The Problem of Teen Pregnancy - Term Paper Example

The paper “The Problem of Teen Pregnancy" is an affecting example of a term paper on social science. Teen pregnancy is one of the most growing and disturbing problems arising in today’s world. In developed countries, teenage pregnancy is generally out of the marriage and in the majority of societies and cultures it is considered to be a social stigma. Absent parents, lack of knowledge, the glamorization of pregnancy, sexual abuse, rape, teenage drinking, and some socioeconomic factors are responsible for the growth of teenage pregnancy.

Since the issue has come into notice; a lot of effort is done to prevent it as it has disastrous effects on the lives of most teenage mothers, stopping them from achieving educational goals and life ambitions.Great numbers of teen pregnancies are unintentional. Access to contraceptive, complete education on sexuality and youth development programs can assist teens to choose the options that can guard them against pregnancy at this age. Parents with a busy life are unable to discuss important issues such as sex with their children.

Due to the lack of proper guidance, these teenagers are unable to make wise decisions on this subject and this result in teen pregnancy. According to the Journal of Adolescent Health, the majority of teens who indulge in sexual activity are more possibly exposed to sexuality in the media. By glamorizing this, teenagers adopt this as something good and involve in irresponsible sexual activities. If it is something accepted in their group of friends or community, they may try to get pregnant as a means to get social acceptance (Laden et al 2006).

A vast number of teenage girls who get pregnant have reported sexual abuse or rape. Sexual harassment leaves them in a state of shock and because of the fact that they have no idea how to proceed and avoid pregnancy many of them conceive. The teens that are more likely to have unintended pregnancy are those who are not educated about sex. Kids who start drinking in their teens are more likely to take other risks as well. This may involve crimes, careless sex and other dangerous activities that may have consequences.

According to ‘teenage pregnancy: the interaction of psyche and culture’ many of the women who became mothers in their teens didn’t want it. It had happened because of a lack of knowledge about how babies were conceived or they didn’t know or have access to methods of avoiding or aborting their pregnancies (Dean et al 1997).The socioeconomic factors which trigger teen pregnancies are poverty, illiteracy, and peer pressure. Early marriages are even a big factor resulting in this problem faced by young girls.

These were some of the causes of teen pregnancy, now we would discuss its effects. There a lot of teenage mothers who ponder what would have happened if they would have been a little more precautious hadn’t left school or what opportunities did they miss because of the pregnancy. Bringing a child into this world brings a great amount of responsibility on the shoulder of the parents, the baby needs a lot of attention and care that means their irresponsibility lead them away from their dreams and ambitions in life.

“Women who become parents as teenagers are at greater risk of social and economic disadvantage throughout their lives than those who delay childbearing” (Hayes 1987, 138)A lot of teenage girls who get pregnant try to hide it as long as they can, therefore, are unaware of the care they require at this age. They are affected by malnutrition, depression, and frustration that results in miscarriages, death during the delivery and weak babies. This emotional crisis can lead these teens to have something against their newborn babies and they blame them for their lost possibilities in life.

Kids born to teens most of the times go through emotional conflict, social insecurity, and educational failures. ‘Single mothers with limited resources may be subject to multiple stresses in trying to provide such basic necessities as food or shelter, and, thus have little energy or time for their children” (Hardy- 1991)We must now look at some prevention methods for teen pregnancies. To avoid unintended conceiving of children and sexually transmitted diseases in teens, they should be advised to delay the start of sex life.

Schools and colleges should help them educate on the advantages of doing so. They should be taught about condoms and contraception so they can avoid and prevent them from unpleasant consequences. There should be youth development programs to guide the youth on the problems that they would create for themselves if they would indulge in irresponsible activities such as unsafe sex (Hoffman 2008). In the cases of immature girls being married at a young age, the government should make strict laws regarding early marriages.

According to Laura Meckler, the best possible way to stop unintended pregnancy is to persuade teenagers not to have sex in the first place whereas for teens that are sexually active should be taught about the use of contraceptive (Meckler 2009). In the end, it is evident that teen pregnancy is a problem that is disastrous for our society and goes against its norms.