FREE ESSAY ON TEEN PREGNANCY

TEEN PREGNANCY

Teen Pregnancy
Thesis statement:
Teenage pregnancy is a major concern in today's 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. Introduction
II. Teenage Pregnancy
A. Concerns about Teenage Pregnancy
B. What helps prevent Teen Pregnancy
C. Source of Advice and Support
III. Stages of Pregnancy
A. First Trimester
B. Second Trimester
C. Third Trimester
IV. Challenges of Teenage Parenthood
A. Parenthood Options
B. Continuing Education
C. Financial Problems
V. Conclusion
Teenage pregnancy is a major concern in today's 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 haven't 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 one's
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. It's not 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 counselor 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. Don't ever think
that there isn't 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.
The average biological length of human gestation, from conception to delivery, is 266
days. Due to the difficulty in assessing the exact date of conception, however, the
clinical length of pregnancy is considered to be 280 days or 40 weeks, calculated from
the last normal menstrual period before the cessation of menses, or menstrual flow. This
calculation assumes that ovulation occurs 14 days after the last menstrual period. Human
gestation is further divided into trimesters, each of which lasts slightly more than 13
weeks (Pregnancy and birth 1).
In the first trimester the mother experiences nausea and vomiting, morning sickness, in
the first 8 weeks. Breast soreness or tingling often occurs due to hormonal stimulation.
Fatigue is also a common complaint.
The baby is developing organs in the first trimester. The fetus' heart begins to beat
after 4 weeks. By 8 weeks, the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, fingers, and toes are easily
recognizable, and male and female reproductive systems have diffentiated. By 12 weeks all
of the organs have developed. During these first weeks, the mother should be very careful
because the fetus is most vulnerable to potential teratogenic, birth-defect inducing
drugs, radiation, and viruses. All of those factors are very dangerous to the fetus. 
During the second trimester the mother has increasing abdominal girth and pressure from
the growing uterus. Braxton-Hicks contractions may occur. The mother may experience
lightheadedness and may even faint due to the effects of the hormones on the blood
vessels and the amount of blood diverted to the uterus, placenta, and fetus. There are
many discomforts associated with pregnancy, most complained about is heartburn. Despite
this discomfort, women are generally more comfortable during the second trimester than
the first. 
During the second trimester the baby's thin-walled skin develops, organs begin to
function, and blood begins to be formed in the bone marrow. Scalp hair appears, fat
increases, and bones begin to harden. About 20 weeks along, the mother can feel the
precise movements of the baby.
In the third trimester, the last weeks of pregnancy become increasingly uncomfortable.
Headaches, shortness of breath, and swelling of legs are the common complaints. False
labor pains, or contractions of the uterus that do not lead to progressive dilation, or
opening of the cervix, can be particularly uncomfortable.
The baby gains weight in the third trimester. Ear lobes begin to develop cartilage,
testes begin to descend into the scrotum, nails begin to grow over the tips of the
fingers, and creases develop over the soles of the feet. Also, the fetus begins to
demonstrate coordinated patterns of behavior that are similar to the cycles of activity
and sleep of a newborn.
The things mentioned are just an overall view of the trimesters. A woman's body undergoes
a variety of changes to prepare for the growth, nourishment, and birth of a child. 
The teenage parent has a lot of challenges that must be overcame and decided, such as
parenthood options, continuing education, and financial problems. These mentioned are
just a few of the challenges a teenager faces.
There are three options parents must decide if they become pregnant. The parents can
marry and raise the child together. The mother or father can raise the child as a single
parent. The parents can put the baby up for adoption. These are three options that are
going to be very hard to decide. Whatever the teenager decides will have a consequence on
the baby and the parents.
When teenagers become pregnant, the first thing they want to do is rush into marriage.
The parents may have talked about marriage but this would be the real thing. Only
one-third of the teenagers who become pregnant before the age of 18 are married (Gutman
25).
Babies need a lot of attention. They need to be fed, burped, diaper changes, bathe and
cuddled. Having someone around to help with these tasks can be very helpful and rewarding
for parents and the baby.
Most teenage marriages don't last long. The teenagers may think they will have more
freedom when they are married. Wrong, you will not have as much freedom. Teenagers are
taking on a big responsibility when they marry. Think about it before you rush into
marriage. When teenagers marry, they have to make decisions about where to live and how
to pay the bills. These are just things you have to decide on. Trying to adjust to
parenthood and having a marriage partner will be challenging and overwhelming. As a
result, four out of five teenage couples divorce within six years (Hildebrand 94). The
marriages that are successful receive support from friends and family.
Another option would be singe parenthood. Single parenthood is either the mother or
father deciding to raise the child alone. Usually when this happens, the mother is the
one to keep the child. Both mother and child usually live with the mother's parents.
Money concern plays a major role in teenage marriage, but is a greater problem for single
parents. Being a single parent, trying to work, finish school, you must arrange for
childcare services. Childcare services can be very expensive for a single parent. Usually
if a single parent is balancing school, work, and taking care of a child, the teenager
have a lot of support from parents, friends, and relatives. Parents can be big support
for a teenage parent. 
The last option is adoption. To make this decision, the parents would have thought long
and hard about the baby's needs and their future. Adoption is not bad it may be best for
the child if the couple isn't able to provide everything that a baby needs. If the
parents weren't able to give the baby the good start in life it needs, adoption would be
the best option.
Adoptions 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 couple's
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 adoptive
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 diploma 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 won't 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
isn't just it, there are many problems such as STD's, 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. It's
tough to be a teenage parent and people will have to sacrifice a lot of things that they
used to do now that there's a baby with you. Just remember, don't start having sex just
because everybody else is or because someone's pressuring you into it. Think about
everything, including your future, school, friends, freedom, and your life.
WORK CITED
Gutman-Bowe, Sonia. Teen Pregnancy. Minneapolis: 1987.
Hildebrand, Verna. Parenting: Rewards and Responsibilities. New York: 1988
Pregnancy 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.