TEEN PREGNANCYA grand adventure is about to begin… -Winnie the Pooh

Statistics

The US has the highest rate of teen pregnancy in the western industrialized world

Around 1/3 of all teenage girls will get pregnant before they reach the age of 20.

Every year, around 750,000 teenage girls in the US will get pregnant

More than 2/3 of teenage girls who have a baby (and keep it) will not go on to finish high school immediately.

Almost $7 billion dollars is spent annually on teen mothers who are impoverished and programs used to prevent teen pregnancy

Childcare Expenses

What you will encounter: Childcare Groceries Clothing Housing, Transportation Education Recreation, Sports, Social Insurance Healthcare Miscellaneous

What it will cost by the time the child is grown:

$195,328 (At the lowest

possible expenses)!!!

Not to mention the costs to take care of yourself!

Now let’s look at medical risks…

Risks of having a child so young: Adolescent and teen pregnancy has found

to be associated with higher death rates for both the child and the mother and:

Pregnancy-induced hypertension Premature delivery Significant anemia Toxemia Placenta Previa

Placenta grows in lowest part of the womb and covers the cervix

Scared yet??

Don’t Be!

These conditions only happen to a rare percentage of young girls and most are easily curable.

However, if you experience any symptoms for these complications, you need to see a doctor ASAP.

Let’s focus on a more positive perspective..

Teen Moms Not All Dropouts -By Heidi Rhyner

I am a 16-year-old teen mother who has a three-month-old son. I am in the Teen Parent Program at Bend High School. I have received good grades throughout the 12 years I have spent in school and plan to attend Central Oregon Community College after graduation this June. I am from a middle-class family, with a two-parent household.

I did not get pregnant because I have no self-esteem, or because I wanted someone to love me. Maybe I got pregnant because I was caught up the myth that it would never happen to me, but it was not to feel better about myself or to feel more complete as a person.

I am still with the baby’s father and we are living together. We plan to marry. We both play active roles in our son’s life and have a good relationship. Raising a child has made both of us grow up quickly. Maybe one day I will miss my teen years, but my free days will come again soon enough. I do not feel robbed of my adolescence, because it was my decision to raise my child

There are other options…

Abortion

Abortion is legal in the US Many clinics offer the option in a safe,

anonymous environment However, there are many emotional

implications involved with this option, including feelings of regret, disgust with oneself afterwards, depression, and at times, PTSD

One girl shares her story:

My name is Amber, and I was 17 years old when I had my abortion. A guy friend of mine and I had planned on having sex. It was my first time, and he said he would take care of me. We worked together, so we knew each other pretty well. After it all happened he stopped talking to me, and I felt like I had been used. Then I found out I was pregnant. I called and told him right away, and he freaked out. I had the abortion because my mom and dad forced me to. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t regret it. I think about it every day and wonder if my baby would have been a boy or a girl.

http://teenabortionissues.com/?p=6

Adoption

You can give your child up for adoption if you wish to have the child and give it to a family you think will better care for him/her.

An adoption agency will help you through the whole process and help you find a family that you are most comfortable and suited with

For more information go to www.adoption.com

Teen Pregnancy in the Media Teen Mom

A very popular MTV show that focuses on teenage mothers and how they struggle and deal with their teen pregnancy. It focuses on a set few girls.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEjiM0sESus

16 and Pregnant Another popular

MTV show that does the same thing, but focuses on more stories and the actual pregnancy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLiXS02Mj7U

But is it an actual portrayal of the realities of teen pregnancy?

To Some Extent…

MTV does take care to show that teen pregnancy isn’t all just fun and games (and fame).

Although the tabloids (such as People and Ok!) like to take pictures of these girls and put them in the gossip market, they do a very good job of attempting to stay out of the spotlight.

Don’t freak out!

There are many agencies that can help you with your pregnancy. It is not the end of the world! A baby is a blessing, if not to you than it could be for someone else. Explore every option before making any decisions, and in the end, do what is best for you and your baby.

Sources

http://www.finestquotes.com/select-quote-category/pregnancy-page-0.htm

www.pregnantteenhelp.org/statistics/teen-pregnancy-statistics/

www.csgnetwork.com/childcostcalc.html www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/

article/001576.htm http://pregnancy.lovetoknow.com/wiki/

stories_on_teen_pregnancy