The birth rate is one of the most important factors determining demographic health in any society. One of the major problems in this area is teen pregnancy, which implies consequences for health, social status, and economic state for numerous families all over the world. However, it influences not only households but the whole communities and even the countries. According to the estimations of experts, the problem is agile for the whole world and the United States, in particular. The official representatives of the country claim that the rates remain high, which presents an important public health problem involving numerous consequences. It is especially relevant for the state of Georgia as statistics show one of the highest levels of birth among adolescents in this county. There is a big range of various strategies, which are suggested to help in preventing adolescent pregnancy. These measures can be implemented at the family and state levels and may include different social programs, sexual behavior education, and proper contraceptive counseling.
Risks and Challenges of Adolescent Pregnancies
The issue of teenage pregnancies is a major problem for the families it concerns, the government, and the whole society. First of all, underage mothers and their children have big chances of encountering numerous risks. One of the problems is the influence on the economic situation and the life of the community. According to the statistics, 70 percent of teenage mothers drop out of school and they are “twice as likely to end up on welfare” (Goldstein, n.d.). Moreover, this phenomenon creates constituent costs to taxpayers, thus, influencing the economy. There are also corresponding health risks as teens often lack necessary medical care and proper nutrition. In addition, a bone structure of a young girl might be not fully developed and may be damaged by pregnancy. There are also increased chances of complications for teen mothers and their babies, for example, the risks of having low birth weights for such infants are higher than for those who are born to older women. It may also become a reason for problems with the respiratory, digestive, and cognitive functions of babies. Even the mortality rates are higher for children born to underage females.
Finally, there is a proven fact that children of teen mothers encounter more challenges throughout their lives. There are more chances of them experiencing poverty, health problems, and difficulties in school, abuse, and neglect from others. According to the statistics, boys of teen mothers are “thirteen percent more likely to be incarcerated”, while “girls are 22 percent more likely to become teen mothers themselves” (Goldstein, n.d., para. 5). There is also a higher risk of bad parenting in families with teenage mothers due to the lack of experience and necessary knowledge. All of these risk factors allow making a conclusion of adolescent pregnancies being destructive for the families and communities.
Adolescent Pregnancy Rates
Adolescent Pregnancy Rates in the United States
Today, many families choose to have children later in life. According to the statistics, the rates among women of 20 years of age and younger are at historic lows (Eunjung Cha, 2017). However, the problem of teenage pregnancies remains a serious issue for the economics of the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the teen birth rate has been declining for the last decades, although in 2017, “a total of 194,377 babies were born to women aged 15–19 years” (2019, para. 1). The issue remains relevant for numerous families all over the country. It especially concerns teens in foster care, children from low-income or low educational households, and those who live in rural areas. According to the statistics, the graveness of the problem also depends on the different ethnic groups. For example, in 2017, “the birth rates of Hispanic teens (28.9) and non-Hispanic black teens (27.5) were more than two times higher than the rate for non-Hispanic white teens (13.2)” with the highest rates among American Indian/Alaska natives (CDC, 2019, para. 6). There are also differences in statistics across states as certain states show low teen birth rates, while others demonstrate the worsening of the situation, for example, Georgia.
Adolescent Pregnancy Rates in the State of Georgia
The teen birth rate in the state of Georgia is considered to be one of the highest. The statistics show that the rate “among teenagers (aged 15-19 years) in Georgia is 21.9 per 1,000 compared to the national birth rate of 18.8 per 1,000” (Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia, 2019, p. 6). The statistics show that between 1991 and 2019, the number has declined 74%, although, in 2019, there were still 7,090 births to teens (Power to Decide, n.d.). Approximately 75% of all the cases are of older teens, 18-19 years old and 16% were to those who already had a child (Power to Decide, n.d.). Overall, 60% of all pregnancies in the state of Georgia are characterized by women as unplanned (Power to Decide, n.d.). From this perspective, the number of teenage births in Georgia is considered to be one of the highest in the country and requires specific policies at national and state levels to keep the situation under control.
Ways to Prevent Adolescent Pregnancy
Methods of Preventing Undesired Pregnancy
Today, there are multiple options for sexually active people, which permit to prevent an undesired pregnancy. Among the most popular methods are condoms and birth control pills, which require consistent and correct use for them to be effective. However, the best solution for young people is intrauterine devices (IUDs) and implants, known as Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) (CDC, 2015). The systems have proven their effectiveness and safety in preventing pregnancy for 3 to 10 years. A serious advantage of this method is the absence of the necessity of taking medications every day. However, it is important that doctors explain to young people that this option does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases, and the use of a condom during sex, especially not with a stable partner, is also important. In addition, there is a need for specific education for adolescents, which would tell them about the risks of unsafe sex and offer birth control methods, including LARC. A big role in the process of controlling the situation with teenage births is assigned to the national and local governments, which may accept policies aimed at managing the situation.
The Role of the Government in Preventing Adolescent Pregnancies
The role of the Federal government in controlling the situation with teen pregnancy is important. The authorities can provide family planning services for their residents and develop special programs for young people, especially in areas with high rates of adolescent births. The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) TPP Evidence Review identifies evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs (CDC, 2019). The project includes such programs as sexuality and abstinence education and profiles designed for diverse populations. Moreover, there is a need for and access to contraceptives and reproductive health services for young people and constant support from adults, who can help them to make decisions about sex and relationships.
There is also the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, which was organized to control the situation. It has released two reports aimed at assisting parents and teachers to prevent pregnancy among teenagers: “Talking Back: What teens want adults to know about teen pregnancy” and “Get Organized: A guide to preventing teen pregnancy” (Goldstein, n.d.). The campaign sees its purpose in educating people about the existence of this problem and provides useful information and tips, which may help to stabilize the situation. Thus, governments have a wide range of opportunities for controlling the situation with adolescent pregnancy by providing educational services and psychological support to help young generations cope with the challenges they are facing.
The Policies of Georgia Aimed at Preventing Adolescent Pregnancies
Georgia has a reputation as a pioneer in creating various projects, aimed at youth support. During the past decades, the state has made a serious attempt in taking the situation with teenage pregnancy under control. There is a wide range of initiatives, including the Abstinence Education Campaign, Comprehensive Adolescent Health Services called Teen Plus, Planned Parenthood programs, Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Prevention Pregnancy (G-CAPP), and SMART Moves and SMART Girls (Goldstein, n.d.). There is also an Adolescent Health and Youth Development Program (AHYD) developed by the Georgian Department of Public Health (DPH) on the basis of the positive youth development approach (DPH, 2020). This initiative is targeted at engaging teenagers with the life of their communities, schools, peer groups, and families. It highlights young people’s strengths and increases the quality of their lives by promoting positive relationships and necessary support. The AHYD program is governed by Youth Development Coordinators (YDC), which coordinates work between different counties’ health departments, at the local level (DPH, 2020). Among other functions, the organization should implement evidenced-based risk reduction strategies for the purposes of teen pregnancy prevention to develop healthy behaviors and promote positive youth development.
AHYD program strategies are an integral part of the system of Georgia, promoting the health of mothers and children, being the most important resource of the country. The state office provides constant support to monitoring the program’s implications, providing technical assistance and training to local staff. AHYD program activities include many functions, aimed at supporting adolescents. The first duty is to coordinate district adolescent health services to assure that young people have access to all the required services, such as food and housing assistance, medical services, academic support, psychological help, and others. The second function is comprehensive adolescent health services, which include drug and alcohol prevention programs, counseling, and access to healthcare as a means of preventing expensive complications in the future. The third responsibility is abstinence education, emphasizing that sexual abstinence is the best option for preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. The next function of the program is parent involvement and education, aimed at strengthening communication and building good relationships of mothers and fathers with their children. The last duty is health community partnerships, engaging all the members of the community to work for positive youth development and health promotion.
Conclusion
Teenage pregnancy is a major problem, existing in all the countries all over the world, including the United States. During the last century, the birth rates among adolescents have been decreasing, although, the numbers remain high. Statistics are different depending on the state but Georgia is the county, which is among the ones with the highest level of teen birth rates. The problem influences not only numerous households but the entire societies and the economics of the countries as supporting underage mothers is a financial responsibility of taxpayers. Moreover, early pregnancies damage the health of teenagers as their organisms are not prepared for such a load and can lead to future problems. In addition, children of teenage mothers are prone to higher risks, including low weights, digestive, and respiratory problems. From this perspective, preventing teen pregnancy is a good way for saving national money, and having a healthy population.
Government policies can help to have the situation with teenage pregnancies under control. It is proven by multiple examples of different states that successful pregnancy prevention programs, addressing a wide range of social and economic factors, can have an impact on young people’s behavior. In the United States, there is a variety of programs with one of the major purposes being the prevention of adolescent pregnancies both at the national and local levels. The government of Georgia also offers a wide range of such initiatives, including one of the biggest projects called Adolescent Health and Youth Development Program. The creation of organizations, aimed at providing services of sexual educational and psychological support to young generations, is a key to managing this challenging situation and providing people with opportunities for healthy and successful lives.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). Preventing teen pregnancy. A key role for health care providers. Web.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019). About teen pregnancy. Web.
Eunjung Cha, A. (2017). The U.S. fertility rate just hit a historic low. Why some demographers are freaking out. The Washington Post. Web.
Georgian Department of Public Health. (2020). Adolescent health and youth development. Web.
Goldstein, A. (n.d.). Preventing Teen Pregnancy. Georgia Family Magazine. Web.
Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia. (2019). Georgia. State of the state report. Web.
Power to Decide. (n.d.). Georgia Data. Web.