Teen Pregnancy in the United States

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Assessment of Teen Pregnancy
Applicable Healthy People 2020 Objectives
Nursing Intervention Strategies
Role of the Advanced Practice Nurse
References

Introduction

This research paper will focus on the problem of teen pregnancy in the United States. Barcelos and Gubrium (2014) will be the research article. The article focused on the teen pregnancy in the United States. This article reports that although the rates of teen pregnancy have been reducing significantly in the past two decades, it remains a major concern in the health sector. The research by Males (2010) shows that teenage pregnancy remains one of the biggest challenges that the country faces as it seeks to achieve the objectives of Healthy People 2020.

This research estimates that in the American society, the teen pregnancy rate currently stands at about 5.74%. This means that the country still needs to find ways of dealing with this issue in a conclusive manner. Hoffman and Maynard (2008) say that teen pregnancy poses serious social and health problems to the affected children. Some teenagers become pregnant at very tender ages, which may be a threat to their lives if they were to carry the child to term.

In case they succeed to carry the pregnancy to term, they may face life-threatening processes of delivering the child because the organs are not properly developed for this role. When the teenager is subjected to abortion, cases of damage of the reproductive system may be experienced. The events related to the teen pregnancy may bring massive stress to the involved parties if proper counseling is not done. In fact, such events may redefine the lifestyle of such a teenager for the worse. Fistula is one of the most common health problems that such a young girl may acquire when her child is delivered normally.

Assessment of Teen Pregnancy

According to Barcelos and Gubrium (2014), teen pregnancy is an issue of concern that stakeholders in the health sector in this country are still grappling with, especially because of its negative consequences on the affected individuals. The research by Malesa (2010) also notes that teen pregnancy remains an issue because teenagers are indulging in sex at a very tender age. However, the problem is that they do it without proper knowledge about sex, including some of the consequences associated with it. Malesa (2010) blames parents for their unwillingness to engage their children on sex education at tender ages.

The topic remains a taboo in many American families. Parents always hope that by being strict with their children, and the issues of morality learnt in school, their teenagers would avoid the vice. However, this is not always the case. Children would be driven by their curiosity and visit the internet to gain more knowledge about these issues. They are influenced heavily by the events happening in the social media, and this leads them into early indulgence in sex.

This can be explained using the Social Cognitive Theory. As Malesa (2010) observes, Social Cognitive Theory holds that “Portions of an individual’s knowledge acquisition can be directly related to observing others within the context of social interactions.” What these teenagers observe in the social media, television shows, and their society brings out the notion that ‘sex is cool’. The term ‘sexy’ is widely used to describe things that are perceived to be pretty. This defines the knowledge of these children, the fact that has contributed largely to teenage pregnancy.

Applicable Healthy People 2020 Objectives

Teen pregnancy is given an elaborate focus in the Healthy People 2020 vision. When developing the vision, teen pregnancy was one of the issues that needed immediate attention. Barcelos and Gubrium (2014) observe that some teenage girls had lost their lives while others developed serious health and psychological problems because it. For this reason, a number of objectives were set that were to be achieved in an effort to reduce cases of teen pregnancies. These objectives are outlined in the Sexual Heath section of Healthy People 2020 program. In this section, the researcher will highlight a number of the objectives, which are very relevant to this issue under investigation.

According to Healthy People 2020 (2014), objective numbered FP-6 states, “To increase the proportion of females at risk of unintended pregnancy or their partners who used contraception at most recent sexual intercourse.” It is estimated that about 77% of teen pregnancies in this country are unintended (CDC, 2014). If this proportion can be eliminated, then the current rates of teen pregnancies will be reduced by this percentage. This objective advocates for the use of condom. It is a common knowledge that a number of teenagers above 16 years have become sexually active. This objective seeks to advocate for their use of protection.

According to Healthy People 2020 (2014), objective number FP-8.1 states, “Reduce pregnancies among adolescent females aged 15 to 17 years.” this objective directly focuses on the initiatives that can be used to fight teenage pregnancies, especially those who fall within the age bracket of 15-17 who are at the greatest risk of getting pregnant.

According to Healthy People 2020 (2014), objective number FP-9.1 states, “Increase the proportion of female adolescents aged 15 to 17 years who have never had sexual intercourse.” Inasmuch as the stakeholders in the health sector appreciates the fact that many adolescents have become sexually active, this objective still seeks to promote abstinence as the best option of avoiding teen pregnancies.

Nursing Intervention Strategies

It may be necessary for the nurses to intervene in order to find a common solution to this problem that is affecting the lives of young Americans. According to Barcelos and Gubrium (2014), nurses have a central role in an effort to fight teen pregnancies, which are posing serious health problems to the future generations of this country. This is an important stage in their lives when teens experience serious changes in their physiological structure.

There should be a program where nurses get to speak directly to the adolescent at school on issues about their sexuality. They can give them practical evidences of some of the negative consequences of indulging in premarital sex, especially when one is at a tender age. This strategy will target the teenagers in selected schools and colleges. Nurses can find a way of engaging the parents and teachers so that they can actively engage their children in discussing their sexuality at this delicate stage. The adolescent boys and men who may be part of this web of teen pregnancy should also be involved in the debate because they are the reason for the frequent cases of teen pregnancies.

Family Theory supports the approach of engaging various stakeholders in this fight. According to Hoffman and Maynard (2008), Family Theory holds that “Individuals cannot be understood in isolation from one another, but rather as a part of their family.” Success can only be achieved when this problem is addressed from all the possible angles instead of being looked at as an isolated case. As suggested in this theory, it may not be easy to understand the teenage girls in isolation. It will be necessary to bring together all the relevant stakeholders in order to find a common solution.

Role of the Advanced Practice Nurse

When presented with a case of teen pregnancy, an advance practice nurse should know his or her role in order to enhance the well-being of the affected individual. The first thing will be counseling. It may be too late to start informing such a teenager about the dangers of early pregnancy at this stage. Barcelos and Gubrium (2014) suggest that a nurse should try to find a common solution that can be used by the affected individual.

When counseling the individual, care should be taken not to create fear. They should be informed that what happened was unexpected at that stage, but given that fact that it did happen, the only remedy would be to follow the guidelines of the doctor. The nurse will need to coordinate with the doctor to understand the best solution to the problem. If termination is the only solution, the teenage should be informed about all relevant issues about termination of the pregnancy before the procedure is undertaken (Hoffman & Maynard, 2008).

If the solution lies in carrying the pregnancy to term, a nurse will need to conduct a comprehensive counseling to help them overcome stigma and psychological torture they may be going through because of the pregnancy. The nurse will also need to offer the affected individuals medical care once they have given birth.

References

Barcelos, C. & Gubrium, A. (2014). Reproducing Stories: Strategic Narratives of Teen Pregnancy and Motherhood, International Journal of Sociology of the Family, 61(3), 466-481.

CDC: About Teen Pregnancy. (2014). Web.

Healthy People 2020: Adolescent Health. (2014). Web.

Hoffman, S. D., & Maynard, R. A. (2008). Kids having kids: Economic costs & social consequences of teen pregnancy. Washington: Urban Institute Press.

Malesa, M. A. (2010). Teenage sex and pregnancy: Modern myths, unsexy realities. Santa Barbara: Praeger.

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