health

Mandy Howe

Being a teenager can be an extreamly stressfull time. Dealing with school work,

maintiang a social life and planning for the futur are all the main focuses of a teen. Adding an

unplanned pregnancy to the equasion can deffinitly shake things up. so many important desisions

need to me as soon as possible. Weather the teen keeps the baby, or doesnt, weather or not

she tells her parents. When? How? what about the fathers baby, when will she tell him? will she

even tell him at all? Does she want him involved? The biggest and ultimitally the most important

decision and the one that is uausally asked when the teen finds out she is pregnant is... "What

now?"

Telivision trys to glamorize teenage pregnancy but what the t.v. doesnt show is all the

hardships and consecuences of having a baby so young, and beeing a teenage mother. A variety

of consequences may resulyt from teenage pregnancy. These consequences wont always just

effectthe mother or the baby. The baby's father and the exteneded family may also feel the

weight of what is happening aswell. If the teen doesnt have the support she will desperatly need

she may try to hide the pregnancy which would be very damaging to the baby considering that

prenatal care is crucial, expecially during the fist four mounths of pregnancy. prenatal care

includes screening for medical problems, nutritional information, and other care information that

can benifit both the baby and the mom-to-be. A teen lacking these things can jeperdize not only

the babys health but also her own. If the teen is too scared to tell her parents, there are

programs and places she can go to such as, birthright and planned parenthood. these arnt only

places for pregnancy but also to obtian contraseptions and S.T.D. testing excetera. Even with

these programs beeing so young and beeing pregnant has its own risks. It is proven that teens

who are pregnant are at a greater risk of having elevated blood pressure and even

preeclampsia, than an older woman is. Teens can even become animic and or depressed but all

of theres 'issues' can be adressed easily. The most known fact is that teen mothers are more

likely to give birth to a baby prematurly or befor the 37th week party. Premature babies face a

variety of the problems that otherwise they may not. Such as problems with the babies

respatory and digestive systems, their vistion or many other developmental problems can occur.

Not to say that thes things will automatically happen, just saying its more likely beeing a

pregnant teenage.

Teenagage birth rates have been rising and dropping over the last sixty plus years.

Currently it is shown that the birth rates are declining and it is only hope that these numbers will

continue to steadly drop as they are doing. The big quetion that needs to be asked is, What is

causing these numbers to drop? Reaserchers points towards towards prevention programs and

the ability to get contaseptives. Education is most likely the biggest reasoning for the decline.

All-in-all they teach all the things that can go wrong. Teens learn that they are not ready to deal

with the consequences that can come with becoming pregnant at such a long age. Not only is

education srucial but also knowing that their plans for the futue will be aultered due to a

pregnancy. pregnant teens are also more likely to attend college, infact only one third of teens

will. they will also be less likey to finish highschool but those numbers are rising at an

expadentional rate. This also accounts for the nummbers of GED's recieved.

After the teen has her baby, if she chooses to do so, she will encounter new worries, a

big one beeing how will she afford the new baby. It is not like dipers, wipes and formula is

cheep. Fourtantly the government provides help- to assisrt these young mothers. Billions of

dollars are spent taking care of teenage mothers. (When it only takes a few million to teach

about prevention and provide contraseption.) Welfare beeing one of them.

Beeing pregnant as a teenager is a serious issue and needs to be adressed as soon as

possible. Weather it is with their parents, a conselor or a friend. Desions need to be made in the

intrest of both the baby and the mother. The choices are ultimitally up to the mother herself. the

best way to prevent pregnancy and is 100% preventable is absitinance. Education being the

second most important. Parents are asked to keep comunication opened, be approachable, teach family values, encourage safe and fun activities (sports) and watch for warnimg sign. Teenagers are asked to talk to your parents if you have any questions.

Three-quarters of a million teens between 15 and 19 become pregnant each year.

US teen pregnancy rates are higher than those of other developed countries.

About 1 in 3 women become pregnant at least once before they're 20.

A sexually active teen who does not use contraceptives has a 90% chance of becoming pregnant within a year.

It also affects their kids - girls born to teen mothers are more likely to be teen mothers themselves. Boys born to teen moms are more likely to end up in prison.

Diapers are expensive, but it's nothing compared to the $9 billion that teen pregnancy costs the United States each year. This includes increased spending in child welfare costs and public sector health care.

REFRANCE PAGE

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/pregnancy/prenatal-care-4255.htm

www.pregnantteenhelp.org/

www.womenshealthchannel.com/teenpregnancy/index.shtml

www.pregnancycenters.org/cause-teen-pregnancy.asp