Essay about The Underlying Causes of Teen Pregnancy

Before successfully preventing teen pregnancies among teenage girls, there are many underlying causes and facts about the dilemma that must be first exposed. Children from homes run by teenage mothers have to face almost insurmountable obstacles in life. The incidents of depression and mental health problems, the lack of father figures, and the high rate of poverty often connected to children in homes run by teenage mothers put them at serious disadvantages when compared to children raised in nuclear families. Many people believe that the implementation of sex education in schools and the addition of more federal aid for single parents are major causes for the countrys high rate of teen pregnancies. The true purpose of sex education and†¦show more content†¦(Psychology Today, 2003) Girls who see their single mothers date many partners may become primed for early sexual exploration. Or, a father’s absence early in life may trigger doubts in girls about male reliability that hasten sexual activity and reproduction, as well as promote a preference for brief relationships. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Juvenile abuse of alcohol and other drugs is strongly associated with risk-taking behavior, including promiscuity. According to the 1999 National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) study quot;Dangerous Liaisons,quot; increased promiscuity leads to a greater risk for sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned teenage pregnancy (National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse 1999). Adolescents aged fourteen and younger who use alcohol are twice more likely to engage in sexual behaviors than non-drinkers; drug users are five times more likely to be sexually active than youth who are drug-free. Teens between the age of fifteen and nineteen who drink are seven times more likely to have sex and twice as likely to have four or more partners than those who refrain from alcohol. Furthermore, more than 50 percent of teenagers say that sex while drinking or on drugs often produces unplanned pregnancies. An Ohio study of high school girls who tried cocaine indicated that these adolescents were five times more likely to have experienced an unintended pregnancy than peers who avoidedShow MoreRelatedâ€Å"Among American adolescent girls who have ever had intercourse, approximately one in six becomes700 Words   |  3 Pagespregnant† (Ventura et al., 2008). Teen pregnancy is an ongoing dilemma that concerns the baby, parents, and other family members. Anyone under the age of eighteen years old is considered to be a child and every year approximately 750,000 women aged fifteen to eighteen become pregnant (Guttmacher Institute, 2006). Also, teen pregnancy represents eleven percent of all births in the United States (Guttmacher Institute, 2006). The underlying cause of teen pregnancy is mainly the lack of education onRead MoreEssay on Babies Having Babies1538 Words   |  7 Pagesthough the teen pregnancy and birth rates have dropped by one-third over the past decade, teen pregnancy in the United States is a growing problem. Accor ding to data by the National Center for Health Statistics and other official data, one in three girls still become pregnant by the age of twenty (Brown lines 1-3). In the United States one million adolescent girls become pregnant every year causing the U.S. to be the leader of the developed world in teen pregnancy. One in four of these teen girls willRead MoreEssay on Factors that Lead to Teen Pregnancy1363 Words   |  6 PagesFactors that Lead to Teen Pregnancy Although the overall rate of teen pregnancy has been declining, the rates have remained high for teens that are most vulnerable. The great majority of Americans believe that teen pregnancies are a serious national problem, indeed a problem that is the major component of what is thought to be national moral decline. However, what causes these teens to become pregnant at such a young age? A large body of research has identified a number of factoresRead MoreTeenage Pregnancy Is A Public Health Issue1637 Words   |  7 Pagesrates, defined as live births per one thousand 15-19-year-old US females, declined by 10% from 2012 to 2013 from 29.4 to 26.5. In fact, the birth rate has been on a steady decline over the past 20 years, from 61.8 in 1991 to 26.5 in 2013. Teenage pregnancy represents both a health and social inequality in our society. Specifically, teenage childbearing is a public health issue because teenage mothers are more likely to experience negative social outcomes such as dropping out of school. This is aRead More Teens Essay1527 Words   |  7 Pagesto preventing teenage pregnancy? Did you know that approximately every two minutes, a teenage girl in the United States gives birth (Guernsey 6)? While this fact may be sad and startling to most people, it is indeed the truth. Over the past few decades, the problem of teen pregnancy has grown considerab ly in this country. However, the most extensive dilemma regarding the issue of adolescent pregnancy is the incredibly important question of prevention. Preventing teen pregnancy includes such solutionsRead MoreEducational Issue Involving Adolescents . Many People Blame1695 Words   |  7 PagesInvolving Adolescents Many people blame the parents first thing if a child is having academic issues. However, although the parents do play a major part, they are not the only reason children may be struggling in school. There are many factors that cause educational issues with adolescents in addition to parental involvement. These factors include: peer relations/bullying, substance abuse, young parenthood, technology use, stereotyping, racial judgements, and socioeconomic status. According to a studyRead MoreDepression And Postpartum Depression1047 Words   |  5 Pagesthat the baby is born (Bolyn 2017). Some women experience postpartum depression during pregnancy (Bolyn 2017). A few symptoms of postpartum depression are excessive crying, loss of appetite, feelings of hopelessness, and difficulty concentrating (Bolyn 2017). Teen pregnancy contributes to a small percentage of women who are diagnosed with postpartum depression (Bolyn 2017). A pregnant woman is considered a teen mom if she is from the ages of 13-19. Teenage mothers often feel stressed or nervous beforeRead MoreSeveral Cases of Violence Against Children1030 Words   |  5 Pagesat one time being pregnant and an unwed mother was looked upon as shameful girls. I knew that becoming pregnant I was no longer able to attend school. In the 1950s and 1960s, the stigma of illegitimacy was such that many young women in their late teens and early 20s were more or less forced to give up their babies. They were expected to go away to mother and baby homes, and six weeks later, sign over their child to someone else. They were then expected to make a fresh start and forget the babiesRead MoreThe Epidemiology Triangle and Its Fundamentals in Examining Teenage Pregnancy2112 Words   |  8 PagesIntroduction This work will use epidemiology triangle and its fundamentals in examining teenage pregnancy. This issue remains the only preventable problem in most countries because it is not a disease and none transmittable. However, it is a major problem affecting the younger generation. There is a major controversy in defining epidemiology, and most people misinterpret the definition. Research carried out indicates that most people have a negative perception on epidemiology. Some people considerRead MoreTypes Of Integrative Review784 Words   |  4 Pages(f) current practices. The search strategy was inclusive of a grey literature as well as a literature search related to specific databases, keywords, and years. The two databases used were Google Scholar and CINAHL; the keywords searched were â€Å"teen pregnancy† or â€Å"sex education† or â€Å"STI Prevention† and â€Å"digital† or â€Å"theory†; and, the years searched were inclusive of five years due to the limited research articles found otherwise. Using the guided questions as a foundation, the search strategy focused