Teen Pregnancy Essay Being Compared With Society Example For Students

Teen Pregnancy Essay Being Compared With Society Teen PregnancyThesis statement:Teenage pregnancy is a major concern in todays society; there are many ways to prevent teen pregnancy, many people to get advice from, and many decisions that a teen parent must make. Outline:I. IntroductionII. Teenage PregnancyA. Concerns about Teenage PregnancyB. What helps prevent Teen PregnancyC. Source of Advice and SupportIII. Stages of PregnancyA. First TrimesterB. Second TrimesterC. Third TrimesterIV. Challenges of Teenage ParenthoodA. Parenthood OptionsB. Continuing EducationC. Financial ProblemsV. ConclusionTeenage pregnancy is a major concern in todays society; there are many ways to prevent teenage pregnancy, many people to get advice from, and many decisions a teenage parent must make. The statistics tell that the U.S. has the highest rate of teen pregnancy and births. More than 4 out of ten young women become pregnant at least once before they reach the age of 20-nearly one billion a year(Teen Pregnancy Facts and Stats 1). Teenage pregnancy has declined slowly but steadily. These recent declines reverse the 24-percent rise in the teenage birth rate from 1986 to 1991 (Teen Pregnancy Facts and Stats 1). Usually only one-third of teenage mothers receive a high school diploma. The rest of the mothers usually end up on welfare. A majority of both boys and girls who are sexually active wish they had waited. Eight in ten girls and six in ten boys say they wish they had waited (Teen Pregnancy Facts and Stats 1). Many people are concerned about the problems teenage parents and their children face. The health risks for a teenage girl who becomes pregnant increase sharply. One of the concerns of teenage mothers is the health risk. Usually young women have more complications in pregnancy than older women. The most hazardous complication is low birth weight. One out of seven babies born to teenage mothers have a low birth weight (Hildebrand 88). Poor eating habits, smoking, or using alcohol or drugs, cause low birth weight. Premature babies and babies with low birth weights often have organs that havent fully developed, such as lungs, heart and brain. These babies get sick easier than normal weight babies. As a result from what was motioned above, teenage mothers are considered to be in the high-risk health category. They need good prenatal care as soon as they find out they are pregnant. A doctor, nurse, or other medical practitioner gives most of the information about nutrition. Prenatal care can help prevent pregnancy complications and improve ones chances of having a healthy baby. The best way to prevent teenage pregnancy, which is 100% effective, is abstinence. Most teenagers have a whole life ahead of them and having a child will cause a lot of complications in your goals. Its no t impossible for teenage mothers to complete high school, or try to reach their goals in life, but having a child could very well interfere with these goals. Another way of protection is condoms. There are a lot of protections out there, but these protections are not 100-percent reliable. There are a lot of places and people to go to for support and advice. In addition there are many organizations and hotlines a teenage mother can contact for advice and assistance. Parents and family are one alternative. There are a lot of teenagers that are afraid of their parents reactions. However, most parents are calmer and more supportive than teenagers expect. Most parents are shocked when the teenager comes and tells them that they are pregnant. Just give the parents time and they will try to give their teenager the best advice that they know. The school nurse or counselor is another place to get advice. The counselor usually can gather up pamphlets and brochures about pregnancy. The counsel or can also help the teenager remain in school. They are very supportive and understanding. Doctors and clinics are very important for a teenage parent to go to. There are a lot of home pregnancy tests available, but the doctor is a lot more reliable and gives a more accurate answer. Family planning counselors are also very professional people who can explain various options and discuss the community resources available to teenagers. They also help arrange for financial assistance and recommend support groups. Since teenagers need a lot of prenatal care, the counselor also offers advice on prenatal care, nutrition information, childbirth classes, and parenting skills. These mentioned are just a few place or people you can go to for advice. Dont ever think that there isnt anyone out there to ask for advice. Teenager mothers would feel a lot more comfortable knowing what was going on with their bodies and how the baby is developing. The next part of this paper is going to explain the first through the third trimester of pregnancy. Economic Order Quantity EssayAdoptions can be arranged by local, state, religious, and even private agencies. These agencies have a list of couples that wants kids but are unable to have them. The couples background is checked to be certain that they would be the best parents for the baby. Teenage parents who put their child up for adoption can be assured that the child will be taken care of. If the parents decide to give the baby up for adoption before its born, it can be arranged before birth. Adoption laws vary from state to state. An open adoption can be made. This adoption allows the birth and adoptive parents to share information about themselves and the child. The birth mother usually meets the adoptive parents during the pregnancy or after the birth. The adoptive parents send photographs and letters letting the birth mother know how the child is doing. This is an advantage for the birth mother. The birth parents will know a little about his/her biological background. The ad optive parents can answer most of any questions the child asks about the birth parents. Continuing education is also a major decision when you become a teenage parent. Pregnant teenagers have the right to finish their education. It may be hard, but it is not impossible. In some schools they stay in their regular classes, but in others they are placed in special classes for pregnant teenagers. These classes can be helpful because they help parents learn about pregnancy, prenatal care, and parenting skills. Some schools even have childcare. This would help out a lot of teenage parents trying to finish their education. It is important for teenage parents to complete high school. A lot of jobs require high school diplomas. How can teenagers support their baby with no job?The statistics show that teenagers who dropout usually qualify for the lowest-paying jobs in the community, if even that. That is why having an education will help out a teenage mother or father. Having a high school di ploma enables them to have more career choices. The most important challenge of a teenage parent is financial problems. Teenagers face more financial problems than older parents. Even if both parents work, they lack the education or skills needed to obtain a job that can support a family. This is why many teen mothers rely on welfare. Some 63% of teen parents depended on public programs for medical needs and daily living expense in 1992 (Programs that Work Now 1). Aid to families with Dependent Children (AFDC) provides financial support to eligible parents and children. Government assistance is minimal, however, and not always available. This probably wont change in the future because of the tax burden of these programs. Because of these programs, it helps prevent teenage mothers living in poverty. Before you become sexually active think of the consequences you face. Teen pregnancy isnt just it, there are many problems such as STDs, AIDS, and HIV. These are all associated with sex. If you are sexually active get on some kind of birth control and always use a condom. Think about the consequences you as a teenager would have to face if you risk getting pregnant. Think about the consequences it would put a baby through. Its tough to be a teenage parent and people will have to sacrifice a lot of things that they used to do now that theres a baby with you. Just remember, dont start having sex just because everybody else is or because someones pressuring you into it. Think about everything, including your future, school, friends, freedom, and your life. WORK CITEDGutman-Bowe, Sonia. Teen Pregnancy. Minneapolis: 1987. Hildebrand, Verna. Parenting: Rewards and Responsibilities. New York: 1988Pregnancy and birth. Grolier, INC. 1996 ed. Programs that work now. AFDC. 1995 online. Internet. 18 November 1999. Available http://www.intac.com/jdeck/tahra/programstext.html. Teen Pregnancy Facts and Stats. NCPTP. 1999. Online. Internet. 11 November 1999. Available http://www.teenpregnancy.org/factstats.html. Social Issues Essays