Teenage pregnancy - Essay Example

However, these inexperienced young mothers cannot be judged. They were vulnerable at some point in their young lives and these pregnancies are the result of that. Vulnerability and inexperience cannot be faulted. The following are first-hand stories of teenage pregnancies. They were lifted from various teenage pregnancy help sites. They are summarized, but one can access them online anytime. Teen age pregnancy is considered to be an epidemic these days. Ironically, the incidence of teenage pregnancy occurs in low-earning classes and the undereducated, although it sometimes happens to the upper-class people (like Bristol Palin).

Because of teenage pregnancy, their lot in life has become a lot more difficult. Having a child at a time where one is supposed to be in school, is quite difficult because a person (or a mother) cannot hold a job that can support a family. With no proper education, it is difficult for teenage parents to get to a proper job as well, that is why teenage parents are the ones to stay poor. Teenage pregnancy can be faulted through the inexperience of youth, impulsiveness, curiosity and peer pressure.

There are other reasons such as physical pleasure, wanting to have a baby and being under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Conflict theory in sociology (with emphasis on sexuality) states that sexual power is enforced through the power of dominant groups and institutions. It also states that sexuality is defined by the dominant group in society. It also states that dominant sexual orientations receive more benefits. In the context of teenage pregnancy, the dominant power is the male. This is because the males can choose to abandon the women that they have impregnated.

They can escape the responsibilities of being a father, and the mother has no escape from the burden that is pregnancy: the extra life in her body that leeches her energy and nutrients off, the hormones, the changes in her body, the pains and risks of childbirth, etc. The burden of being a mother cannot escape her too, as she is a mother and she carries the child. That is, unless she chooses to abort her child or put it up for adoption. However, when she aborts the child or puts it up for adoption, she would be judged as a “bad mother” and she would get fewer opportunities because of that act.

This also poses a danger for the baby since there is a big chance that the baby will be unformed and unhealthy. The males, on the other hand, can abandon their responsibilities as a father and would not be judged as a “bad father”. His opportunities would be the same and he does not have to suffer childbirth, or the very least, pregnancy. He doesn’t even have to suffer a lot of guilt feelings if he chooses to abort the baby (unlike women), or post-partum depression with women (after childbirth).

This is because the males dominate society. True, there are gender equality movements here and there but it will never be equal, because of the conflict theory. There would always be that struggle for improvement. The conflict theory even states that the struggle should be always present for improvements to take place. So in this case, the inequality of the women, the power of men over women should always be present, or at least felt. This ensures progress. However, the conflict theory, which is based in Marxist theory – which happens to state that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer –