Teen Pregnancy And Parenthood

Teen Pregnancy Key 1. Teen mothers are twice as likely to die in childbirth. True 2. A child born to a teen mother is twice as likely to die before the age of one. True 3. Teen mothers are twice as likely not to finish high school. True

4. One-half of all welfare payments go to families with teen mothers. True 5. Twenty percent of teen mothers are pregnant again before two years. True 6. Eight-two percent of girls who gave birth at age 15 or younger were born to teen parents. True

7. M ost teen pregnancies happen by mistake. True 8. If a girl is pregnant, but her boyfriend doesn’t want her to have the baby, he is not responsible for supporting the child financially. False 9. If a girl does not want to keep the child the father can not prevent an adoption. True

10.I n 1993, nearly 13 teenage pregnancies occurred every day. True 11. Ten percent of pregnant Utah teens chose to terminate their pregnancies. False 16 % terminated their pregnancies 12. F ifty percent of teenage mothers gave birth to infants fathered by men age 20 or older. False 64% were fathered by 20 or older men.

13.N ationally Twenty-five percent of teen pregnancies occur during the first 6 months of sexual activity. False 50% occur in the first six months 14.T he divorce rate is greater for couples with pre-marital pregnancy than for those who conceive after marriage. True

Contributing Factors to Adolescent Pregnancy Marital Status and Family Structure Parent and Sibling Sexual Experience and Pregnancy Parent-Child Relationship Race, Ethnicity and Socioeconomic Status Peer Group and Interpersonal Factors Self-Esteem Decision Making Skills Perception of Invulnerability Age Biological Factors Dating Religious Affiliation Media Sexual Abuse

Four in ten girls get pregnant at least once before age 20. Source: National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy analysis of Henshaw, S.K., U.S.. Teenage Pregnancy Statistics, New York: Alan Guttmacher Institute, May, 1996; and Forrest, J.D., Proportion of U.S. Women Ever Pregnant Before Age 20, New York: Alan Guttmacher Institute, 1986, unpublished.

Effects of Teen Pregnancy Physical: Teens have a higher death rate from complications of pregnancy. They are often undernourished and do not receive adequate prenatal care. This results in more low birth weight infants and infants with birth defects. Social: In Utah, over $6,000,000 is spent annually. Children from low income households are more likely than others to become children of teenage parents and to become teenage parents themselves.

Effects of Teen Pregnancy Cont… EMOTIONAL: The decision to engage is sexual relationships and teen pregnancy impede the emotional development and maturation process of the teen. 19% of all mothers who commit child abuse are or have been adolescent mothers. Teen parents who marry have a higher rate of marital separation, divorce, and eventually remarriage.

The children of teen mothers are at greater risk of abuse and neglect National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. (1997). Whatever Happened to Childhood? The Problem of Teen Pregnancy in the United States. Washington, DC: Author.

Effects of Teen Pregnancy Cont…. EDUCATION: Teen mothers are less likely to finish their education. 60% of teens who gave birth did not have their high school diploma. Nine out of ten who do not graduate from high school will live in poverty.

Nearly 1 million teen pregnancies occurred in To put it another way, more than 100 U.S. teens become pregnant each hour. Forty percent of these pregnancies were girls under the age of 18, and 60 percent were girls aged , ,530 24,830 Total: 905,000 The Alan Guttmacher Institute. (1999). Special report: U.S. teenage pregnancy statistics with comparative statistics for women aged New York: Author. 100 teen girls get pregnant each hour.

In 1996, just over one-half of teen pregnancies to girls aged ended in birth, about one-third ended in abortion, and 14 percent ended in miscarriage. The Alan Guttmacher Institute. (1999). Special report: U.S. teenage pregnancy statistics with comparative statistics for women aged New York: Author. 491, , ,890 Each year, half a million teens give birth.

CONSEQUENCES TO THE TEEN DAD He does not have a choice in whether the baby is aborted or not. It is the girl’s legal right. If the mother keeps the baby and they don’t marry, the father is still legally responsible for child support until age 18. If the girl and the baby go on welfare, the support money may be garnished from the boy’s wages if and when he gets a job.

CONSEQUENCES TO THE TEEN DAD CONT… If the couple does not marry, he does not have a choice whether the baby is put up for adoption or not. Again, it is the girl’s choice. May not be able to prove the baby is his or not without a court order.

CONSEQUENCES TO THE TEEN DAD CONT… If he marries the mother and they try to raise the child together Their marriage is much more likely to end in divorce than if the circumstances did not include pregnancy. He is much more likely to drop out of school and get a job; the less education, the lower the income, for life. He may feel guilty about not being able to support a family financially. He is likely to feel great resentment to the girl and the baby who have “tied him down” and “ruined his chances to make something of himself”.

Teen Pregnancy and Parenthood Summary Teenage pregnancy and parenthood often cause serious physical, emotional, and financial problems.

Summary The responsibilities of parenthood are easier to handle when couples have completed their education, have had a chance to settle into careers, and are in good shape financially.

Summary Teenagers who become pregnant, miss out on their adolescence. Many Teenage girls become pregnant out of a desire to be loved and needed, but do not have the experience to realize that having a baby will require many sacrifices and change their lives.

Summary Pregnant teenagers need the guidance that family, clergy, medical personnel, and professional counselors can provide.