Wednesday, November 7, 2007

The problem of teenage pregnancy

Essay

Adolescent pregnancy continues to be one of the most difficult issues that teenagers, their families, and communities face today. It affects us all in some way. The teenage mothers or fathers are often unprepared for parenthood and drop out of school, taking low-paying jobs and never completing their education. The teenagers' parents are often thrust into the role of raising two children-the teenager and his or her child.
Social and educational institutions share in a large portion of the problems of adolescent childbearing. Children of teenage parents frequently live in homes that are near or below poverty level. They often require public assistance for the basics of life: food, clothing, and shelter. There is an increased incidence of school failure and dropout in teenage parents and subsequently in their children.
Dealing with an unplanned pregnancy can be scary and confusing. Some of the emotions that teenagers may encounter when facing an unplanned pregnancy are: initial excitement, confusion, fear, resentment, frustration . It's a natural response for them to think about and want to protect the baby that is growing inside you. It is also natural to be scared and confused about how to deal with this unplanned pregnancy.
Teens are more likely to become pregnant if they:
• Begin dating early(dating at age 12 is associated with a 91% chance of being sexually involved before age 19, and dating at age 13 is associated with a 56% probability of sexual involvement during adolescence)
• Use alcohol and/or other drugs, including tobacco products
• Drop out of school
• Have no support system orhave few friends
• Lackinvolvement in school, family, or community activities
• Think they have little or no opportunity for success
• Live in a community or attend a school where early childbearing is common and viewed asnormal rather than as a cause for concern
• Grow up in poverty
• Have been a victim of sexual abuse or assault
• Have a mother who was19 or younger when she first gave birth.
Common methods of birth control include:
• the birth control pill or patch
• condoms
• intrauterine devices (IUD)
• the Depo-Provera injection
• diaphragms
• spermicides
• cervical caps
To sum up, adolescents face a wide range of issues everyday relating to their physiological, emotional, cultural, and psychological concerns. One of the most important and complicated issues is teenage pregnancy and childbearing. We as social workers have much to learn about the teenage pregnancy prevention. Effective programs and strategies are needed to enhance parents' and school role in teaching about sex, relationships, and responsibility.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

My name is Janice Still and i would like to show you my personal experience with Depo-Provera.

I am 24 years old. I have been on Depo for 9 years and did not realize that the symptoms I experienced might be related to the shot. I am now facing thousands of dollars in dental work due to bone density loss, and will probably end up with osteoporosis. I am getting off Depo and will never touch it again!

I have experienced some of these side effects-
Low libido, joint pain, bone density loss, dental problems, headaches, fatigue, out of control eating, gained 40 lbs., depression

I hope this information will be useful to others,
Janice Still

Depo-Provera Prescription Information

Edward Davis said...

There are different reasons behind its occurrence that can be significantly added to information on teenage pregnancy. Traditional gender roles can be an important factor. Another thing is the case of early marriage between teenagers.

Contraceptives. Sex education is legally provided in some countries like United States, but there are also countries that do not exercise these educational lessons. In these cases, lack of knowledge of access of birth control prevents potentially or already sexual active teenagers. Being unaware of other birth control measures also limits the individual’s possibility of not getting pregnant.

Relationships with Age Inconsistency. There are also studies that indicate girls having relationships with older males is a contributing factor. Also, pregnant girls in these relationships are most likely to continue with pregnancy.

Sexual Abuse. Studies show that rape is one of the negative attributing factors to teenage pregnancy. Girls who participated in sexual activities before reaching the age of 15 are most likely to have experienced sexual abuse.

Childhood Environment. It is also another cause for teenage pregnancy. Most girls who were exposed to domestic violence and family disputes during their childhood are expected to get pregnant at an early age. The possibility of pregnancy between these girls increases along with their antagonistic childhood experience.

for more info: http://pregnancyconcerns.info/causes-of-teenage-pregnancy/information-on-teenage-pregnancy-be-aware-of-it/

unplannedpregnancies said...

No doubt that teenage pregnancy can ruin the life of mother and baby as well,however there are some good and gentle option are available for to deal with this problem. Visit us at http://unplanned-pregnancies.com.With us you can get a proper conference with experts if you are a teenager and pregnant.

toffelnigar said...

Debra gives parents the tools they need to help their Connect With Your Teen better self-esteem, thereby creating harmonious family relationships and how to Connect With Your Teen. She offers speaking engagements, weekly parenting groups, and individual coaching.