Teenage Pregnancy (Essay Sample)

Teenage Pregnancy
Name
Institution
Teenage Pregnancy
Introduction
Over decennium of years, teenage pregnancy has been rampant among the natives of different states. There is a clear line of demarcation on the massive effects that come along due to teenage pregnancy. Many teenagers have lingered over the same issue while others indulge in the same thing due to peer influence. Other teenagers have indulged into prostitution for money owing to the levels of poverty that also could cause teenage pregnancy. Regardless of the fact, that a few of them have used prostitution to put bread and butter on their tables, this does not surpass the power of reason, logic and autonomy.
Teenage pregnancy is a shame and lowers the moral standards and esteem of the teenager involved. This leads to despair due to the guilt that accompany them. Further, leaves the teenager hopeless, could result in school drop outs and when these thoughts often mature leads to suicide. Apart from lowering the moral standards, it also leads to the enormous spread of dangerous epidemics such as HIV/AIDS, Ebola among other many diseases. This leads to the tremendous increase of the people living with the virus. Marvellous beyond expression is the effects of this dangerous conditions. Ranging from economic drawback, enormous loss of lives, family break-ups among others.
Teen pregnancy brings significant socio-economic costs considering immediate and prolonged impacts. Research shows that in 2011, healthy costs attributed to teen pregnancy and childbirth amounted to $9.4 billion in the United States. There was lower educational performance and income amidst the teen mothers. It is evident that teen pregnancy is the main contributor to the high rate of girl school drop outs. Such teenagers will be faced with multiple health problems, unemployment, delayed education, growing up in poverty among others.
The research paper illuminates on ways to prevent teenage pregnancy and the dropout rate of teenagers who become pregnant.
Literature Review
The rates of drop out amidst teenagers show that pregnancy tops the list in causing teens to drop out of school prior completion. A teenage has an unplanned pregnancy particularly when still in school brings on the table difficult life choices. These young mothers commence a journey of struggles from a very tender age. Financial dents and economic insecurity are the struggles that they succumb. Research indicates that around 70 percent of all students that experience early school dropout are subject to teen pregnancy. Another factor that contributes to teen drop outs is high poverty. Pregnant teens from marginalized backgrounds have a higher probability of dropping out while pregnant (Pregnant teen help, 2010).
Approximately, one million students from high schools become pregnant annually. These means out of 1000 students; 22 get pregnant yearly. In the allotted four years in high school, one out of fourteen girls will not complete school. Further, one-third will drop out as a result of teen pregnancy. In addition, only half of the pregnant teen drop outs have a source of income from employment. Evidently, they could be earning meagre salaries, which puts a dent in their economic outlook (Pregnant teen help, 2010).
Pregnant teens face a lot of pressure that may serve as a reason to cause school dropouts. The enormous side effects of pregnancy are too much for a teenager in school. Dealing with nausea, everyday fatigue, many visits to the washrooms, unbelievable appetite, mood swings, morning sickness and other effects that come along with pregnancy is weighty to handle both school and the pregnancy (Pregnant teen help, 2010).
Further, any teenage pregnancy could be assumed to be accidental. Therefore, there is so much insecurity as the body changes appearance. Several things could be haunting the teenager. What will friends, teachers, parents and relatives receive the news? What about the man responsible, will he accept the pregnancy or deny? Could be the teenager is not even aware of the one in charge of the pregnancy because she has been engaged with multiple partners (Farber, 2013).
Wait until reality dawns, and the pregnancy is showing and everybody is talking about it. Stigmatization is what follows primarily in school. The peers, teachers and administrators will apparently judge the pregnant teen negatively. This is associated with decayed morals so probably no one wants to be associated with the victim (Robin, et al., 2010).
In addition, there could be inadequate support to stay in school. Parents will be disappointed, and some go to an extent of disowning the pregnant teen. These will mean no more school because resources to fund the schooling are cut.
After the pregnant teen delivers, she may lack someone to take care of the baby. This means she has to be there hence no school. In addition, taking care of the baby is very expensive so if the parents are not supporting her the only option is to drop out of school to find a source of income (Coyle, et al., 2011).
Teenage pregnancy is lethal; therefore prevention measures have to be put in place to put a stop or mitigate this issue. First is teen abstinence that has been repeated severally over the past years. If only teens upheld abstinence, the whole menace of teen pregnancy would be ended. However, others believe that no matter how extensive the education about abstinence could be, teens will have sex anyway (Teen abstinence, 2011).
Focusing on the pros and cons of teenage sex is the most efficient way of imparting education regarding abstinence. A program that will take the teens through both the advantages and the disadvantages of teen sex and help them see that the disadvantages outweigh the advantages. A mere lesson of ‘sex is wrong’ will not be helpful since teenagers are curious and may want further details of why is it bad. However, if they are made to make the decision themselves and assert that teen sex will only lead to pitfalls then that is the most impactful education (Teen abstinence, 2011).
Statistics from teen sex statistics (Centres for Disease Control) show that more teens are against sex and other related activities. Many points out that the reason behind the hefty number of teens is saying no to sex attributes to the teaching of abstinence being taught in several schools across the globe (Teen abstinence, 2011).
The recent statistics show approximately 29 percent of women have abstained from any sex. In the identical age group, 27 percent of teen males have avoided and for teen girls only 7 percent have practised oral sex (Teen abstinence, 2011).
Abstinence will be built on several factors. Teenagers should be encouraged to keep friends with good morals. ‘Show me your friends and I will tell you who you are’ is a phrase that still holds. Peer pressure can be immense especially at teenage; therefore teens should be encouraged to associate with friends who will influence them positively (Teen abstinence, 2011).
Further, if teens are involved with different school, church and community activities, they will be too busy to have sex. For this reason, teens should be encouraged to lead an active life, explore their talents and more activities to be established to create a very positive environment (Teen abstinence, 2011).
Internet is known to have most adverse effects on teens, but there is a brighter side of it. It could play a great role in helping teens to abstain in that; many teens find a platform to communicate to their peers without having to meet physically. Spending a lot of time on the internet, and fewer meetings will reduce the teens engaging in sex (Teen abstinence, 2011).
The role of parents is significant in helping their teens to abstain. Discussion about sex between parents and their children should start at the earliest age possible. Parents should continually talk to their teens about abstinence and more so ways of practising safe sex. Knowledge of condom and birth control use to be imparted so that if abstinence proves impossible then the teenager will still be safe. Also, consistent education on sexually transmitted diseases and ways to protect themselves against forced sex is essential to be enacted (Teen abstinence, 2011).
It takes both a male and a female to reproduce. Therefore, if both boys and girls are educated about sex, then the equation is fully addressed. According to researchers, teaching a boy child on pregnancy prevention is as important as conveying the message to the girls. The national campaign for pregnancy prevention shows that imparting sex education on male teenagers has borne fruits. States should make it a requirement to exhibit particular strategies towards prevention of teenage pregnancy. For instance, incorporating a male component to the community activities linked to sex awareness. This will help boys to understand they have control over unwanted pregnancies, and they need to take responsibility. More so, the male students will grow having learnt of responsible fatherhood (Farber, 2013).
The number of boy teenagers involved in sexual activities has decreased by approximately three percent. However, there is a demand for continued education and extra effort on the parent's part. Further, more education to help teenagers understand the proper usage of contraceptives plays a great role in preventing teenage pregnancy (Coyle, et al., 2011).
The risk of teenage pregnancy could also be reduced through parents being very open with their teenagers, sharing theirs beliefs about sex and even their experiences. Teenagers have several questions to ask about sex, love and relationships. They say the most trusted source to get those answers is from the parents. Therefore, parents should be open, honest and respectful when engaging in such conversations. The discussion between the parent and the teenage...