Teenage pregnancy

Research Essay
WRI 102-

Teen Pregnancy: Paying the price for your own actions.
Teen pregnancy has always been a problem, but latest studies and statistics show us that even with increased sex education, teen pregnancy is increasing causing many concerns for our society. What is teen pregnancy? The obvious simple answer may be a teenager getting pregnant. Just for a couple of minutes of “fun”, most teenagers put themselves into a lifetime of distress. Furthermore, teens today do not think about the consequences of their actions and then when are put in a difficult situation, regret what they have done. Many teenagers around the world are not provided with the right amount of sex education in their younger years and are not made aware of the consequences of becoming such young parents. Moreover, becoming a young mother affects one’s education and self-esteem and teen mothers are looking for acceptance. Teen pregnancy statistics show us that less than 33% of teen mothers earn their high school diploma. Also, almost 82% of teen pregnancies are unplanned. Additionally, teenage parents are most likely to go through financial difficulties and are very likely to become social outcasts. Following this further, pregnant teenagers undergo many emotions such as depression, shame, anger, sadness and despair.
1 in 3 teen girls in the United States of America is estimated to get pregnant. (Institute, 2010). Nearly 1 million teen girls give birth every year. (Lewin, 2010) For some, a pregnancy come does an unwelcome surprise, others may insensible become pregnant believing that a baby will love them unconditionally. Research tells us that the youngest girl to get pregnant was 5 years of age, although she never revealed the father of the baby, her father was suspecting in sexually molesting her. (IncredibleBirths) Certainly, pregnancy has very important consequences that affect the teen herself, the baby’s father and the baby. Undoubtedly, many teenagers who become pregnant have to face the difficult situation of immediately making choices about their education and future in light of someone else. In other words, pregnant teen moms will have to give up many things in order to become a parent. Also, teen pregnancy can be hard on teen fathers, the pregnancy can strain a relationship with their partner and with their parents and teen fathers do not go as far as school and make less money when they get in the job market with teens who are not fathers. Even though they are young, they are flooded with responsibilities such as aiding the mother emotionally and financially during her pregnancy, and helping her raise the child. Furthermore, a teenager’s emotional health, mental health, physical health and social life will all be affected by a pregnancy and will also be affected by this sudden change.
In general, the children of teenage mothers have lower birth weights and are more likely to perform poorly in school and are at greater risk for abuse and neglect. The sons of these teen mothers are 13% more likely to end up in prison, while teen daughters are 22% more likely to become teen mothers themselves. (Healthy Teen Network, 2011). Most people say teens should remain abstinent but should have access to contraception. 94% of adults around the world and 91% of teenagers think it is important that school-aged children and teenagers be given a strong message from society that they should abstain from sex until they are out from high school. (Rios, 2011). 78% of adults also think that sexually active teenagers should have access to contraception to prevent seeing pregnancy. Unlike other teens, who’s own future is their primary and maybe only focus, the pregnant teen has someone else to consider. Obviously, “why would they continue the pregnancy?” is a question that may be asked by someone if not by the teen herself. Once a girl is pregnant, there is no easy selection. With pregnancy comes a lot of responsibility and the troubles that arise with an unplanned pregnancy can have a severe effect in a teen’s life. There are many teen mothers out there wishing they had waited for the right time and stage to have a child. Six in ten teen mothers say that they wish they had waited. (Teen Pregnancy Statistics) In addition to this, sometimes the father of the child may wish not to be involved with the child and thus then it is the sole responsibility of the mother to take care and raise the child on her own without any support. In addition to his, nearly 80% of unmarried teen mothers end up on welfare.
On the other hand, some teenage mothers see pregnancy as a career move. Undoubtedly, teen pregnancy brings responsibility along. Moreover, the teen becomes more responsible and learns how to become self-dependent. Medical studies conducted by pediatricians tells us that getting pregnant at a young age, results in the teen avoiding the fertility problems that arise with waiting too long to have children. (Family Life, 2010). Generally speaking, a parent begins with zero experience, regardless of their age and with time and experience they learn. It is also said that younger people have more energy for raising a child. Along with teenage pregnancy, a complete new group of responsible young adults will emerge.
In conclusion, even by improving the amount of sex education provided in our schools, by supplying free birth control to our teenagers and raising awareness about STD’s, teen pregnancy rates will not decline. Moreover, unless parents get involved and the media stops elevating teen pregnancy as the “new in”, teen pregnancy rates will not improve. Pursuing this further, teen pregnancy is a very delicate and crucial issue that has for a very long time affected many societies. Parenthood is the main cause why teen girls drop out of school. On the contrary, teenagers are very young to raise kids and they should be the kid that they are and not raise one.
Word Count: 972

Bibliography
Family Life. (2010, February 2). Afternoon Cocktails. Retrieved May 19, 20122, from The Philosophy of Life with a Twist: http://afternooncocktails.com/blog/2010/02/02/kids-having-kids-benefits-of-teenage-pregnancy/
IncredibleBirths. Worlds Youngest Mother. Incredible Births.
Institute, G. (2010). U.S. Teenage Pregnancies, Births and Abortions: National and State Trends and Trends by Race and Ethnicity . Washington D.C.
Healthy Teen Network. (2011). Unique Needs of Children Born to Teen Parents. Baltimore: NonprofitOffice.
Lewin, T. (2010). After Long Decline, Teenage Pregnancy Rate Rises. The New York Times .
Rios, T. (2011). Knowledge Network. Retrieved 2012, from Knoji: http://teens-teenagers.knoji.com/teen-pregnancy-rates-around-the-world/
Teen Pregnancy Statistics. (n.d.). Troubled Teen 101. Retrieved from http://www.troubledteen101.com/articles36.html Dailard, Cynthia. "Abstinence-Only Education Does Not Prevent Teen Pregnancies." Do Abstinence Programs Work? Ed. Christina Fisanick. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2010. At Issue. Rpt. from "Understanding 'Abstinence ': Implications for Individuals, Programs and Policies." The Guttmacher Report on Public Policy. 2003. 4-6. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 19 May 2012. http://ic.galegroup.com.ezproxy.aus.edu/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/ViewpointsDetailsWindow?displayGroupName=Viewpoints&disableHighlighting=true&prodId=OVIC&action=e&windowstate=normal&catId=&documentId=GALE%7CEJ3010603210&mode=view&userGroupName=971sharjah&jsid=705f662425f6f4b6e59552b33124ad4e

Bibliography: Family Life. (2010, February 2). Afternoon Cocktails. Retrieved May 19, 20122, from The Philosophy of Life with a Twist: http://afternooncocktails.com/blog/2010/02/02/kids-having-kids-benefits-of-teenage-pregnancy/ IncredibleBirths. Worlds Youngest Mother. Incredible Births. Institute, G. (2010). U.S. Teenage Pregnancies, Births and Abortions: National and State Trends and Trends by Race and Ethnicity . Washington D.C. Healthy Teen Network. (2011). Unique Needs of Children Born to Teen Parents. Baltimore: NonprofitOffice. Lewin, T. (2010). After Long Decline, Teenage Pregnancy Rate Rises. The New York Times . Rios, T. (2011). Knowledge Network. Retrieved 2012, from Knoji: http://teens-teenagers.knoji.com/teen-pregnancy-rates-around-the-world/ Teen Pregnancy Statistics. (n.d.). Troubled Teen 101. Retrieved from http://www.troubledteen101.com/articles36.html Dailard, Cynthia. "Abstinence-Only Education Does Not Prevent Teen Pregnancies." Do Abstinence Programs Work? Ed. Christina Fisanick. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2010. At Issue. Rpt. from "Understanding 'Abstinence ': Implications for Individuals, Programs and Policies." The Guttmacher Report on Public Policy. 2003. 4-6. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 19 May 2012. http://ic.galegroup.com.ezproxy.aus.edu/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/ViewpointsDetailsWindow?displayGroupName=Viewpoints&disableHighlighting=true&prodId=OVIC&action=e&windowstate=normal&catId=&documentId=GALE%7CEJ3010603210&mode=view&userGroupName=971sharjah&jsid=705f662425f6f4b6e59552b33124ad4e