Should Teen Pregnancy Be Supported by Programs - Essay Example

? Teenage Pregnancy Should Teen Pregnancy be supported by Programs Such as Free On-site Day Care, Special Schooling, Free or Reduced Housing, etc? Teen pregnancy has negative academic consequences for the teen parents and their children. It also limits the chances of the teen parents of getting post-secondary education, which is a requirement in securing better employment opportunities. It is also a fact that lack of proper educational achievements increases the chances that these parents and their will live their future lives in poverty. The issue of teen pregnancy and its support and prevention are still issues of concern, in the contemporary societies. Birth rates and teen pregnancy have significantly declines, in the United States of America, since early 1990s. This is attributed to the better use of contraceptives and reduced sexual activities among the youths. Researchers established that 4 out of 10 girls become pregnant at least once before the age of 20, in America. Teenage mothers are at risk of developing long-term problems in several areas of life such as poverty, school failure, and physical and mental problems. In order to help and encourage teenage mothers seek better future lives, they need support from their families, local authorities, mentors and counselors. The local authority, for example, has introduced various programs that help teenage parents acquire quality education and better housing among other programs. This paper supports that teenage pregnancy should be supported by public programs like special schooling, free on-site day care, and free or reduced housing. Most pregnant girls and their families consider the teenage pregnancies as crisis. Its consequences include denial, guilt and anger. Pregnant teenagers need special medical care, understanding, and education, especially about infections, substance abuse, nutrition, and pregnancy complications (Weatherley & Perlman, 2003). Additionally, they need to learn that the use of substances such as alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, and other drugs can lead to premature births. Proper medical care should be provided at the beginning of pregnancy to all pregnant teenagers. As a crisis, pregnant teens can develop several emotional reactions. These can include rejection of their babies, failure to recognize responsibilities, depression, guilt and fears about the future (Furstenberg, 2003). There may be situations where a pregnant teen’s mental state and emotional reactions will require involvement of mental health professionals. There are cases where babies, born to teenage mothers, have been rejected because their mothers are not sure of their roles and responsibilities as mothers. Parents and tutors can help prevent and reduce the rate of teenage pregnancy via open communication and education about contraception, sexuality, and responsibilities and risks of pregnancies and intimate relationships (Furstenberg, 2003). Some teenage mothers drop out of school and fail to return. In such cases, they risk losing the opportunity to pursue their academic work and future career dreams. Clinics offering birth control programs and information and academic programs on family life and sexual education can also help in preventing and reducing cases of unwanted pregnancies among the teenagers (Furstenberg, 2003). Pregnant teenagers and their families require sensitive and honest counseling about the alternatives available, from abortion to adoption, whenever teenage pregnancy occurs. Special support programs and consultation with adolescent psychiatrist should be provided throughout the teenage pregnancy and birth (Weatherley & Perlman, 2003). Strong decision on whether or not to terminate the pregnancy or give the infant for adoption should also be provided. Researchers have established that pregnant teenagers face difficult times in their lives. This, therefore, calls for programs to support teenage mothers to delay subsequent pregnancies, become self-sufficient, and promote awareness of early childhood development responsibly to break the reliance on welfare and the cycle of poverty (Weatherley & Perlman, 2003). One of these support programs is the “Second Chance Homes” for teenage mothers and their children. This program provides stable housing and other services to pregnant girls, including knowledge and skills required to become effective mothers. Statistics shows that most teenage mothers are poor. Researches approximate that about 60 percent of teenage girls are poor, and about 80 percent depend on welfare for support after teen birth (Kirby, 2009). Earlier studies show that teenagers who gave birth were supported by public programs for longer periods than other families. High poverty rate among the teenage mothers is as a result of school drop out, limited academic skills, and lack of role models in their respective backgrounds. Most teenage mothers are also frustrated by the demands of baby care. This is because they sometimes fail to meet their responsibilities as mothers, which are often performed in stressful environments characterized by domestic violence, poverty, abuse, poor housing, and unsafe neighborhoods (Amin & Sato, 2004). Studies indicate that a large number of teenage mothers have at least experienced physical or sexual abuse, usually from household members. Such teenage mothers still stand chances of developing heath problems and having repeated subsequent pregnancies. Many teenage mothers are supported by their families and social welfare system. However, there is a percentage of pregnant teenagers who cannot support themselves. This is because they can no longer stay at home with their parents due to a number of reasons such as overcrowding, financial difficulty, or abuse and neglect (Amin & Sato, 2004). Additionally, some do not have the resources, families, or friends to enable them acquire basic needs for themselves. Those who opt to move out of their parents’ homes are faced with additional problem of looking for a stable housing. Without the basic support programs, this group of teenage mothers stand chances of spending time in foster care, experiencing homelessness periods, or relying on welfare’s support. Most teenage mothers face several challenges due to their age bracket. As children under the age of 18, it is difficult for the teenage girls to find stable housing. For example, battered women’s shelters, transitional living programs, and homeless shelters do not usually consider children under the age of 17 (Kirby, 2009). In addition, provisions of foster care do not guarantee that the teenage mother and her child will remain together throughout their lives. Group home or a trained foster care provider takes care of both the teenage mother and the child, independently. Foster cares give teenage mothers the opportunity to overcome difficult hurdles as young mothers, including barriers to quality education and other support. In conclusion, the negative impacts of teenage pregnancy adversely affect teenage mothers. They risk dropping out of secondary schools, attaining a high level of education, developing emotional reactions, and experiencing long-term support from public programs. In order to encourage pregnant teens to continue with their education and pursue their career dreams, they need both physical and mental support. Public assistance support are aimed at supporting the pregnant teens to overcome difficult hurdles of becoming parents, and live a life same to their peers. Without the assistances offered, pregnant teenagers can develop negative emotional reactions and depression, which may cause premature birth, death of infant, mental disturbances, and even commit suicide. Therefore, local authorities should always provide programs that support teenage pregnancy, as this will help teenage mothers live comfortable lives, just like their peers. References Amin R, Sato T. (2004). Impact of a School-Based Comprehensive Program for Pregnant Teens on Their Contraceptive Use, Future Contraceptive Intention, and Desire for More Children. Journal of Community Health Nursing , 39-47. Kirby D. (9 OCT 2009). Reflections on Two Decades of Research on Teen Sexual Behavior and Pregnancy. Journal of School Health , 89-94. Furstenberg F. F. (2003). Annual Review of Sociology. Teenage Cildbearing a Public Public Issue and Private Concern , 23. Weatherley R. A, Perlman S. B. (2003). Comprehensive Programs for Pregnant Teenagers and Teenage Parents: How Succesful Have They Been? Family Planning Perspectives , 73- 78. Read More