Over the course of the last few years, it seemed like the amount of teenage pregnancies were finally beginning to decline.
However, the number of childbearing teens has recently begun to climb once again, leaving many young adults in a complicated and emotional situation that could have easily been avoided.
While the number of pregnancies are growing, the ages of the parents are lowering.. It is not uncommon for preteens to engage in sexual activities upon entering middle school, and it is more socially accepted for teens to no longer be virgins once they enter high school.
There are multiple reasons why this unfortunate issue has surfaced once again.
Children are exposed to sexuality at a younger age than what was once considered appropriate. Movie and television ratings have become much more lenient in deciding what is measured as adult material and what is suitable for children.
It is nearly impossible to find a single “family show” or PG-rated movie that does not include some sort of suggestive or sexual behavior. Ultimately, media has become less interested in keeping things clean and more interested in gaining viewers.
The responsibility also falls in the hands of the parents. Because a lot of people from our generation grew up with this being the norm, many will not see the potential harm that may result from this early sexual desensitization.
Also, some teens seem to have fallen into a pattern of early parenthood. Their mother had them as a teen, as did their grandmother and so forth. It is accepted, and somewhat expected. They never were taught differently and do not see it as a misfortune, but merely as life.
Many girls in this situation do not practice any form of birth control and are usually mothers of multiple children by the time they are in their early twenties. This is a time when they should be figuring out how to care for themselves, not for babies.
The lack of knowledge when it comes to the practice of safe sex is a ridiculous excuse for the conception of a child. Kids are drilled with that information from the moment they learn what sex is.
Sexual education teaches children about the proper precautions they must take in order to prevent unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. The hope is that this information scares the teen from engaging in sexual activity until they’re older, or at least impresses them with the importance of using some sort of birth control when they choose to become sexually active.
Despite what a teen may say to their parents when they admit they have a baby on the way, they knew exactly what they were doing, and what they weren’t doing.
Another reason for teen pregnancies is lack of finances.
The average teenager cannot afford to pay for birth control (even though it is much cheaper than the expenses of a child, mind you). Although oral contraceptives and the more intense birth controls are hard for a teen to get a hold of, it is currently being debated by healthcare providers and insurance agencies whether the cost of birth control should be completely covered for young girls.
Hopefully, this will decrease the amount of kids having kids.
The results of teenage pregnancy can be destructive physically, mentally and socially. Many people do not realize that it can be very harmful for a young girl to have a child before developing completely. However, most are all familiar with the negative social aspects one may endure: disapproval, rumors, and sideways glances.
It is hard to even imagine how that would affect a young person’s emotions and thoughts.
Sadly, countless teen parents have to give up their goals and readjust their plans to include a child. Many become depressed, others act out. They are forced to grow up in a very short period of time.
No one should have to have a child before they are done being a child themselves.
Reach the columnist at cwbrown1@asu.edu
