The current problem of teenage pregnancy is associated with poverty, low levels of education, and substance use. This problem is marginalized, and young mothers suffer severe stigmatization and their children. It is essential to understand the causes and circumstances of teen pregnancy and how to make this problem even less common than it is now. It is believed that teenage pregnancy has an intense impact on the future life of the mother and her family, and its causes are ignorance of methods of birth control.
Families that are dealing with teenage pregnancy, without exception, are going through tough times. Usually, “The social and health implications of teenage pregnancies include increased exposure to domestic violence (which may be exacerbated by the pregnancy), mental health disorders, substance use, sexually transmissible infections (STIs), financial stress and homelessness” (Mann et al. 312). Mothers will be more prone to depression, lack of medical care, and social neglect. Pregnancy and childbirth make the path to primary education and specialization very difficult. Thus, integration into a modern society filled with various professionals becomes impossible. Such girls have a feeling of abandonment; they can usually be assisted by their families or their fathers’ families. However, families of young mothers are often split in such situations due to internal conflicts, financial problems, or violence.
The way out for teenagers in such a situation is to become familiar with contraception and birth control methods. Modern research shows that “Educational factors, depression, and a history of abortion are the highly influential predictors of repeated teenage pregnancy” (Maravilla et al. 534). Society is now inclined to introduce contraception and the dangers of teenage pregnancy into educational programs. Many teachers vividly describe the consequences of adolescent pregnancy in the hope of impressing young girls. However, “Adolescent sexual education is a controversial discussion that is intertwined with ideologies, inadequate research, and misunderstandings of such efforts” (Smith et al. 6). Sexuality education and aftermath stories from doctors are different areas of education, and it is usually the demonstration of consequences that parents respond best.
In addition to the severe social consequences, including poverty, homelessness, substance use, and many others, there are some biological implications of teenage pregnancy. Young mothers are more likely than others to experience postpartum depression, leading to suicide or mutilation of the child. Such mothers are more likely to give birth to premature babies who require long-term care in the hospital. There is also a high chance of pregnancy and childbirth with complications. Doctors often do not recommend (or even forbid) young girls to give birth naturally because their skeleton is not yet formed for this; they resort to cesarean section. In addition, new mothers cannot breastfeed frequently, and pregnancy, in general, is highly detrimental to their health.
Abstinence is a form of keeping teen pregnancy rates low. However, modern experts do not recommend using the abstinence model exclusively as the most effective one. Kantor et al. state: “Democrats are more likely than Republicans to want the topics of healthy relationships, birth control, consent and sexual orientation included in middle school and high school sex education programs” (249). It means that the policies can directly affect teenage pregnancy. It is not only a medical problem but also a social one. Therefore, it is necessary to approach this issue comprehensively: “Comprehensive adolescent pregnancy–prevention programming appears to reduce births” (Fox et al., 499). It is the only way to help young mothers avoid stigma and teenagers not get into difficult life situations.
Teenage pregnancy is a biosocial issue with many implications for new mothers, children, and families. Significant social consequences include stigma, possible homelessness, financial problems, and, in general, the inability to integrate into society, as it will be difficult for a young mother to get an education. Biological consequences include prematurity, low weight, and childbirth with complications. To avoid cases of early pregnancy, schools and the state are developing programs for sexual education and abstinence.
Works Cited
Fox, Ashley M., et al. “Funding for Abstinence-Only Education and Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention: Does State Ideology Affect Outcomes?” American Journal of Public Health, vol. 109, no. 3, 2019, pp. 497–504. Crossref.
Kantor, Leslie, et al. “Support for Sex Education and Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Programmes in the USA: Results From a National Survey of Likely Voters.” Sex Education, vol. 20, no. 3, 2019, pp. 239–51. Crossref.
Mann, Linda, et al. “Teenage Pregnancy.” Australian Journal of General Practice, vol. 49, no. 6, 2020, pp. 310–16. Crossref.
Maravilla, Joemer C., et al. “Factors Influencing Repeated Teenage Pregnancy: A Review and Meta-Analysis.” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, vol. 217, no. 5, 2017, pp. 527–45. Crossref.
Smith, Thomas E., et al. “Evaluating Effectiveness of Abstinence Education.” Journal of Evidence-Informed Social Work, vol. 14, no. 5, 2017, pp. 360–67. Crossref.