Essay on teen pregnancy

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Teenage Pregnancy
Michele Gordon
Kaplan University

Teenage Pregnancy

Teen pregnancy is a growing epidemic in United States. United States has the highest rate of teen pregnancy compared to other countries. In 2011 a total of 329,797 babies were born to women age 15-19. Approximately 750,000 teens get pregnant in a single year (Control Disease Center, 2013). Among those 61% is located in Berkeley County, West Virginia which is the highest rate for teen pregnancy in the state of West Virginia (Martinsburg Journal, 2013). West Virginia is among the ten worst states for teen births. In the state of West Virginia it cost nearly $38 million for the state for teens to give birth, and $14 million for child welfare (National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, 2013). Teen Pregnancy can be reduced with good education, parental support, and birth control. Young mothers and their children are more vulnerable to adverse social, economic, and health conditions. Teen mothers are less likely to graduate from high school and more likely to live in poverty. Teen pregnancy leads to poor birth outcomes and pre-term births. Teen’s childbearing results in higher incidences with the following social problems:
1. Foster children
2. Children experiencing trouble in school
3. Become high school dropouts
4. Welfare dependency
5. Father is absence from the child’s life
6. Incarceration of people raised by teen parents
7. Adolescent mothers from one generation to the next

Teen pregnancy leads to poor birth outcomes. Children born to teen mothers are at greater risk of:
1. Low birth-weight and pre-term birth, both of which increase the likelihood of infant mortality
2. Having mothers and fathers who suffer from depression and relationship conflict
3. Lower cognitive scores on a range of measures in early childhood
4. Childhood health problems
5. Child abuse and neglect Teenagers are having intercourse at the age of thirteen this is a very young age. As a community this needs to be addressed about this situation. Sex education needs to be put in schools to better educate the teens on sexual activity, and how to prevent pregnancy. In United States only 22 states and the District of Columbia teach sex education in public schools (National Conference of State Legislature, 2013). West Virginia is among the 22 states that require schools to have sex education. The number one topic in sex education class is abstinence this topic can be stressed to the teen but as parents teens are thinking about sex. Other topics that are talked about in class are condoms what kinds there are and demonstrate how to apply one correctly. Sexual transmitted diseases are talked about and HIV. West Virginia only receives $313,767.00 in federal funds for sex education class (Sex.etc, 2013). We need more funding for this and parents of the teenagers to consent to this course. The school system needs to help also by providing sex education more in the schools and also allowing the nurses to help out with contraceptive. As a community teenagers need more programs to help with this situation. Schools can have classes in which teenagers have to take care of an almost real baby. This can help with them knowing how it is too get up in the middle of the night, feed the child, and bathe the child. The teenagers need programs to join and keep active so intercourse isn’t everything that’s on their mind. Parental support is very important if teenagers don’t have this some just rebel and get into lots of trouble. Talking to your teen is very important some top 10 guidelines are (The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, 2013):
1. Communicate with your child about sex.
2. Talk to your child early and often about sex
3. Supervise and monitor your teen
4. Know your teens friends and their families
5. Frequent and steady dating
6. Make a strong stand against your teen dating a older guy
7. Help your teen to
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