The Problem of Teen Pregnancy

Teen pregnancy is increasing yearly. According to the March of Dimes, teenage birth rates have decreased steadily in the country since 1991. Teenage birth rates in the United States remain relatively high compared to the more developed countries.

According to the March of Dimes, "nearly thirteen percent of all births in the United States were teens ages fifteen to nineteen. Almost one million teenagers become pregnant each year and about 485,000 give birth (Teenage 1).

Babies, as well as the teenage mothers, face long-time problems may face long-term problems from the pregnancy. These problems may include school failure, poverty, and physical or mental illness. Babies born to teenagers are at greater risk for neglect and abuse than those of a woman. Teenage mothers may feel like they are being demanded to do the job and they may take their frustration out on the child (When 1).

Why are so many teenagers having children at such a young age? What are the parents doing about it? For a long time now, I have thought about these questions. I am a teenager, why aren't I pregnant? Teenage girls feel pressure from their peers. Peers may say to you "Everyone is doing it." You may feel that you need to be part of the group to be "cool". Sometimes you may even feel that you know what you are doing. You think that nothing is going to happen to you until one day, and then you are delivering a baby.

Parents are not as smart as they used to be in the sex education area. Many parents are afraid to speak with their children. Some may feel that their children are learning about it in school so why should they say it again. Many teenagers are sent to foster homes because the parents are too busy to take care of their responsibilities. Neglect is a cause for teenagers to get pregnant. They feel that if they have a child that they can be loved.

Teen pregnancy, in my opinion, is awful. I feel that young women should not be having children at such a young age. I feel that these teenagers that are having babies are children themselves, and do not know how to take care of them as well as an older, more mature person might. At this young age, very few teenagers have jobs. Therefore, it may be difficult for them to support themselves and the baby. They would probably have to drop out of school, and get a couple of jobs; all this just to pay for diapers, food, and clothing.

Where is the child going to go when the mother has to go to work? To the babysitter? To the grandmothers house? More times than I can count, I see young mothers handing their children over to their parents. What if the mother does not want to work? You have to think if all of this is worth it and if you are ready for such a huge responsibility.

Teen pregnancy can be a very difficult situation at times. For example, a young girl tells a story about what she went through. This young girl thought she was in love. The guy she was dating the cutest guys in the school. Why would he be dating an average little girl. He said he loved her. This girl had been having sexual intercourse since she was fourteen years old. She slept with this guy and before you know it, she ended up pregnant. What was this young girl to do? The family pressures pushed the girl to have an abortion. Time went by and she met another guy. She talks about how this guy was her "first true love." She has sexual intercourse with this guy and before you know it, she is pregnant again (It 1).

What are her options? First she had an abortion. The girl is pregnant again and wonders what to do. How many times does a teenage girl get to do this? These you girls do not know how much responsibility it is to take on a child. They might think it would be like a babysitting job or watching their little brother/sister, but in actuality, it is much more than that.

If the guy you were with decided to leave you and the child, you would have to of ways to support yourself. The government has money but what are these teens doing with it? Drinking and smoking are two ways in which teenagers may choose to spend the money that is suppose to help their baby and themselves.

What would you do if they were sick? How would you get them to the doctor? How would you support this child? These would be just some questions that a young