Over the years teen pregnancy has become more popular and is being seen more and more in High School girls. It's no longer rare to see a teenager in 8th grade or up walking through the halls with a bigger than usual belly. In fact, at least 3 in 10 teen American girls will get pregnant at least once before age 20. That’s nearly 750,000 teen pregnancies every year.
Despite the media's efforts to decrease the numbers, there is still a growing rate. We hear about teen pregnancy and the negative consequences almost everywhere - from parents, to the media, and even at school - so some might wonder why so many teens are still becoming pregnant. The fact is that no matter what you say to some teenagers it does not hinder their natural desire to create something of their own, something that (in their mind) will always be there to love them. The problem with this theory is that what they are creating is not always going to be the perfect bundle of joy that is expected. With this in mind, not all teen pregnancies are planned. About 80% of pregnancies are unintentional. However, even though pregnancy is unintended, if there are no steps take to prevent it, then it almost inevitable.
Although I believe there are more steps that could be taken to prevent unplanned pregnancy, a teenager that has to become a mother should be respected and not degraded or looked down upon. Babies are the most needy and selfish beings on the planet. They do not care whether mom is exhausted, starving, or ready to pull her hair out. Teen mothers have to give up their teenage life and give all their time to the baby. They take on more responsibility than most teenagers would readily accept. To society, a girl who chooses to become a mother so early may seem crazy, stupid, or just immature, but that is not always the case. Some girl actually can handle the responsibility of being a mother and I believe that if one is capable of that kind of responsibility then they should deffinitely get more respect.
Teenage girls who are pregnant deserve all the support they can get, and there is deffinitley more that can be done in society to show the support that they need. This is a time in a girls life when she is most vulnerable, her emotions are a roaller coaster, her senses are extremely high, and her body is rapidly changing before she has time to process any of it. All these physical and emotional changes can really stress a girl out, and it is no help when schools, workplaces, and family members are not offering any support. Often times, teachers and principals try to turn a blind eye to the fact that a student is pregnant. Ignoring the fact does not help the teenager and can actually put more stress on her because no one is recognizing that she needs different things than other students, such as getting more restroom passes, or being allowed to eat small snacks in class. Also, many workplaces seem to believe that since a person is pregnant, she is obviously handi-capable and just can not do anything that the job requires. Therefore, it is very difficult for a pregnant lady to find a job, but when a teenager is the one pregnant chances are that she is not rolling in money and needs the job to support the baby. Pregnant teenagers should have more opportunities to show their support for their growing child.
This subject can be very touchy to some people because there are so many different opinions about it. I am not against teen pregnancy at all, considering I'm one of the 3 in 10, but I also do not support every teenager going out and getting pregnant. Some girls are simply not responsible enough and then decide to go get abortions, which I am completely against. Pregnancy is a beautiful thing and should be taken very seriously when girls decide to start having sex. Then number of teen pregnancies could be significantly reduced with proper contraception. However, creating another life is an amazing feeling, and once what is done is done, it should not be considered a disgrace.
For more information on this topic please visit http://www.stayteen.org/teen-pregnancy
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