Free Essays on Teen Pregnancy

Every year 445,944 teens aged 13-18 years old become pregnant. Many are not taught the importance of birth control let alone to abstain. Parents rely on the school system to teach their children about birth control and the educators expect it to be taught in the home. Children are not being taught the importance of being abstaining. By the time a child becomes a teenager they are faced with the hard decision of falling in to the trap of peer pressure. Most teenage girls think that if you do not have sex with your boyfriend you will lose them. What they do not realize is that they run the risk of getting pregnant or contracting a sexually transmitted disease. In 2002 more than 80% of the teens having unprotected sex were getting pregnant each year. Most teens have unprotected sex because they unaware that they can go to free clinics and get several different types of birth control at no cost. Most clinics will also perform pregnancy tests as well as pap smears and regular physicals. Most teenagers are embarrassed to ask for birth control pills or condoms. The easiest form of birth control for girls is the pill. Girls must also understand that birth control only protects you as long as you are taking it, if you mss even one day, or do not take it at the same everyday you are still at risk for pregnancy. There are several other forms of birth control especially for girls there are female condoms, spermicidal lubricants, and the diaphragm. All of these can be purchased in the supermarket or given out at the free clinic For boys there is only one type of birth control, the condom is 92-99.7% effective. Condoms cost around twenty-five cents a piece and are given out at every free clinic by the hundreds. When used with the pill they are almost totally 100 % effective. Another form of birth control is the IUD (intrauterine device) this is one of the most effective types of birth control to date. With a success rate of 98% the IUD should be tr... Free Essays on Teen Pregnancy Free Essays on Teen Pregnancy Teen Pregnancy Teen pregnancy has been around for generations; however, not until the twentieth century has teen pregnancy become a major issue. Statistics show that â€Å"11% of girls in the 15-19 age group get pregnant each year, while for out of ten girls become pregnant before they reach twenty.† (Bell) With teen pregnancy on such a rise, there are many issues that can be discussed: the many risks of teen pregnancy, society’s approval of teen pregnancy, the responsibilities of teen parents, and ways to handle or prevent teen pregnancy. Although these are not the only important factors that arise in the subject of teen pregnancy, they are among the most important. There are many risks for teens when they become pregnant. Young girls who get pregnant do not know what they are getting themselves into. Most young girls get pregnant by mistake. Children who are born to teen mothers are at risk because of their mother’s young age and undeveloped body. (Bell) By being born to younger women, infants are more than likely to face great dangers such as being born prematurely, dieing in the neonatal period, or being born with low birth weight. Most pregnant teens deny their pregnancies in their early stages, causing them not to seek the medical assistance they need. (Sylvester) Teenage mothers are less likely to finish their proper schooling. (A.A.P) A teenage mother of one is more than likely to have one more child in two years. If she has a second child, she is less likely to finish high school, get married, and go through welfare for a major part of her life. (Sylvester) Teenage mothers are likely to be single parents, and they do not get the proper prenatal care. Risks that teenage mothers may encounter include, but are not limited to, poor maternal weight gain, anemia, and pregnancy –induced hypertension. These problems are worse with younger teenagers. (A.A.P) Drug and alcohol use, mental illness, suicide, poor educat... Free Essays on Teen Pregnancy Teen pregnancy is a controversial issue because it effects society as a whole. Teenage mothers often raise children who never learn how to live productive lifestyles. Negative elements like drug addiction and crime seem to be the only outlets that are available to lonely, confused children who live in poverty-stricken cities. For many of these children there are only the options of bad jobs, jail or early death. Many of these children end up having their own children at an early age; therefore perpetuating the vicious cycle of poverty, poor education, joblessness, and lack of hope for the future. These mothers are only able to give their children the bare minimum for survival, Medicaid insurance or at least receive a generous amount of financial aid from the government to attend. There are a lot of people who attend colleges all over the country thanks to financial aid and grants. Government aid is good and people who are in need deserve to receive it. After all it is the governments ' duty to ensure its people the right to pursue happiness. Teenage girls that get pregnant in our community become overwhelmed with the pressures of supporting their children financially while trying to instill morals and ethics in their lives. We as a community need to come together with the government and help these mothers out. The problems of a teenage mother and her children eventually become the problem of all of society. Children come first because they are our future. Every child in the country should be afforded an equal opportunity to succeed no matter its family, racial, or financial background. Supporting teen mothers and their families and educating people about the responsibilities and the risks of having sex can do this. . Now that the country is realizing how the problem of teen pregnancy affects not only children, but also society at large, numerous options have become available for people who need help. The more people are educated about ... Free Essays on Teen Pregnancy Teenage Pregnancy Despite the recently declining teen pregnancy rates, 35% of teenage girls get pregnant at least once before they reach age 20, resulting in more than 850,000 teen pregnancies a year. The United States has the highest rate of teen pregnancy in the fully industrialized world. Teen pregnancy is bad for the mother. Teen mothers are less likely to complete school and more likely to be single parents. Less than one-third of teens who begin their families before age 18 ever earn a high school diploma. Only 1.5% earn a college degree by the age of 30. There are serious health risks for adolescents who have babies. Young adolescents experience a maternal death rate 2.5 times greater than that of mothers aged 20-24. Common medical problems among adolescent mothers include poor weight gain, pregnancy-induced hypertension, anemia, and sexually transmitted diseases. Later in life, adolescent mothers tend to be at greater risk for obesity and hypertension than women who were not teenagers when they had their first child. Teen pregnancy is closely linked to poverty and single parenthood. A 1990 study showed that almost  ½ of all teenage mothers and over  ¾ of unmarried teen mothers began receiving welfare within five years of the birth of their first child. The growth in single-parent families remains the single most important reason for increased poverty among children over the last twenty years, as documented in the 1998 Economic Report of the President. Out-of-wedlock childbearing is currently the driving force behind the growth in the number of single parents, and half of first out-of-wedlock births are to teens. Therefore, reducing teen pregnancy and child-bearing is an obvious place to anchor serious efforts to reduce poverty in future generations. Children of teen mothers often receive inadequate parenting. Children born to teen mothers are at higher risk of poor parenting because their mothers and often their fathers... Free Essays on Teen Pregnancy Human Sexuality: Assignment 2 America is a country run by pop culture. We as Consumers react to trends. From the cars we drive to the clothes we wear, we try to model ourselves after the â€Å"haves†. We look to the television, the radio, the movies and the magazines for salvation. We are in search of an escape to our everyday lives. The one message that is prevalent in all forms of media today is sex. We cannot leave our homes without having sex shoved in our faces. Even our monuments are phallic symbols. The idea is that cool people have sex and we as Americans want to be cool. We are a far cry from the times when premarital sex meant eternal damnation. Nowadays, we hand out condoms in high school and sex-ed is taught as early as junior high. Sex sells, and the corporate world is turning us into sex craving maniacs in order to turn over a profit. The biggest difference between the US and other developed countries is the way we handle pregnancy. Just like sex sells, it pays to have a kid. Our pregnant wom en are waited on hand and foot throughout the pregnancy, given all sorts of aid and encouraged to go through with the pregnancy. In other countries such as China and India, the population crisis means that pregnancy is frowned upon. Also, these other developed countries aren’t as advanced in the corporate/media world as the US is. The best way to not be affected by the media is to have no contact with it to begin with. I believe that because we have more access to all stages of sex, sex itself is more prevalent. Sex is initiated easily seeing as though it is always on our minds as Americans. Our media not only entices sex, but it entices sexual behaviors. One example of this is the Oral sex â€Å"epidemic†. However, we are reminded that sex leaves the bed room with you. Whether with a child being created, or a disease being contracted, or just a good experience being remembered. We are also reminded that we have access to emergency ... Free Essays on Teen Pregnancy Teenagers in the United States are experimenting with sexual activities more and more today than ever before. According to Charles Krauthammer, "Sex oozes from every pore of the culture and there's not a kid in the world who can avoid it." (Meier, 1994, p. 7). Teenagers are surrounded by some sort of sexual connotations all the time. Whether it is television, radio, school, or even the Internet, teenagers are hearing the affects of sex on our society. The price that teenagers pay for being sexually active greatly outweighs any advantages. The period of puberty occurs somewhere between the ages of 10 and 14 for most but can vary for different people. Heredity, health problems, and emotional and physical stress can cause these variations. Teens begin to experiment with the opposite sex by hugging, kissing and other forms of sexual expression. People are capable of creating babies as soon as puberty begins. Teens also watch more television and listen to more music developing their own u nique personalities. According to one study, about 65,000 sexual acts or comments on prime-time television occur every year (Meier, 1994, p. 9). In the movies or on television, the actors and actresses make sex look easy, fun and glamorous. It appears to be something everyone is doing. On television shows like "Dawson's Creek", sex is usually the major topic of the entire show. Whether it is guys and girls, guys and guys, girls and girls, or multiple persons of each sex, the sex act itself is a major conflict. Movies, such as "Cruel Intentions", portray sex as a game. The main characters are placing bets on each other that one of them will have sex with some girl who is against the idea of premarital sex. That movie is rated R, but little kids were in there with their parents. Those types of movies are not meant for a young audience. Now those kids might end up having sex when they become teenagers. Those same teenagers might often be the ones that get pregn... Free Essays on Teen Pregnancy The Truth About Teen Pregnancy Although the rate of teenage pregnancy in the United States has declined greatly within the past few years, it is still an enormous problem that needs to be addressed. These rates are still higher in the 1990's than they were only a decade ago. The United State's teenage birthrate exceeds that of most other industrialized nations, even though American teenagers are no more sexually active than teenagers are in Canada or Europe. (Gormly 348) Recent statistics concerning the teen birthrates are alarming. About 560,000 teenage girls give birth each year. Almost one-sixth of all births in the United States are to teenage women are to teenage women. Eight in ten of these births resulted from unintended pregnancies. (Gormly 347) By the age of eighteen, one out of four teenage girls will have become pregnant. (Newman 679) Although the onset of pregnancy may occur in any teenager, some teens are at higher risk for unplanned pregnancy than others. Teenagers who become sexually active at an earlier age are at a greater risk primarily because young teenagers are less likely to use birthcontrol. African-American and Hispanic teenagers are twice as likely to give birth as are white teenagers. Whites are more likely to have abortions. Teenagers who come from poor neighborhoods and attend segregated schools are at a high risk for pregnancy. Also, teenagers who are doing poorly in school and have few plans for the future are more likely to become parents than those who are doing well and have high educationsl and occupational expectations. Although the rate of teenage pregnancy is higher among low- income African-Americans and Hispanics, especially those in inner city ghettoes, the number of births to teenagers is highest among white, nonpoor young women who live in small cities and towns. (Calhoun 309) In addition to the question of which teenagers become pregnant, interest is shown in the social consequences of early pa... Free Essays on Teen Pregnancy An increasing number of teenagers in America have and are becoming sexually active, and as a result, they are having children at a young age when they cannot properly provide for another human being. I believe that the reason teenagers are becoming sexually active at a young age is because today’s youth is maturing at younger age than in the past. They are also receiving a larger amount of freedom. As always, a person has sex, they are at a higher risk of getting pregnant. Teenagers do not have the education or the experience to be financially responsible for themselves or another person. There are a few causes that have been associated with the subject of teen pregnancy. The media is one of these causes. â€Å" In various surveys of teen behavior, investigators find American teens spend more time watching television than attending school, regard television as a primary source of information, and say television follows only parents and peers as an influential force in their lives† (William 1561). The media is also considered an influence in premature sexual activity. Some believe that sex is portrayed too much and too casually on television shows that are directed towards today’s adolescents. Further sexualization is shown through explicit lyrics in songs and explicit scenes in movies (William 1561). Another cause being associated with teen pregnancy is how the child is raised. Having children at a young age is being associated with the raising of children in poverty and not having enough values on education. Another family aspect that is being associated with teen pregnancy is having a mother who had a child as a teenager. Poor communication, violence in the family, and poor discipline are also considered a cause of teen pregnancy. Parents often show a lack of preparedness when it comes to telling their children about normal sexual development and appropriate sexual behavior. By not discussing the subject, or not taking a realis... Free Essays on Teen Pregnancy Teen Pregnancy Teenage pregnancy is a major concern in today's society; there are many ways to prevent teenage pregnancy, many decisions you will have to make, and many challenges you will face. Over recent years, it seems that all the efforts to fight teen pregnancy are beginning to pay off. Thanks to the continued dedication of our parents, teachers and community leaders, the young people today have more support and education concerning the dangers, consequences, and challenges of adolescent sex. We constantly ask the question of why, and what causes teens to disregard what they have been taught about sex and STD’s and still engage in unprotected sex, and ultimately and unfortunately becoming another statistic. The statistics tell that the U.S. has the highest rate of teen pregnancy and births (teenpregnancy.org). Currently at its lowest annual rate in over 20 years, teen pregnancies have declined 14 percent in this decade alone (teenpregnancy.org). But despite this recent downward trend, the issue still stands prominently and remains a critical concern to everyone. While these improving numbers are encouraging on the surface, the number of children having children of their own, remains higher than acceptable and progress must continue to be made. In 2000, more than one million teenage girls got pregnant and of those, 479,067 girls gave birth, that number is down almost 50,000 since 1990 (teenpregnancy.org). One in ten young women will get pregnant at least once before they turn twenty-one (teenpregnancy.org). For many of the 500,000, it was an unintended occurrence, usually the result of young men and women having unprotected sex while relying on misinformation (or none at all), poor planning, and failing to recognize the consequences that would arise from their actions. By the age of nin eteen, eighty percent of teen have had sex a least on time (Teen Sex and Pregnancy). For some, however, it was an intentional decision ... Free Essays on Teen Pregnancy Teen Pregnancy Adolescent pregnancy has long been a societal concern, but in the past decade, this issue has become one of the most frequently cited examples of the perceived societal decay in the United States. About 560,000 teenage girls give birth each year. Eight in ten of these births resulted from unintended pregnancies. (McCuen 16). Sorting out cause and effect would be easy if pregnant teens all lived in the same area with the same disadvantages or if these women chose to become mothers early in life. But such mothers are not randomly dotted across the social landscape. Increased rates of sexual activity, illegitimacy, and welfare receipt raise public concerns. Although the onset of pregnancy may occur in any teenager, some teens are at higher risk for unplanned pregnancy than others. Despite the recent decline in the teen birth rates, teen pregnancy remains a significant problem facing our nation. Social problems, a vast amount of emotional and psychological problems often contribute to teen pregnancy. Promiscuous is defined as careless, casual, or even aimless. Teens are being promiscuous more than ever before. Teenagers are participating in the new world of sexual freedom. Social behavior is no longer restricted to the higher class. Today, teens become sexually active not when they move out of the parental home and into a family of their own, but while they are still considered as children. Young women are just as likely as young men today to be sexually active before marriage. With more and more teens having casual sex, the risks of pregnancy goes up. They do not weigh their options and take into consideration the consequences of their behavior that could possibly change their entire life. They do not realize that it could happen to them. They only see it as something that happens to other people. They feel they are invincible. We should recognize that sexual behavior is a matter of c... Free Essays on Teen Pregnancy Teen Pregnancy Issues Teen pregnancy has declined greatly within the past few years but its still an enormous problem that needs to be addressed. The United States has one of the highest birth rates than any other country. This doesn’t mean that our teens are having more sex than other foreign teens its just means that they aren’t educated enough to know the consequences. In 2000, Pennsylvania alone had 50,610 pregnancies among girls under 20 and that is a low statistic compared to some states such as California or Texas. (U.S Teenage†¦) We as parents and educators need to teach our children what the consequences are so they don’t end up having kids them selves. Below are some statistics of teen pregnancy and abortion. Rates of pregnancy, birth and abortion among U.S. teenagers continued their downward trend in 2000 (Table 1). Nationwide, the teenage pregnancy rate declined by 2% between 1999 and 2000 (from 85.7 to 83.6 pregnancies per 1,000 women aged 15–19). From 1986-2000, the rate dropped by 22% and, more importantly, fell by 28% since peaking in 1990. The birthrate for teenagers also declined by 2% between 1999 and 2000 (from 48.8 to 47.7 births per 1,000 women aged 15–19). The 2000 rate was 5% lower than the 1986 rate and 23% lower than the peak rate of 61.8 births per 1,000 women reached in 1991. (U.S. Teenage†¦) Teenagers’ abortion rate in 2000 was 24.0 per 1,000 women aged 15–19- some 3% lower than the 1999 rate of 24.7 per 1,000. From 1986 to 2000, the abortion rate dropped by 43%; during the same period, the proportion of teenage pregnancies ending in abortion fell from 46% to 33%- a decline of more than one-quarter (27%). Overall in 2000, one-third of pregnancies among 15–19-year-olds ended in abortion (Table 2). However, in New Jersey, 60% of teenage pregnancies ended in abortion, as did at least 50% in New York, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia. By contrast, only 13% of pregnancies amon... Free Essays on Teen Pregnancy Every year 445,944 teens aged 13-18 years old become pregnant. Many are not taught the importance of birth control let alone to abstain. Parents rely on the school system to teach their children about birth control and the educators expect it to be taught in the home. Children are not being taught the importance of being abstaining. By the time a child becomes a teenager they are faced with the hard decision of falling in to the trap of peer pressure. Most teenage girls think that if you do not have sex with your boyfriend you will lose them. What they do not realize is that they run the risk of getting pregnant or contracting a sexually transmitted disease. In 2002 more than 80% of the teens having unprotected sex were getting pregnant each year. Most teens have unprotected sex because they unaware that they can go to free clinics and get several different types of birth control at no cost. Most clinics will also perform pregnancy tests as well as pap smears and regular physicals. Most teenagers are embarrassed to ask for birth control pills or condoms. The easiest form of birth control for girls is the pill. Girls must also understand that birth control only protects you as long as you are taking it, if you mss even one day, or do not take it at the same everyday you are still at risk for pregnancy. There are several other forms of birth control especially for girls there are female condoms, spermicidal lubricants, and the diaphragm. All of these can be purchased in the supermarket or given out at the free clinic For boys there is only one type of birth control, the condom is 92-99.7% effective. Condoms cost around twenty-five cents a piece and are given out at every free clinic by the hundreds. When used with the pill they are almost totally 100 % effective. Another form of birth control is the IUD (intrauterine device) this is one of the most effective types of birth control to date. With a success rate of 98% the IUD should be tr... Free Essays on Teen Pregnancy Unwanted Pregnancy Deciding not to continue with a pregnancy is a difficult and often painful decision to make, and not one that is made lightly. Often a lot of talking is needed before a woman can make her choice and be sure that the choice she makes is right for her. There are several professional organisations that can help such as Brook Advisory, British Pregnancy Advisory Service or The Family Planning Association and if you are thinking of terminating a pregnancy it is essential that you talk to a professional. In addition to speaking to professional counsellors, you must consult your GP, if you decide to have an abortion. In the UK it is legal for termination to be carried out up to 24 weeks of pregnancy but most hospitals and clinics will not consider termination beyond 18 to 20 weeks, so it is essential that you seek help as soon as you decide not to continue with the pregnancy. Before an abortion can be carried out two doctors need to sign a consent form agreeing that the woman’s health (physical or mental) will be damaged to a greater extent than if she proceeded with the pregnancy. Social factors are also considered when doctors are making their decision. The doctor will then carry out a pelvic examination on the woman to determine the stage of her pregnancy, and discuss the options for termination and the risks involved. The doctor will send this request to the nearest hospital or clinic, which will then make an appointment for the termination to be performed. Sometimes t... Free Essays on Teen Pregnancy Teen Pregnancy and Prenatal Testing Teen pregnancy is when a girl between the ages of twelve and nineteen become pregnant. Teen pregnancy is very common in young girls’ nation wide. Some girls become pregnant to keep a boyfriend. But in actual fact the choice is up to the boyfriend weather or not he wants to still be with the girl. Some girls get pregnant to feel loved by the baby, or because their friends have babies. Some girls have unplanned pregnancies because they risk having unprotected sex. Teen girls risk having low birth weight babies or, babies with abnormalities especially those who have a history of genetic diseases, or a known history of miscarriages. And, some young girls have very painful deliveries because the pelvis has not fully developed as yet. Many girls do not take the time out to find out about prenatal learning. They continue to use drugs in the earliest stages of pregnancy. Some girls may also have low birth weight babies because of nutritional reasons, not eating healthy or not eating enough. Following the advice of a professional physician during pregnancy provides the best prenatal care possible. Statistics of teen pregnancy. According to the National Survey of adolescent males (NSAM) in (1995) , many teenage males engage in unprotected sex. Several may use contraceptives responsibly but the contraceptives are not being used consistently. In some cases the after effect is a girl becoming pregnant. When she decides she wants to keep the baby, the transition of ‘girl’ now changes to ‘mother’ and the transition of ‘boy’ changes to ‘father’. One study (Sonenstein et al., 1997) Explains sexual experience by age in males. Some males choose to have no involvement with the expectant mother and fetus. On the other hand, some males become involved in the pregnancy. Just as the mother goes through physical changes such as gaining weight, morning si...