adolescent childbearing
Crosby 1 Teen pregnancy is one of the most critical issues facing America today. According to the latest data, there were over 1 million pregnancies to teens 15 to 19 years of age. (East and Felice 1). Teenage pregnancy emerged as a social problem in the United States around 1970. The United States is the leading nation in adolescent childbearing, particularly among girls 15 and younger who are five times more likely to give birth in the United States than in other Western nations. The United States has the highest rate of adolescent pregnancy, birth, and abortion among six industrialized nations with comparable sexual activity. The pregnancy rate was twice that of England, Wales, France, and Canada, three times that of Sweden, and six times that of the Netherlands (Voydanoff and Donelly 11). The statistics of teenage pregnancy are alarming. As a nation, we can no longer afford the consequences of teen pregnancy. This research paper will discuss some possible reasons why teenage pregnancy is much more prevalent in the United
Lack of prenatal care is associated with premature labor, toxemia, anemia, and prolonged labor (Voyandoff and Donelly 89). Without a sense of self-worth girls may give in to being sexually intimate if they are pressured because they lack the self-confidence or self-awareness to know or say when to stop. Children of adolescent mothers have a greater likelihood of becoming adolescent mothers themselves. This form of contraception would be the hardest for females to obtain since it requires a physician's prescription, and would require parents' help because of the costs involved, especially for low income families lacking health insurance to cover the cost. Adolescent mothers are more likely than older mothers to receive Crosby 7prenatal care. As previously stated, not only is availability of contraception limited to teens, but knowledge is also lacking. It is frustrating that we live in a society that with double standards which encourage females to be sexy but virginal. Those standards being sexual, attractive, and skinny. There is no assurance that parents of pregnant teenagers will be able to support them. Many parents work outside of the home and are not available or are just too embarrassed to talk to their children about issues regarding sex. Freeman and Rickles discuss the importance of psychosexual maturity in the use of contraception, "Before the teenager will use contraception, she must accept herself as a sexual being and view herself as responsible for sexual activity and contraception. While parents leave their kids home alone while they're at work their kids may be learning about sex on their own (Bedger 79). She may not be ready to handle the responsibility of having a sexual relationship.
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