However, while parents and peers are interested in the well-being of a teenager, the media may have mercantile goals. Scientists assume that it is important to help viewers understand how the media influences their beliefs and behaviors in dating and sexual relationships (Rodenhizer, Siller, MacPherson, & Edwards, 2019, para. 1). This conclusion bases on the results of a study of college womens perceptions of Jersey Shore and 16 and Pregnant / Teen Mom and dating violence attitudes and behaviors.

Most participants believed that Jersey Shore and 16 and Pregnant / Teen Mom depicted dating violence. Scientists also found that dating violence commital related to opinions that the Jersey Shore was a fun show to watch (Rodenhizer et al., 2019). Moreover, encouraging views toward dating violence were inversely related to opinions that Jersey Shore was abusive. Scientists did not conclude that these shows contributed to the promotion of dating violence, but the results of the study show they did.

Teenage Pregnancy Related Laws

Parental involvement (PI) laws are a controversial issue; still, it should be discussed. Recently, scientists revised evidence that PI laws do not affect teenage decisions on sexual behavior. They found that PI laws may increase in the probability that sexually active minor teen females use birth control (Sabia & Anderson, 2016, p. 55). To date, thirty-six states apply laws that require a teenager to notify or obtain the consent of one or both parents to terminate a pregnancy (Abortion and parental involvement, 2019).

However, advocates managed to convince the Supreme Court to amend the laws and protect the interests of teenagers. According to the latest amendment, parents cannot veto their childs decision on abortion. On the other side, these laws are urging adolescents to tell parents about their problems and get their support (Abortion and parental involvement, 2019). In this regard, human rights activists emphasize that if teenagers are not sure if they can trust their parents, they should contact a qualified healthcare provider.

Teen Prevention Education Program in New Jersey High Schools

The Teen Prevention Education Program (PEP), which operated in New Jersey and North Carolina High Schools, should also be discussed. Throughout the course, 11th and 12th-graders delivered workshops on sexual health topics to 9th-grade students (Rotz et al., 2016). Participants were selected through an application process to serve as peer educators and trained by the faculty advisors. The goal of educating program included reducing teen pregnancy and transmission of HIV / AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

The program statistics showed slight changes in perceptions of birth control, having sex at current age, being pregnant, or got someone pregnant, and changes in intentions of having sex and using contraception. The issues of decision-making  refusal skills, thoughtfulness, visiting clinic for STI-testing  and PEP-communication cases, like speaking to a healthcare practitioner, were discussed in the workshops (Rotz et al., 2016). There is also information that three school medical centers were organized recently in three public schools in New Jersey (Howe, 2019). However, scientists do not provide information about the work of the centers staff regarding teenage pregnancy.

Thus, the issue of teenage pregnancy in New Jersey was discussed. Two revealing stories of schoolgirls from neighboring states  Maryland and New York presented a comprehensive view on schoolchildren and teachers relations. To summarize it, peers, parents, society, the media, and laws all have considerable influence on teenagers decisions about sexual behavior. Teen PEP program launched in New Jersey and North Carolina High Schools deserves special attention, as a highly beneficial project which has already shown its first results.

References

Abortion and parental involvement laws. (2019). Web.

Barker, K. M., Subramanian, S. V., Selman, R., & Austin, S. B. (2019). Gender perspectives on social norms surrounding teen pregnancy: A thematic analysis of social media data. JMIR Paediatrics and Parenting, 2(2), e13936.

Donoghue, C., Bonillas, C., Moreno, J., Cardoza, O., & Cheung, M. (2017). Young peoples perceptions of advice about sexual risk-taking. Sex Education, 17(1), 73-85.

Howe, J. (2019). The implementation and operation of three school-based health centers in New Jersey. Web.

McGraw, M. (2016). Teen mom photos cause controversy at high school. ABC News. Web.

Rodenhizer, K. A. E., Siller, L., MacPherson, A. R., & Edwards, K. M. (2019). Reality check! Perceptions of MTVs Jersey Shore and 16 and Pregnant/Teen Mom and dating violence attitudes and experiences. Journal of Interpersonal Violence.

Rotz, D., Goesling, B., Crofton, M., Trenholm, C., Manlove, J., & Welti, K. (2016). Interim impacts of Teen PEP in New Jersey and North Carolina High Schools (No. 74b7aa859c364d8c920644a131a769f8). Mathematica Policy Research.

Sabia, J. J., & Anderson, D. M. (2016). The effect of parental involvement laws on teen birth control use. Journal of Health Economics, 45, 55-62.

Wright, D., & Hawkins, S. (2017). A pregnant teen in a class by herself. ABC News. Web.

Definition of the Problem

Teenage pregnancy refers to a situation where girls get pregnant and give birth before the age of 20. Planned Parenthood (cited in CDC, 2015) says that most teenage pregnancies occur among girls aged 18-19 years. Many of these births are results of unplanned pregnancies. They account for 20% of unplanned pregnancies in the United States (HHS, 2015). Although the rate of teen pregnancy in the United States (U.S) is slowly declining, the CDC (2015) says that in 2013, 273,105 babies were born from teenage pregnancies. According to the global statistics on teenage pregnancy, the US has a higher teenage birth rate than most developed countries, including Canada and the United Kingdom (U.K) (HHS, 2015). This is a worrying concern.

Justification of the Problem

Teenage pregnancy is an important public health issue because it affects societal and population health. For example, girls who become pregnant before their 15^th birthday are likely to suffer from increased health risks during pregnancy because their bodies are usually underdeveloped to sustain a pregnancy and carry it to full term (WHO, 2015). However, the negative effects of pregnancy for teenage mothers who are above 15 years are more socioeconomic than biological. Teenage pregnancy, if unresolved could lead to negative socioeconomic outcomes for the teenage mothers and their families. The WHO (2015) says that many teenage pregnancies that end in birth often lead to poor emotional and physical health for the new mothers. The babies are also likely to suffer from poor physical health. Research also shows that teenage pregnancies also increase the chances that a mother and her child would live in poverty and possibly have poor educational outcomes (WHO, 2015). Such eventualities would limit their prospects of getting a good job. Based on the above-mentioned effects of teenage pregnancy, it is important to consider it an important public health issue.

Resolving the Issue

Years of research have revealed what works and fails when tackling the problem of teenage pregnancy. Relative to this assertion, decades of research have revealed that quality sex and relationship education emerge as the top solutions to managing this problem because they help teenagers to make informed decisions about their reproductive health (HHS, 2015). The same research also reveals that increasing access to effective contraception is also crucial in minimizing incidences of teenage pregnancy. The two factors are interdependent because sex education is pointless if teenagers do not have access to contraceptive services. Similarly, teenagers would be unable to make the right choices of contraceptive services if they did not have proper sex education. Therefore, tackling the teenage pregnancy problem in America revolves around the two issues  quality sex and relationship education and adequate access to effective contraception.

References

CDC. (2015). Teen Pregnancy in the United States. Web.

HHS. (2015). Trends in Teen Pregnancy and Childbearing. Web.

WHO. (2015). Adolescent Pregnancy. Web.

The journal article by Jerry D. Marx, Fleur Hopper Faith-Based versus Fact-Based Social Policy: The Case of Teenage Pregnancy Prevention published in Social Work, Volume 50, 2005, is dedicated to the idea of teenage pregnancy in the United States. The authors develop the idea from the evaluation of former President Bushs policy based on religious approach towards the problem of social legalization, for example, abortion, gay marriages, teenage pregnancy, particularly, calling him the best religious president among his predecessors who did not permit such immoral initiatives. The policy of a wider engagement of different religious foundations and organizations so that to lessen the rates of teenage pregnancy in the United States was provided by George Bush Jr.

The historical cut of the USA foundation gives additional points as of support of the traditional intentions of Americans to prevent social drawbacks by means of a religious framework. It concerns the analysis since the puritans first having settled on the American continent until nowadays. Faith-based initiatives outlined by the authors in the article are faced to the time when immorality was a reason for poverty in the society, and every step of human beings was controlled by church-administered policy of abstinence-only-until-marriage. This old-fashioned type of solution seems to be effective because there is no reliable alternative for social programs aimed to touch upon teenagers souls and minds.

Such an approach to the past is not surprising due to the official statistics. In accordance with it, the US is a major leader of teenage pregnancy rates among other well-developed countries, and the data show such numbers of correlation as of the frequency of such phenomenon in masses: in the year 1997, the rate of pregnancy among teenagers was 93.3 pregnancies per 1,000; the teenage birth rate for the same year was 52.3 per 1,000. (280+) In contrast, in the Netherlands, this indicator in the same year was only 8.2 per 1,000.

Then the evaluation of social, economic, and personal expenditures within adolescents is taken into account so that to make stresses on the educational, financial, and personal social negative factors. In other words, teenagers are not able to behave as parents when being yet children. Moreover, the lack of high school completion is a point that prevents teenage mothers from developing their further work and carrier prospects. This results in low earnings of money.

To prevent unwanted pregnancy and cases of abortion, as a result, the government of the United States provides and financially supports the abstinence-only-until-marriage education program for adolescents. Some of the social organizations, namely the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, Advocates for Youth, Sociometrics Corporation, Child Trends, etc., made several reviews full of information as for sexual responsibility and ways of pregnancy prevention on the initial stages. These education programs found some sort of positive effect on teenagers but failed in terms of the start of sexual activity among participating teens. Fortunately, the researchers found other programs of how to prevent teenage pregnancies numbered in 50 curriculum examples. Though, the legitimacy of social perspectives is considered to be the core element for the further evaluation, consideration, and prevention of teenage pregnancy rates.

Works cited

Marx, Jerry D., and Fleur Hopper. Faith-Based versus Fact-Based Social Policy: The Case of Teenage Pregnancy Prevention. Social Work 50.3 (2005): 280+.

Introduction

Teenage pregnancy can be defined as a pregnancy that occurs in young girls below the age of twenty, regardless of whether they are married or of adult age (Christensen and Rosen 1). Teenage pregnancy has been increasing at an alarming rate, especially in the United States, Africa, and the United Kingdom. It has become a global concern because it affects not only the teenager and her family but society in general. An Increase in teenage pregnancy will, in the end, lead to increased child poverty as well as degradation of the childs well-being.

Causes of teenage pregnancy

One of the major causes of teen pregnancy is the absence of affectionate supervision from parents or guardians. In the current society, parents are either too busy or too permissive. Apart from the provision of basic needs, parents and guardians are not involved in the emotional stability of the girl child.

Teenagers, especially girls, go through intriguing situations and changes in which they need parental support to understand and accept the changes. In case they lack this affectionate supervision from their parents, they seek answers from boyfriends who seem to be giving the affection and attention that ends up in a pregnancy.

Another major cause of teenage pregnancy is peer pressure. As children grow into their teenage hood, there is increased pressure to fit into certain peer groups. The peers may then push the girl into having sex to fit well in their group. In addition to this, modern society allows teenagers to have a lot of time and space with the opposite sex on their own, which results in instances of pregnancy at teenage hood.

Other factors key to this concept are sexual abuse as well as the use of drugs and alcohol. Teenagers are exposed to alcohol and drugs, making them lose control over their sexuality when drunk, thus leading to pregnancies. Sexual abuse, on the other hand, occurs when girls go for sex for pleasure without understanding the sexual impact. It is also evident when an adult sexually victimizes a teenage girl or a minor (Health Care Veda Ezine 1).

The lack of sex education in schools for teenage girls has also contributed to increased teen pregnancy. This is because it leads to indulgence in sexual activities without understanding the possible effects. It is, therefore, important to let girls understand issues surrounding sex and their sexuality as well as the possible impacts.

This is the duty of teachers, religious, parents, and the entire society to impart knowledge (Christensen and Rosen 1). On the other hand, the media has contributed to teenage pregnancy by advertising and showing programs, talk shows, as well as playing songs that advocate for sex. This makes teenagers practice what they see in the media, thus ending up with pregnancies.

In most cases, teenagers do not have the knowledge of using and accessing contraceptives, something that contributes to teenage pregnancies. Other factors, such as socio-economic and environmental issues, are instrumental in causing teenage pregnancies.

Effects of teenage pregnancy

The effects of teenage pregnancies are many and unpleasant. Besides getting pregnant, teenage girls and their children are at risk of being infected with STDs, including HIV/AIDS. Additionally, there are health implications associated with early sex and pregnancies, such as obstetric fistula, infant death, maternal death, eclampsia, and cervical cancer. In addition, other complications come about due to the undeveloped pelvis of the teenage girl (Health Care Veda Ezine 1).

Teenage pregnancy also brings about physical and psychological trauma to the girl since she is faced with many dilemmas exposed to her by the family and society. It also makes the parents feel ashamed because of their alleged negligence as viewed by the public or society (Christensen and Rosen 1). Lastly, teenage pregnancy has largely contributed to child poverty since the girls are forced to drop out of school to take care of their babies.

Conclusion

It can thus be concluded that teenage pregnancy is a problem for the entire society. Moreover, since it is largely caused by factors in society, it is the obligation of every member of society, including religious leaders, parents, teachers, and teenagers themselves, to participate in addressing the issue.

Works Cited

Christensen, Sue, and Rosen, Ann. Teenage Pregnancy. 2011. Web.

Health Care Veda Ezine. What are the causes of teenage pregnancy? 2011. Web.

Introduction

Nursing roles are designed to meet the needs of patients with diverse backgrounds and needs. RNs are skilled professionals who can collaborate to advocate for the health challenges associated with high-risk groups and underserved populations. In most cases, vulnerable citizens tend to receive poor quality, unsustainable, and uncoordinated care. A good example of such individuals is teenagers who become pregnant. Due to the absence of proper support, these young individuals lack timely prenatal care and skills to support their developing fetuses. RNs can rely on their massive numbers, leadership skills, and competencies to advocate for the medical needs of this high-risk group. This paper focuses on the demands of this population and how to improve their health outcomes.

Background Information

Teenage pregnancy is a common challenge that disorients the delivery and availability of health services in the country. Over the years, the rate of young women giving birth in their teen years has been declining. Current statistics reveal that around 16.7 per 1,000 births are attributed to females below the age of 19 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d.). Individuals belonging to minority groups record higher percentages of teenage pregnancy, such as Hispanic females at 5.2 and non-Hispanic Black women at 1.9 percent (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d.). These trends explain why additional support for these women is recommendable.

While teen pregnancy is a problematic concern, the country has been recording declining cases in the past few years. This trend could be linked to the presence of timely educational programs and community programs. More teenagers now appreciate the importance of responsible sexual activities and abstinence (Ribas, 2021). The remaining percentage of underserved individuals will call for proper initiatives to meet their needs. The ultimate aim is to advocate for the changing needs of this high-risk population.

Healthcare Need: Prenatal Care

Irrespective of age, young girls who become pregnant should have access to timely, personalized, and high-quality prenatal care. This medical support will ensure that their fetuses grow to become healthy babies. Unfortunately, most young individuals will be unable to get much-needed healthcare due to various challenges, such as increasing stigma from members of the public (Young & Kroth, 2017). Sometimes the young female might realize that she is expectant when it is too late. These aspects could explain why some individuals might take long to access proper care.

Importance of Prenatal Care

During teenage pregnancy, most girls are usually at a higher of developing various problems. Ribas (2021) indicates that such young girls might record higher blood pressure and anemia. In some cases, teenage pregnancy could result in the birth of underweight or premature babies, a risk factor for additional medical complications. It becomes critical that RNs remain involved to focus on the needs of this population and ensure that they get adequate iron, folic acid, and calcium supplements.

Nutrition

Nutrition for pregnant teenagers has remained an ignored issue or topic in different societies. This problem exists due to the challenges associated with young children who become expectant due to various reasons. Nonetheless, these individuals need to receive around 400 micrograms of folic acid on a daily basis (Ledowsky et al., 2022). Iron and other minerals are needed to ensure that fetuses develop normally, thereby reducing the chances of premature birth. Some of the important sources of such nutrients include beans, leafy vegetables, and egg yolk (Ribas, 2021). The involved caregivers should ensure that teenagers who are expectant have balanced diets.

Resources Available to Pregnant Teenagers

Different resources are available to teenagers who become pregnant in the country. Local departments and health clinics provide timely medical support, prenatal care, and guidance to young women below the age of 19 (Young & Kroth, 2017). Adoption organizations, such as American Adoptions, are involved in the provision of counseling and empowerment. The agency is ready to adopt children who might b unable to receive the necessary care from their underage mothers. Planned Parenthood and National Parent Helpline are key institutions that collaborate to meet the needs of all women during pregnancy and childrens growth stages. Unfortunately, the issues associated with these high-risk groups could decrease their uptake of such resources.

Economic Priorities

The American federal government needs to liaise with local and state agencies to monitor and prioritize the economic needs of pregnant teenagers. The key areas needed to be considered include the need for additional hospitals, community centers, and opportunities for economic empowerment (Young & Kroth, 2017). The relevant stakeholders can hire more RNs and introduce new mechanisms for improving care delivery to these underserved individuals.

Challenges

Many pregnant teenagers encounter a wide range of challenges in their respective communities. Specifically, they tend to lack adequate support and empowerment from other members of society. They find it hard to receive timely medical care and support. The absence of proper mechanisms to provide financial support worsens their life outcomes (Fernandes & Medeiros, 2020). Some of them would be unable to pursue their educational goals. These predicaments are linked to increasing cases of poverty and the inability to record meaningful social mobility.

Key Issues

The complicated nature of teenage pregnancy presents numerous challenges in the manner in which professionals provide support to members of this high-risk population. Some of the key concerns to take into consideration include the possibility of legal concerns, such as rape and abuse in the domestic setting. A number of underage girls might choose to hide their pregnancies, thereby making it hard for practitioners to offer proper medical care (Fernandes & Medeiros, 2020). Some parents might remain uninvolved in the process of prenatal care and the provision of relevant support after birth.

Ethical Concerns

Experts in maternal care, such as policymakers, insurers, and medical experts, identify various ethical issues associated with teenage pregnancy. In some cases, some of the individuals who become expectant might be unable to meet the needs of their newborn babies (Mangeli et al., 2017). In specific scenarios, rape, and child abuse could be the cause of early pregnancies in most girls. When these people become pregnant, chances remain high that they will be unable to complete their education, thereby being unable to record meaningful social mobility.

Societal Issues

Being a societal concern, healthcare providers need to understand that teenage pregnancy triggers numerous challenges. When examined from an informed perspective, this problem will be linked to various attributes of the wider society, such as poverty, economic disparities, cases of racism, and reduced empowerment for persons with diverse backgrounds (Mangeli et al., 2017). The absence of proper resources and initiatives worsens the situation for most of the underage girls who eventually become pregnant.

Legal System-Level Issue

Healthcare providers and RNs need to understand the legal issues arising from teenage pregnancy. They should be aware of the best procedures to undertake when underage individuals are involved (Mangeli et al., 2017). They can monitor the recorded mental problems, cases of depression, and trauma that could arise when the pregnancy is a result of rape or domestic abuse. Providers should be keen to ensure that the available care is acceptable and in accordance with the established code of conduct.

Insurers and Public Policymakers

Public policymakers and insurers need to be aware of the possible ethical and legal issues that could arise due to teenage pregnancy. They will begin by identifying the age of the teenager, the nature of the pregnancy, and existing lawsuits (Young & Kroth, 2017). This information will guide them to provide relevant support, such as insurance coverage and care. Policymakers can focus on emerging ethical, societal, and legal issues to make better laws capable of meeting the needs of this underserved population.

Involved Organizations

A number of organizations should be involved when it comes to the issue of teenage pregnancy. With possible cases of ethical, legal, and societal concerns, it becomes necessary to have a proper understanding of every situation. This understanding will guide the involved leaders and professionals to offer the relevant support and guidelines (Mangeli et al., 2017). The ultimate aim is to meet the changing needs of more teenagers who become pregnant in the country.

Nursing Intervention

Nurses have a role to play and intervene in the area of teenage pregnancy. They can apply their skills to identify children who are at risk and educate them about numerous issues related to sexuality (Mangeli et al., 2017). For example, they could liaise with social workers to launch educational campaigns focusing on sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), HIV/AIDS, reproductive health, and effective use of contraceptives. They will guide pregnant young women to identify available resources to transform the current situation.

Advocacy

Advocacy is a powerful strategy for introducing new ideas and mechanisms depending on the needs of underserved populations. Nurses need to rely on their numbers to support the formulation of additional laws that can support women who might be experiencing different forms of abuse. They will tackle the nature of disparities in the delivery of prenatal and postnatal services to most of these individuals. The advocacy initiative will help mitigate the challenges that make it impossible for some pregnant teenagers to achieve their maximum potential (Fernandes & Medeiros, 2020). Key areas to consider could include education attainment, improved health support, and community resources.

Improving Healthcare Delivery

The nursing practice could become the best procedure for improving the challenges associated with teenage pregnancy. RNs will need to collaborate and form multidisciplinary teams to provide personalized and timely medical care to these individuals (Fernandes & Medeiros, 2020). They can identify and guide more individuals to access various resources in their respective communities. They can offer additional support to individuals who might be at risk and create patient-centered care delivery approaches. This kind of support would be continued before and even after birth to ensure that positive results are recorded.

Nurses can go further to consider additional initiatives to transform the health experiences of pregnant teenagers. They will provide the relevant nutritional guidelines to ensure that the beneficiaries record positive outcomes. They will identify the necessary supplements and consider the importance of providing personalized support. The care process needs to be informed by the cultural attributes, economic challenges, and ethical concerns involved (Young & Kroth, 2017). They will link these individuals to most of the resources available in their respective societies. The combination of these efforts will reduce teenage pregnancy while ensuring that proper prenatal care is available to them.

Conclusion

Teenage pregnancy remains one of the common health issues affecting this country. Due to the challenges associated with this high-risk population, little progress has been observed in the areas of nutrition and prenatal care. Various ethical, legal, societal, and economic concerns are involved when dealing with teenage pregnancy. The consideration of all merging concerns, the provision of resources, and empowerment are evidence-based approaches to empowering pregnant teenagers. Nursing intervention remains a practical approach capable of transforming the health experiences and outcomes of most of these individuals.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). About teenage pregnancy. Web.

Fernandes, D., & Medeiros, M. (2020). Nursing scientific production on teenage pregnancy: An integrative review. Aquichan, 20(2), 1-14. Web.

Ledowsky, C., Mahimbo, A., Scarf, V., & Seel, A. (2022). Women taking a folic acid supplement in countries with mandatory food fortification programs may be exceeding the upper tolerable limit of folic acid: A systematic review.Nutrients, 14(13), 2715-2740. Web.

Mangeli, M., Rayyani, M., Cheraghi, M. A., & Tirgari, B. (2017). Exploring the challenges of adolescent mothers from their life experiences in the transition to motherhood: A qualitative study. Journal of Family and Reproductive Health, 11(3), 165-173. Web.

Ribas, C. R. (2021). Adolescent pregnancy, public policies, and targeted programs in Latin America and the Caribbean: A systematic review. Pan American Journal of Public Health, 45, 1-9. Web.

Young, K. M., & Kroth, P. J. (2017). Shultz and Youngs health care USA: Understanding its organization and delivery (9^th ed.). Jones & Bartlett.

How would it feel to be a 16-year-old teen that is having to go home and tell their parents that they are pregnant, or that they have contracted a sexually transmitted disease? A condom is a thin rubber worn for a man during sexual intercourse as a contraceptive as a protection against infection or unwanted pregnancies. Condoms should be available in high schools to help teenagers prevent teenage pregnancy and lower sexually transmitted diseases. However, parents are arguing that condoms will distract adolescents from education and will interfere with their religious beliefs. Distributing condoms in high schools is not promoting sex, but is helping to be more responsible and not take risks. For these reasons, condoms should be available for teenagers to protect themselves if they are already sexually active.

To begin with, in past decades there has been a big impact on teenage pregnancy. Teenagers are seeking advice about sex, and some parents do not have the proper guidance for their children. By supporting sex education by parents, schools can guide students who are sexually active. There are so many unwanted pregnancies even more during high school, to help prevent this situation, condoms should be available in high schools because they are helpful and it provides to lower teenage pregnancy. With sex education, teens can be open to any school member and ask any questions in case they are sexually active. Distributing condoms in high schools is helping them have a fair chance for everyone either to use it or not. According to Leslie Kantor “Over the last 20 years, teen birth rates across the United States have been continuously declining. In fact, the teen birth rate in 2016 dropped 9% from 2015. Many factors have been linked to this decline, but especially prominent is the increase in contraception use. As teens spend the majority of their time at school, it is the most natural and convenient place for sex education, including condom distribution”(20). Schools are not just going to distribute condoms to students without a proper discussion about sex education. A little education about sex and condom use many teenage pregnancies can be prevented.

Another situation that teenagers are comforting is that there are so many sexual diseases; fortunately, there is a program to help. Sexually transmitted diseases increase during sexual action. A teenager with any disease can be passed to others by sexually contacting another person. Condom availity programs in the U.S. program to help students reduce teenage diseases. School condom availability programs recommend that condoms should be available to adolescents as part of the school health program. This program will explain disease prevention includes maintaining a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and preventing injuries. It’s also important for teenagers to know about their sexual partner because the more they know about their partner’s history they can prevent contact with a disease. It’s important to know how to use the condom method in case teenagers are having sex. If teenagers have sex education, they can use correctly condoms which have an effect in increasing the probability of sexually transmitted disease.

Moreover, many parents worry about sex education and condom availability in high schools. Giving condoms it’s basically encouraging teenagers in high school to have sex. They say that this would make teenagers to be more curious, and ask questions about having sex rather than concentrating on high school materials. Parents say that schools should be guiding the students to keep up with their education and promote positive moral values towards conduct. They say if teachers want to students don’t have sex they should not distribute condoms to them. If adolescents start to believe they are safe with a condom they are more closer to engaging in dangerous and immoral behavior. Parents say that it is their right to decide if condoms should or should not be distributed in high schools. Presenting condoms to students in high schools presents offense with a variety of religions. Catholics and other religious followers do not believe in birth control. Religions believe that sexual activity should come naturally following their religious traditions. For instance, Rachel Siegel says, The Catholic Church and other conservative faiths oppose various forms of contraception”( ). As parents and Catholics they have their own beliefs, but they should be with the distribution of condoms because teenagers from this generation are in another thinking level. The internet gives them a fast way to research things and even more teenagers who are curious in adolescence can find so many ways to have sex without any protection.

Condoms are a thin rubber worn for the man during sexual intercourse as a contraceptive as a protection against infection or unwanted pregnancies. Condoms should be available in high schools to help teenagers prevent teenage pregnancy and lower sexually transmitted diseases. For these reasons, condoms can be a good option for teenagers who are responsible each time they have sex and want to prevent pregnancies and diseases.

A few weeks ago, I used to be at my job supporting a client when a young woman caught my attention. She may want to now not have been older than 15, and her stomach used to be too large to be hidden. She was distinctly pregnant, and what struck me as extra unusual used to be that she was pushing a stroller with a young toddler whose sole phrase seemed to be ‘mommy’, referring to the younger girl. I am frequently alarmed when I see an extraordinarily adolescent woman experiencing motherhood at a time when her principal worries ought to be way less than these of raising every other human being. The reality of the remember is that each year extra and greater teens are having children at an alarmingly young age. This problem raises the query of what can be done to stop and decrease the rates of teenage pregnancy. To forestall teenage pregnancy, teens want to have a complete perception of abstinence, contraceptive techniques, and consequences.

Although there are many exceptional ways to forestall a teenage female from turning pregnant, the only one that is virtually superb is sexual abstinence. This method is the only one that guarantees no risk of getting pregnant and protects the teen from getting any STDs. For many years abstinence has been viewed as a choice based totally upon a spiritual or ethical belief. In the article ‘Promotion of Sexual Abstinence: Reducing Adolescent Sexual Activity and Pregnancies’ Hani R. Khouzam says: “Sexual abstinence is no longer related with public fitness risks and wants to be presented and promoted as the most superb essential prevention for unplanned pregnancies”. In this article, Dr. Joycelyn Elders proposes instructing sexual abstinence as prevention for pregnancy, no longer as a spiritual or ethical belief. According to Khouzam, in a study involving 7,000 Utah teens, college students were taught one of three abstinence curriculums stressing abstinence as a pregnancy prevention method. They had been surveyed in three instances based totally on their attitudes toward the issue. After taking the abstinence curriculum, the research found that from these students, a notably higher proportion of them remained virgins than those who did now not go thru the application. With effects like this, it turns evident that abstinence publications in colleges are a certain way to get teenagers to recognize the responsibility that comes with turning sexually active, and to get them questioning about selecting to continue to be abstinent. The greater facts teens are given on the subject, the higher the possibility that they will make this decision. For this reason, it is important that teenagers be taught the benefits of choosing to continue to be abstinent.

Another form of teenage pregnancy prevention that is being taught in colleges is a number of contraceptive techniques. Although abstinence remains a great way to forestall pregnancy among teens, it is a truth that there is still a massive variety of them who will be concerned about sexual relations. For this reason, it is vital that young adults be provided with large statistics on how to do so responsibly with the usage of various contraceptive techniques. Most of the sex training in schools consists of one message: ‘Don’t have sex – but if you do, use a condom’. The problem that rises from this is that teenagers are not being exposed to sizeable data on the number of types of beginning control, condoms, and different methods of prevention that are available. According to Helen Lippman, contraceptives are talked about in sex schooling classes, however only as being ineffective in stopping pregnancy and ailments. Also, these instructions on contraceptives must consist of facts on how to gain the exceptional techniques of start control. Jocelyn Elders has additionally advocated school-based health clinics nationwide with the cause of reducing teen pregnancy with the availability of contraceptives. This is a way to make certain contraceptive use for many younger young adults who, as an alternative to going to their dad and mom for assistance in obtaining beginning control, choose to have sex besides protection, absolutely because that protection is now not made on hand to them.

For most teenagers, the real consequences of having a baby at such a young age are unknown. Teens want to be conscious of the harsh actuality of raising a child and the terrible results that an unplanned pregnancy can cause in both the mom’s and the kid’s lives. In the article ‘The Decline of Teen Marriage Is a Serious Problem’, Patrick F. Fagan talks about the results of having an infant out of wedlock at a very younger age. He states that the mother’s new offspring can trip the following: “Lowered fitness for newborns and extended hazard of early baby death; retarded cognitive, especially verbal, development; lowered academic achievement; lowered job attainment; increased behavior problems; lowered impulse control; warped social development; increased welfare dependency”. Teenage moms ought to be conscious of the tremendous impact their offspring will have on society in the future, and the high hazard of the cycle repeating once this child will become a teen. Teens must also be conscious of the reality that an unplanned pregnancy will take a toll on different elements of their lives. For example, as Fagan points out, much less than one-third of teen moms who have a child before they are eighteen end up high faculty. When exposed to such records about the results of an unplanned pregnancy, teens are pressured to analyze whether sex is worth the danger of continually changing their lives, and those of their future children.

On the other hand, for some human beings, sex is seen only as an approach to reproduction, and the idea of using contraceptives and different strategies of start control is clearly unnatural. This trust is preached by means of many non-secular institutions, especially within the Roman Catholic Church. In the article ‘The Purpose of Sex Is Reproduction’, Paul Murray claims that “sexual intercourse can’t be separated from its foremost cause of reproduction”. Many followers of the Roman Catholic Church have adopted this principle. Although the cause of intercourse can be even thought of as solely for replica by using some, it can’t be narrowed down to just having intercourse to have adolescents for everyone. For example, a couple that consists of two mature adults who raise a strong, steady relationship is in a position to use intercourse as a way to categorize their love, share intimacy, and make bigger their emotional bond. Further, the notion that a teen will take this belief the thinking that intercourse is solely to produce kids into consideration when choosing whether or not to emerge as sexually energetic is an unrealistic and ineffective way of thinking. This faith will not prevent teenage women from experimenting and strolling the chance of turning pregnant. Of direction, nothing will work universally, not even education, or contraception.

In summary, it is the job of parents and faculties to train teens about the poor results of teenage pregnancy. The mother and father can strongly affect their children’s choices by means of taking the time to be involved when the issue of sex arises. The colleges can also do their part by using supplying vital information on preventing pregnancies and by encouraging teens to make accountable selections when having sex. Therefore, the accountability of adults is to furnish teenagers with a thorough perception of abstinence, contraceptive techniques, and the consequences of sexual activity.

Introduction

The modern day adolescents are becoming of age in a world that is contrary opposite to that of their parents. The communities around the world are rapidly transforming, thereby bringing about challenges and new responsibilities to the modern age adolescents of 10 to 19 years. However, this change varies differently in the various regions of the world. The birth of a child creates celebration, joy, and astonishment, which are some of the great experiences in the life of humans.

These celebrations occur naturally and easily in the sense that it is difficult for most of us to resist the primal energy released when we are around a newborn. In addition to this, the process of giving birth solidifies the bond shared with the newborn, to one another, to our history, and to the future ahead of our children. Intuitively, perception is created that suggests that every child is part and parcel of the society and a connection to eternity.

In this sense, it is important to understand experiences undergone by children not born inside particular community. Teenage pregnancy is considered as one of the situations affecting celebrations of a child’s life, the people around the child and the community at large (Cherry, 2001).

According to REPROSTAT 2, teenage pregnancy is defined as pregnancy that takes place between 13 to 19 years (Wilpers, 2010, p. 4). Teenage pregnancy was considered a social and public health menace in the past decades of the 20^th century by majority of the developed nations. In the United Kingdom for instance, teenage pregnancy was considered a problem that needed intervention, and the British programme was introduce as a long-term initiative of tackling this problem.

In the past, the childbearing age of a woman was not significant as her marital status. This is because economic protection was offered in marriage in a time when the motherhood burden fell ultimately on local communities thus creating stigmatization of unmarried parenthood. The focus later changed from marital status of mothers to their age, thus creating the problem of teenage pregnancy.

The shift of the marital status of the mother to their age was contributed by a number of factors. Popularity increase of cohabitation among the working class made it difficult to condemn unmarried child bearing. Dependency of the youths on their families for economic support and the extension of their adolescence have also contributed to making youthful parenthood a problem (Arai, 2009, p. 3, 4).

The research on this family issue of teenage pregnancy will be conducted with the aid of information derived from the internet and current university programs and measures. Interviews will be undertaken to elaborate how these university programs are used and their effectiveness in sensitizing the public on teenage pregnancy. Examples of programs undertaken in these study institutions will also be expounded on.

Teenage pregnancy in the modern world

In the US, teenage pregnancies became a central point of policy concern at an earlier stage than in the UK. In 1975, anxiety had already encroached the US on matters relating to teenage pregnancies. A highly influential report was later on published in 1976 that stated “11 million teenagers: What can be done about the epidemic of adolescent pregnancies in the US” (Arai, 2009, p. 4). This hence led to a widespread of the word epidemic in reference to teenage pregnancy thus initiating further policies (Arai, 2009, p. 4).

The unwanted pregnancy problem had an immense impact on the US congress in the sense that it ceased to be a problem that only affected people who were poor and black to one that affected the young whites. Not only did this menace affect the young whites, the daughters of the congressmen and their neighbors were not spared (Checkland and Wong, 1999, p. 93).

Although adults criticize teenagers of being in a hurry to grow up fast by engaging in a lot of sex activities, the reality indicates that the lowest teen pregnancy of the century were recorded in 1970s,1980s and 1990s.

These pregnancies involved teenagers of 15 to 19 years old (Hawes and Shores, 2001, p. 22). Teenage pregnancy rate in America is among the highest among the developed nations; although the teen pregnancy rate is said to be dropping in the past years in the developed world, in the US, rate is contrary, as it is suggested to be increasing.

The teen pregnancy rate in America for girls of 15-19 years is 96 per1000, in comparison to 35 in Sweden, 14 in Netherlands, 43 in France and 45 for both England and Wales. This hence reflects the dominant position of teenage abortions held by United States. The high rate of teenage pregnancy is a clear picture of family modernism and family modernism. In modern time, majority of teen pregnancy happen out of wedlock, this reflects a portion of modern dimension of the family.

Low levels of teen pregnancy rates are connected to nontraditional perception towards sexuality. According to a research conducted by Alan Guttmacher institute, it was found that countries with the lowest teen pregnancy rates had a liberal perception towards sex. In addition to this, these countries have adequate access to sex education comprehensive programs and free access in attaining contraceptive services.

The same study found out that the United States of America had relative traditional perceptions and practices. The focus on American attitude was based more on sexual morality as opposed to pregnancy prevention. In United States, sex education was found to be limited as the American teenagers were not likely to use contraceptives (Popenoe, 2009, p. 290)

According to males, the problem with teen pregnancy is not composed of rational behavior of minorities who are poorer but social policies that have been privatized and invented for the sole purpose of avoiding the question at hand.

In addition to this, Males (2010) suggests that teen pregnancy has turned out to be a racial issue as the high rates of teen pregnancy is indicated among black, Hispanic, and Native teens. The distinctive factor is indicated as the high levels of poverty. Males goes on to suggest that the high levels of birth rates in Canada, United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Australia are mainly attributed to the minorities as well.

In comparison of whites with whites, Males suggests that U.S teen pregnancy levels would be lower than other English speaking nations and among the Western mainstream. Although some people can term the U.S teenage pregnancy rate as not unusual, the fact of the matter remains to be; the economic and demographic structure of the U.S is what is unusual.

This is because, if the United Kingdom possessed the identical demographic as the U.S, then it would be having teen pregnancy rates closer to those of the U.S (Males, 2010, p.117).

Modern efforts of dealing with teenage pregnancy

Having attained a deeper understanding of the numerous and adverse effects of pregnancy among the teenagers, a distinctive approach must be undertaken in order to alleviate this problem. The fact that teen pregnancy has multiple causation and dimensions, this means the efforts must be multifaceted. Instantaneous solutions should not be expected as long term goals have to be established.

These goals should be accompanied with objectives designed to meet these goals. Macro as well as micro planning should be undertaken essentially at the local community level as well as the federal government level. The outcomes of the programs undertaken should be shared with all stakeholders.

This can be done through concerned professional vehicles as well as existing mass media. Of most importance is that the programs undertaken that have succeeded should be emulated throughout the nation. In order to succeed there must be commitment from both the federal and the local government by making teen pregnancy one of the top priorities .Additional funds must be incorporated in these programs and their research and demonstration projects (Jones and Battle, 1999, p. 6).

Among the strength of these multifaceted strategies is that education will develop having attained basic skills. A strategic dimension should also be incorporated that will deal with skills building and jobs, so as prepare these teenagers for the future labor force.

This is through the realization that education will play a significant role in not only enlightening the teenagers on various social issues, but also enriching them with the right skills and competencies that will go a long way in enhancing their future independence. Social support and extracurricular activities should be emphasized to improve self-esteem and provide a strong basis of family values and ties among the teenagers.

The comprehensive health care in question should incorporate parenting skills and sexuality. In this case, the teenagers will not only feel energized to lead normal and complete life, but also have a psychological and emotional confidence and attachment that will allow them to be socially nourished.

Educative workshops should be emphasized to the parents and teenagers as well. In these workshops, educative manuals and curriculum should be adhered to. A good example of these curriculums is “Saying No and Meaning It: A Guide for Parents” a project developed by The National Urban League (NUL).

Sexuality adolescent issues and skills of importance in terms of maintaining proper communication between the child and the parent should also be addressed in these workshops. In the policy sector, the legislation should have an impact on matters pertaining to the welfare and health of teenagers and children as whole (Jones and Battle, 1999, p. 7).

Jones and Battle indicate that in his article, Bruce Hare had suggested that there should be a structural determination in terms of viewing the social system of America. This is for the sole purpose of understanding the disproportionate in allocating the social system lowest slots to the African-American.

In addition to this, Hare indicate that classism, sexism, and racism have had a negative impact on the African-American community and hence they should organize themselves by offering collective activities to the teenagers and demand protection and enforcement of their rights from both the local and federal government in order to save the youths.

Poverty and Racism are the two-twin evil that should be combated in America, as they are responsible for social stratification. The social stratification prevents equal sharing of products and benefits of the community by the African-American citizens.

In order to combat these twin evils there should be responsive militancy as both the tactic and set of the mind should be used by the African-American teenagers to bring the change they yearn for. Moreover, it is through elimination of this social stratification that the society tends to live in harmony and with less conflict of interests.

Schools have a role to play in preventing teenage pregnancies. The special role played by the school in prevention of teen pregnancy is by availing information on sexuality and providing services like counseling. In addition to this the schools should emphasized on the quality of education starting from the levels of elementary school and preschool. Education will hence create a positive experience that will later result to responsive behavior as it enlightens the individual as well as giving him/her a wealth of knowledge.

The church also has responsibility in alleviating teenage pregnancy. According to Jones and Battle, the church should undertake a progressive stance position on issues pertaining to teenage pregnancy as opposed to the conservative position taken (Jones and Battle, 1999, p. 8).

The identified efforts should be embraced not only by the local and federal governments but also by the community at large. Roles played by both the church and the schools should be emphasized. Although there might be some weakness in the church trying to take a conservative position, the fact remains that teenage pregnancy is with us and if we do not do something, nobody will.

The strength of these efforts can be emphasized by the role played by both the local and federal governments. With the government involved in efforts of alleviating teenage pregnancy, issues like availability of funds will be taken care of.

Family planning associates medical group

Family planning associates medical group is one of the institution that is at the forefront in terms of combating issues affecting women. It is recognized internationally as some of its functions include family planning, abortion and women’s health services. The institute offers 24 hour services and is equipped with professionals specialized in gynecology (Family planning associates medical group, 2010)

Planned parenthood

Planned Parenthood is an organization based in US that deals with health care provision and education to millions of women, teenagers and men. The focus of this organization is mainly on women as over the past 90 years the organization has enhanced women’s health in terms of making informative decisions. In addition to this the organization also offers high quality medical care (Planned Parenthood, 2011)

Future policies and community based efforts of alleviating teenage pregnancy

Government involvement

The government has a major role to play in alleviating teenage pregnancy among its citizens. The twin evil identified as the main cause of teenage pregnancy is poverty and racism. These evils are subject of eradication if only the government has the goodwill. In the 21^st century, the government is not supposed to be still fighting poverty and racism; instead, it is supposed to be focused on other social menace. This therefore indicates that the government should first ensure that the basics of alleviating racism and poverty are tackled before progressing to enhance policies that alleviate teen pregnancy.

Dispelling of myths

Commonly held misconceptions should be challenged and done away with to refuse the notions that tend to assert the evils of poverty and racism. In the future myths concerning teenage pregnancy ought to be a thing of the past. This is because these myths tend to apply the notion of a thin line between adolescent system value and poverty. By doing away with these myths, the nation will be achieving by reducing the rate of teen pregnancy.

Media coverage on teenage pregnancy problem

Media coverage of the issues affecting the community is crucial in alleviating the teenage pregnancy problem. The media is a tool that if used correctly it can play a great role in educating and transforming the community at large on issues pertaining to teenage pregnancy. Highlighting the aftermath of pregnancy at a young age and the effects that accompany it are just but a few ways of tackling the teenage pregnancy problem. In this 21^st century, information technology is the key to development.

This therefore indicates that information can be transferred and made available at any moment or time. With the use of the available advanced technology, the teen pregnancy problem can be highlighted thus the exchange of different experiences will open doors to solutions.

Conclusion

In the developed nations, the United States is considered as a land of partially family traditionalism, as opposed to a land based on family stability. In comparison to majority of family trends taking place in these societies, the United State is suggested to be a laggard. When compared with other developed nations that reside on the west, the Americans are found to marry more at an earlier age. In addition to this, the Americans possess families that are slightly larger in that, the levels of non-marital cohabitation are partially low.

In respect to family stability, the Americans boast of the highest rate in marital dissolution. In this sense, the United States is trying to reach other advanced societies while on the other hand the rest of the advanced societies are trying to reach the standards of United States. In general, the standards of family change in America are slightly different as compared to other developed nations. While the marriage age is ascending, the rate of marriages is descending.

References

Arai, L. (2009). Teenage pregnancy: the making and unmaking of a problem. Bristol: The Policy Press.

Checkland, D., and Wong, W. (1999). Teen pregnancy and parenting: social and ethical issues. London: University of Toronto Press.

Cherry, A. L., (2001). Teenage pregnancy: a global view. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group Inc.

Family Planning Association Medical Group. (2010). Family Planning Associates Medical Group: Personal and Confidential for Women since 1969. Web.

Hawes, J. M., and Shores, E. F., (2001). The family in America: an encyclopedia, Volume 1. California: ABC-CLIO.

Jones, D. J., and Battle, S. F. (1999). Teenage pregnancy: developing strategies for change in the twenty-first century. New Jersey: Transaction Publishers.

Males, M. M., (2010). Teenage Sex and Pregnancy: Modern Myths, Unsexy Realities. California: ABC-CLIO.

Planned Parenthood. (2011). Planned Parenthood: Who We Are. Web.

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An Inside Look at Abused Children and Teen Pregnancy Child Development

Abstract

It is accepted by many that abused children are more likely to experience teen pregnancy than non-abused teenagers. Researchers single out several major reasons for that trend. The present paper dwells upon these reasons in detail. Thus, low self-esteem of abused children is regarded as the major factor contributing to the development of the existing trend.

Other factors include poverty, alcohol/drug use, sexual abuse, ineffectiveness of programs and incentives aimed at reducing the rate of teen pregnancy. Clearly, these factors are interrelated, so it is important to address all of these issues to solve the problem.

Teenage Pregnancy

Many people still think that teen pregnancy is simply an educational concern which should be touched upon in terms of sexual education of US children and teenagers. However, many researchers, scholars, educators, and officials agree that teen pregnancy is a social and economic issue which should be addressed.

Thus, it is estimated that teen pregnancy, i.e. pregnancy before 18, costs the United States about nine billion dollars each year (Brace, Hall, & Hunt, 2008).

Children of teen parents, mothers in the vast majority of cases, are often abused and neglected; they often underperform at school, have a myriad of health problems, and have problems with drugs and alcohol.

Notably, teen pregnancy rates have been declining since the 1980’s nationwide. Brace et al. (2008) reports that the rate was about 116 per 1000 in 1990 and it was slightly over 40 per 1000 in 2004. It is necessary to note that such rates differ from state to state.

For instance, Alton (2011) points out that a decrease was not that significant in Texas. The researcher provides the following data: teen pregnancy rates decreased 37% nationwide and this rate decreased 25% in Texas (Alton, 2011). The same trends can be traced in some other states (e.g. Georgia).

Importantly, the teen pregnancy rate is significantly higher in teenagers who have been abused (Saewyc, Magee, & Pettingell, 2004). Saewyc et al. (2004) claim that different researchers provide quite different data, though all surveys show that there is a clear link between abuse and teen pregnancy.

It is important to note that the US government as well as various non-governmental organizations try to work out possible ways to solve the problem, or, at least, are trying to help teen mothers and especially the most vulnerable group, i.e. abused teenagers. Of course, to address the issue it is necessary to know the major causes of the problem.

It is possible to single out several factors which can be ‘responsible’ for the existing trend. Thus, such factors as low self-esteem, which is the major factor, alcohol and drug abuse, poverty and violence, are all associated with teen pregnancy.

It is also necessary to note that ineffective strategies used to address the problem also contribute to the development of the existing trends. The present paper dwells upon the factors mentioned above in detail. Analysis of the influence of these factors will also be provided.

The Major Factor: Low Self-Esteem

Mooney, Knox, & Schacht, (2010) states that low self-esteem is often associated with abused children and are one of the factors that shape teenagers’ sexual behavioral patterns and lead to teen pregnancy. Notably, Berger (2008) claims that self-esteem is usually rather high during early childhood in many children. However, when it comes to abused children trends are a bit different.

Self-esteem decreases if a child is being abused. In the first place, abuse in early childhood leads to various diseases and disabilities (Mooney et al., 2010). For instance, the researchers provide an example of typical abuse:

Shaken baby syndrome, whereby a caregiver shakes a baby to the point of causing the child to experience brain or retinal hemorrhage, most often occurs in response to a baby typically younger than six months, who will not stop crying. (Mooney et al., 2010, p. 163)

Shaken baby syndrome sufferer’s often experience various disabilities. Of course, there are numerous other cases when parents or family members resort to violence when dealing with a child. This abuse leads to physical and, more importantly, to psychological trauma. This trauma makes abused teenagers feel they are different.

Of course, when a child or especially a teenager understands that he/she is not like others, the child or teenager develops low self-esteem. On one hand, children suffering from physical disabilities are often mocked at. They also need more effort to keep up with children without disabilities.

Therefore, they have more stresses in their academic life. On the other hand, if the teenager knows that disability was caused by a parent or a family member, the teenager feels anger or even hatred and distrust. Such teenagers often think they cannot evoke positive feelings (love, friendship, etc.) if their own parents or a family member have abused or used to abuse them (Berger, 2008).

It is important to note that these teenagers often have a few or no friends. First of all, abused teenagers feel ashamed of the fact they are being abused. They can hardly share this experience with their friends. They often cannot bring their friends home.

All this makes it difficult to maintain friendly relationships which require sincerity. Secondly, abused teenagers often feel they are more experienced in many ways. This is especially true when it comes to sexually abused teenagers.

This fact could be supported by ideas presented in the research carried out by Saewyc et al. (2004), who indicate that “…those who had been sexually abused were significantly more likely than their nonabused peers to report pregnancy involvement and risk behaviors associated with teenage pregnancy” (Saewyc et al., 2004, p. 101).

Admittedly, such teenagers understand that they know and have experienced what other teenagers have no idea about. This negative experience makes abused teenagers avoid friendships with other, usually non-abused, children. Clearly, lack of friends contributes to the development of low self-esteem as teenagers sink into a shell of distrust.

Low self-esteem is the major outcome, and the need to integrate into society, which, in its turn, leads to teen pregnancy. As has been mentioned above, abused children do not trust people. However, in the majority of cases these children seek for help, support and understanding as humans are social creatures.

These teenagers want to prove they can be a part of the society or at least a particular community or some subgroups since “… when a teenager has been sexually exploited both within and outside the family, who can be trusted to help?” (Saewyc et al., 2004, p. 102).

Sex is often seen as a sign of adulthood and ‘toughness’ (Saewyc et al., 2004).. Thus, teenagers often try to start sexual life either to prove they are adult enough or to prove they are worth being a part of a specific community. It is important to note that females are especially vulnerable as they often regard sex as a way to ‘keep’ a male.

These females have a very low self-esteem and, thus, they think only sex can help them keep their boyfriends. They do not deem that their own individuality, characteristic features, or their own achievements are enough to build proper relationships with males who will cherish them instead of using them.

As has been mentioned above, low self-esteem is the major factor contributing to the change of sexual behavior. It is also necessary to point out that this factor is closely connected with other factors which will be analyzed below.

More so, all these factors (low self-esteem, poverty and neglect, sexual abuse, alcohol/drug abuse) are interrelated. In many cases, teen pregnancy is the result of a group of these factors.

Other Factors

Poverty

It has been acknowledged that social status of a family influences child development greatly (Saewyc et al., 2004; Berger, 2008; Mooney et al., 2010). Children coming from such families are often abused as parents often try to wreak their anger on their children.

Apart from this, such children are often neglected as their parents do not have time to raise the children, as they need to work to support the family.

As has been mentioned above, these children are often neglected. Their parents do not talk to them and do not touch upon such themes as proper sexual behavior. Of course, teenagers find out a lot about sexual development and sexual behavior at school.

However, in the majority of cases teenagers adopt rules existing in their peer communities. The lack of parental support makes teenagers feel neglected and helpless. They start believing they have no future, in other words they develop low self-esteem.

Apart from unfavorable conditions at home, children coming from poor families have problems at school. Teenagers coming from poor families often feel frustrated at school as they underperform. More so, these teenagers lack commitment, and they are not ambitious.

They often think they cannot compete with other students and do not even think of higher education. These teenagers feel helpless and they want to find some sort of consolation in sex and developing relationships with peers.

Such authors as Scher (2008), Mooney et al. (2010) Alton (2011) state that it is also important to add that teenage pregnancy leads to increase of rates of poverty as teen parents often have low income and fewer opportunities.

Psychological Traumas Caused by Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse is another factor that leads to teen pregnancy. Thus, various surveys suggest that there is a certain correlation between sexual abuse and teen pregnancy.

Saewyc et al. (2004) reports that teenagers with a history of sexual abuse (incest as well as nonfamilial abuse) are more likely to be involved in teen pregnancy. Interestingly, researchers claim that males are more vulnerable in this group of teenagers:

The prevalence of pregnancy involvement among abused teenagers was substantially greater in males than in females. Among males, those who had experienced both incest and nonfamilial abuse had the highest proportion indicating pregnancy involvement; almost two in three such males in 1992, and one in three in 1998, had gotten someone pregnant. (Saewyc et al., 2004, p. 101)

One of the major reasons for such trends is that males find it more difficult to cope with their psychological trauma associated with the sexual abuse, which leads abused male teenagers to alcohol and drug abuse.

The correlation between alcohol/drugs abuse and teen pregnancy will be discussed below, so at this point it is possible to focus on other outcomes of sexual abuse.

Saewyc et al. (2004) singled out cultural factors which can lead to teen pregnancy. Thus, researchers mention that irrespective of certain liberalization of sexual identity conventions, homosexuality is still condemned. Thus, same-gender sexual abuse makes teenage males try to prove they are heterosexual.

Fathering a child is regarded as a sign of heterosexuality. However, even if males were sexually abused by older females, abused teenagers can try to father a child as this is seen as a sign of their masculinity as it is believed that males should initiate any relationship, especially sexual intercourse (Saewyc et al., 2004).

Alcohol/Drugs Abuse

Admittedly, substance abuse is often associated with teen pregnancy. Teenagers who use alcohol or drugs before sexual intercourse are much more reckless. They do not usually use condoms or other birth control means (Saewyc et al., 2004). It has been estimated that abused teenagers are more likely to use alcohol and drugs:

Some 27–34% of abused females reported regularly using alcohol or other drugs before intercourse, compared with 26% of non-abused adolescents… For males, the findings were similar to those for females, but the differences were more pronounced. (Saewyc et al., 2004, p. 101)

Clearly, abused teenagers start using alcohol and drugs to find consolation and some sort of relaxation. Many abused children leave their homes, which is often associated with drug or alcohol abuse.

It is also important to note that the use of drugs or alcohol is often associated with poverty and low self-esteem. Using drugs or alcohol makes teenagers feel they fit in with the society or, at least, some part of it. The use of drugs or alcohol helps teenagers to become more confident because they feel relaxed and they often act irresponsibly.

Ineffective Programs

Finally, ineffective programs aimed at addressing the problem also contribute to increase of teen pregnancy rates (Scher, 2008). As has been mentioned above, the rate of teen pregnancy is decreasing steadily. Nonetheless, the rate is still too high, especially in some states.

Alton (2011) states that various programs and incentives fail because of large populations and the necessity to cover large areas. The programs simply cannot cover all stakeholders.

Furthermore, Alton (2011) notes that the lack of skilled employees is also a big problem for various programs and incentives. Finally, some programs simply fail to address the problem as they fail to single out major factors contributing to the increase of teen pregnancy rate.

Abused children are likely to experience teen pregnancy due to several major factors such as low self-esteem, poverty, traumas associated with sexual abuse, alcohol and/or drug use, and ineffective programs aimed at reducing the rate of teen pregnancy.

It is necessary to note that these factors are closely connected and even interrelated. However, self-esteem is still the major factor even if a teenager is not affected by some of the other factors mentioned above; low self-esteem is always present in teen parents.

Therefore, to reduce the teen pregnancy rate, it is important to take into account all the factors mentioned above.

Of course, the US government, local authorities, educators, parents should understand that abused children require special attention as they are especially vulnerable. This group should be involved in various projects aimed at raising awareness about consequences of certain sexual behavior and teen pregnancy.

Abused children should feel support of their parent(s), peers and the entire society. They should feel a part of the society. This will help them improve their self-esteem and avoid various problems, including teen pregnancy.

References

Alton, F.L. (2011). The challenge of preventing teen pregnancy in Texas. Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk, 2(2). Web.

Berger, K.S. (2008). The developing person through childhood and adolescence. New York, NY: Worth Publishers.

Brace, A.M., Hall, M. & Hunt, B.P. (2008). The social, economic, and health costs of unintended teen pregnancy: The circle of intervention program in Troup County, Georgia. Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association, 1(1), 33-46.

Mooney, L.A., Knox, D. & Schacht, C. (2010). Understanding social problems. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.

Saewyc, E.M., Magee, L.L. & Pettingell, S.E. (2004). Teenage pregnancy and associated risk behaviors among sexually abused adolescents. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 36(3), 98–105.

Scher, L.S. (2008). What do we know about the effectiveness of programs aimed at reducing teen sexual risk-taking. In S.D. Hoffman & R.A. Maynard (Eds.), Kids having kids: Economic costs & social consequences of teen pregnancy (pp. 403–435). Washington, DC: The Urban Institute.