The Impact of Teen Pregnancy Has on Society

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Having a child at a young age does not only have a negative effect on the parent but also on the child. Currently, only about half of the young mothers remain at home with other adults, usually a parent (Dosomething.org). Certain parents, when they find out the teenage girl is pregnant, makes the teen move out, resulting in moving in with a friend or even becoming homeless. Less than 5% live with the father of their child, only about 30% receive any child support from the noncustodial fathers, and less than 20% receive child support on a regular basis (Urbanchildinstitute.org). Some choose to live independently, others do so to escape abusive or otherwise inhospitable home settings. Since the child is not raised in a nuclear family, family group consisting of a pair of adults and their children, the child is not familiar with familial structure which provides equal support. Teen mothers usually do not get married and if they do, it is to the father of the child which can lead to early divorce or separation (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). The male partners of teenage mothers are usually teens themselves and they may not be a consistent nor a reliable source of support for the mother or the child. Only 20-30% of teenage couples get married and 20% of the fathers who decide to not stay with the mother of his child are ordered by the court to pay child support (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).

Also, once her baby is born she becomes engaged with a lot of responsibilities not only providing economically but also for his wellbeing (hhs.gov). With the demands and responsibilities of caring for a child most mothers have very little time to socialize with friends and are not able to develop their own identities.

Having additional children is a major barrier to self-sufficiency for most teenage parents on welfare. Most teenage parents do not want additional children. After the first child, most teens on welfare (83%) do use contraception—most often an effective method like the pill or an IUD (75%). Yet they fail miserably in postponing future childbearing. About one-fourth become pregnant again within a year after the birth of their first child, and about half become pregnant again within 2 years. Moreover, most of these pregnancies (75%) are carried to term (Maynard & Rangarajan, 1994).

Fortunately, there are many programs to inform teenagers on how to prevent teen pregnancy. These programs focus on the importance of not being sexual active at the tender age of 17 or younger not only to prevent a pregnancy but also to prevent being affected by any sexually transmitted disease (Teen Pregnancy: Medical Risks and Realities, WebMD.com). If the teenager wants to be sexually active, there is information on how to protect oneself by using birth control and condoms. There are many clinics that offer information on different methods of birth available according to the age and financial situation the client is in. After a personal interview, a recent teen mother was asked about her birth control use. Henderson stated “I didn’t plan it, and then again I kind of knew it was going to happen because I wasn’t like really taking the pills like I was supposed to. I couldn’t remember every day to take the pill. And, I still don’t.” This is a prime example of teenage girls not taking advantage of the programs provided to prevent adolescent pregnancy.

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Due to lack of partner and family support, education, and health insurance, teenage mothers face several difficulties both socially and financially. Many young mothers rely on the public assistance, and studies show the teen parents are likely to have children with poor educational achievement, behavior and health problems which occur early in the child’s life compared to children born to older parents (Myers 490). However, because of the numerous organizations that have developed in the last ten years, teenage mothers can benefit from the plethora of free clinics, food banks and support groups. With this help, a young mom can advance by being educated regarding how to finish school and get a career to support her child.

Works Cited

"11 Facts About Teen Pregnancy." DoSomething.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2014. .

"Background on Teenage Pregnancy." Do Something. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2014. .

"Know the Facts." Stay Teen. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2014

"Teen Births." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 25 Feb. 2014. Web. 04 May 2014

"Teenage Pregnancy: Medical Risks and Realities." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 06 May 2014. .

"The Office of Adolescent Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services." Office of Adolescent Health. N.p., 30 Apr. 2014. Web. 04 May 2014.

Dahl, Gordon B. "Early Teen Marriage and Future Poverty." Early Teen Marriage and Future Poverty (2010): 689-718. Us National Libary of Medicine National Institutes of Health. Web. 5 May 2014. .

Henderson, Autumn. "Teen Mothers. Life After Pregnacy." Online interview. 8 Mar. 2014.

Imig, Doug. "Only One Third of Teenage Mothers Earns a High School Diploma or GED." Urban Child Institute. N.p., 31 May 2011. Web. 06 May 2014. .

March, Christa. "Teen Mother Choices." Teen Mother Choices. N.p., 13 Oct. 2011. Web. 06 May 2014. .

Maynard, Rebecca, Dr. "Policy Institute for Family Impact Seminars (PINFIS)." Policy Institute for Family Impact Seminars (PINFIS). N.p., n.d. Web. 06 May 2014.

Myers, David G. "Personality: Chapter 12." Exploring Psychology. 7th ed. New York: Worth, 2007. 445. Print.