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Teen Pregnancy
Teen Pregnancy
Teen Pregnancy•Every year around 750,000 teenagers will
get pregnant. •11% of US births are to teens each year•1 of 3 women will become pregnant at
least once before the age of 20•85% of teen pregnancies are unintended•43% of unintended pregnancies occurred
while using contraception
Choices to Make•Adoption – open or closed•Parenting – marriage, single parent,
shared custody…•Abortion
•Any choice will affect the pregnant girl, the father of the child, the child, and many others
Factors that influence a teenager facing pregnancy
•What are the options? Solutions?•Economic Factors•Social Factors•Relationships •Career goals•Family values•Faith values•Age
Outcomes of Teen Pregnancies•Out of 100 unmarried pregnant
teens:▫37 Had abortions▫17 had miscarriages▫12 married the baby’s father before
the baby was born▫31 raised the baby themselves in their
parents home▫3 allowed the baby to be adopted
Adoption •Only 1-3% of babies born to teens are put
up for adoption
•There are over 2 million couples in the US who are waiting to adopt
•May choose to have an open or a closed adoption
Adoption•A truly loving
choice•Many teens cannot
offer their child all they want to
•Many families are eager to accept a child into their family
Adoption•What are some challenges in adoption?•What are some good things about
adoption?
Abortion•An abortion is the premature removal of
the products of conception (the fetus, fetal membranes, and placenta) from the uterus.
Abortion •Many types of abortion (early vs. late
term abortions)•It is an option in all states, though
different states have different laws•2010 – 1,210,000 abortions took place in
the US•22% of US pregnancies end in abortion•In 2007 42% of pregnancies in NYC ended
in abortion•CDC & AGI
Legality•In the US a woman has a right to an
abortion•1973 – Roe vs. Wade decision•Each state has different laws concerning
abortion, availability, funding, parental notification, etc…
Early-Term Abortions – 12 weeks•Suction Aspiration –
▫“vacuume curettage”▫The cervix is dilated▫A suction tube with a sharp edge is
inserted into the uterus▫The suction dismembers the body of
the fetus and removes blood, amniotic fluid, placenta, and fetal parts
Early Term Abortions – 12 weeks•Dilatation (Dilation) and Curettage
(D&C)▫Cervix is dilated▫A loop shaped steel knife is inserted▫The body of the fetus is cut into pieces
and removed▫The placenta is scraped off the uterine
wall
Early Term Abortions – 12 weeks•RU-486
▫Requires 3 trips to the facility▫First visit – physical exam and pill which
block the hormone which maintains the lining of the uterus, so that the developing fetus starves for lack of nutrients
▫Next visit - 36-48 hours later gives another medications to initiate uterine contractions to expel the fetus
▫Visit 2 weeks later to be sure the abortion has taken place
Later Term Abortions – 2nd Trimester•Dilation and Extraction (D&E)
▫Forceps with sharp metal jaws are used to grasp parts of the developing baby, which are then twisted and torn away
▫Skull may have to be crushed in order to be removed
Later Term Abortions – 2nd and 3rd Trimester•Instillation Methods
▫Salt Poisoning – amniotic fluid is removed and replaced with saline solution which burns and poisons fetus. Woman usually goes into labor within 72 hours and delivers dead fetus.
Reasons for Abortions• Most abortions are sought by unmarried women
under the age of 25• 21% - financial reasons• 21% - not ready for responsibility• 16% - life would change too much• 12% - relationship difficulty• 11% - too young• 8% - children are already grown up• 6 % - woman or fetus has medical condition• 1% - rape or incest• Torres and Forrest (1998)
Effects of Abortions•Higher risk of breast cancer•Risk of uterine perforation•Increase in ectopic pregnancy•More likely to have complications in
subsequent pregnancies•Hemorrhage•Infection•Laceration of cervix
Effects of Abortion•Post Abortion Syndrome
▫Can happen any time after abortion▫Feelings of guilt, pain, regret, etc… after
abortion▫Project Rachel – Catholic ministry of
counselors and priests who help those who have been affected by abortion
▫Ministers to women, grandparents, fathers, siblings, etc…
Morality of Abortion• When does human life begin?• "Although life is a continuous process,
fertilization ... is a critical landmark because, under ordinary circumstances, a new, genetically distinct human organism is formed when the chromosomes of the male and female pronuclei blend in the oocyte." (Ronan O'Rahilly and Fabiola Muller, Human Embryology & Teratology, 3rd ed., New York: Wiley-Liss, 2001, p. 8)
• "It is the penetration of the ovum by a spermatozoan and resultant mingling of the nuclear material ... that constitutes the culmination of the process of fertilization and marks the initiation of the life of a new individual." (Bradley M. Patten, Human Embryology, 3rd ed., New York: McGraw Hill, 1968, p. 43).
Morality of Abortion• "Zygote. This cell results from the union of an
oocyte and a sperm during fertilization. A zygote is the beginning of a new human being (i.e., an embryo)." ... "[The zygote] marked the beginning of each of us as a unique individual." (Keith L. Moore and T.V.N. Persaud, The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology, 7th ed., Philadelphia: Saunders, 2003, pp. 2,16)
• "The zygote thus formed represents the beginning of a new life." (J.P. Greenhill and E.A. Friedman, Biological Principles and Modern Practice of Obstetrics, Philadelphia: W.B. Sanders, 1974, p. 17)
Morality of Abortion•Abortion is legal, but not necessarily
morally right•As Catholics, we believe life begins with
CONCEPTION•Abortion is not acceptable in any
circumstance
Parenting•About 12% of pregnant teens choose to
marry the baby’s father•31% will raise the baby in their parent’s
home•90% of teenagers who choose to parent
will never attend or graduate from college
Parenting•What aspects of a teen’s life will be
affected by her choice to parent?
What is the Best Choice???•How would you make this choice?•What would you choose?
