Teenage Pregnancy
Teenage pregnancy is one of the most serious problems young women face today. While the US has seen a steady decline in its occurrence since 1991, it is still a fact that the incidence of teenage pregnancy remains relatively high. In a recent year, 67 percent of the country’s teenage pregnancy rate was of teens between the age of 18 and 19. Even though this age group is considered legally as adults, they are too young to begin the responsibilities of motherhood. Just ask any mom. Tell your daughters that there are many risk factors involved when it comes to teenage pregnancy and one of these is the health of the new parent giving birth. Pregnancy poses a very serious health risk for parents and child alike. There have been reports of serious complications arising due to early physical and physiological changes brought about by early gestation. Statistics on US Teenage Pregnancy The statistics on pregnancy reveal that the USA exceeds most of the numbers presented by developed and developing countries alike. Approximately 800,000 teenagers get pregnant each year in the U.S. This situation is cause for every parent to be concerned because pregnancy not only affects the health of teens but can put an end to their future career and their opportunity to grow professionally. They are just getting started in life and need time to do some living and learning before they become a parent. Programs to Curtail Teenage Pregnancy The high incidence of pregnancy among teenagers has motivated the US government to install programs in an attempt to lower the instances of teenage pregnancy in half. This program has existed since 1991 and continues to grow into further programs to help teens understand and become educated on the consequences of risky behavior. The year 1991 to 2002 showed a dramatic decline in teenage pregnancy. The statistics shows that it dropped by more than 30 percent. For parents, this is proof that educating your teenager is your best defense to help them avoid becoming a statistic. These and other data are part of the 2002 survey and data gathered from the national government and The Allan Guttmacher Institute. Some of the most recent problems facing teens, that parents are concerned about today, are outlined below: 1. Current statistics show that more than 71 percent of teens that have undergone successful delivery may get to have a second baby within the 3 years after the first successful delivery of the latter. 2. Medical data also indicates that teenage parents are more likely to give birth of a premature child and may end up endangering both the health of the child and the health of the baby. 3. The information gathered from such findings have indicated that teenagers are less capable of delivering normal childbirth and that can result in complications that endanger the physical and mental health of the baby. How Teenage Parents Affect a Baby’s Health There are plenty of reasons as to why many teenagers may struggle to successfully give birth to a healthy baby, for example: a. Poor Health Habits - irregular eating and sleeping habits, and resistance to taking prenatal vitamin supplements, may affect the odds of successful child bearing among teens. Also contributing to the potential problems are other bad habits typical among some teens, such as drinking alcoholic beverages, smoking, staying up late at night, and partying out with friends. This also increases the risk already involved in teenage pregnancy and could further increase the problems related to it. b. Weight Condition – since many teens prefer to be thin during their age, the weight required to better prepare parents towards childbearing might not be reached and could increase risks that otherwise would not occur among parents who get pregnant in their twenties. This can lead to babies with less than 5 and a half pounds of average weight after delivery. c. Irregular Medical Checkup – Due to lack of experience, some teens may not get the best medical and physical care that is needed during pregnancy. Parents need to take responsibility for their important role in educating their teens about the prevention of teenage pregnancy.About how having a baby is a lifetime commitment. That it takes the next 18 years of a person's life and almost all of their time and money, to raise a child. Talk to your teen today.
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