Teen Pregnancy Teen Pregnancy Poverty and Poverty and

WelfareWelfare

An Epidemic of An Epidemic of Social ConstructionSocial Construction

When and Why It Became An When and Why It Became An Epidemic?Epidemic?

1970’s through 1980’s1970’s through 1980’s

Scholars and media Scholars and media presented the issue as a presented the issue as a main area of focusmain area of focus

Group of biggest concernGroup of biggest concern

Inequality of education and Inequality of education and social standingsocial standing

Reinforcement of Reinforcement of traditional beliefs about traditional beliefs about having a child out of having a child out of wedlock.wedlock.

In reality….In reality….

Birth rates amongst teens declined Birth rates amongst teens declined throughout 70’s and 80’s.throughout 70’s and 80’s.

Pregnancy rates among African Pregnancy rates among African Americans were stable, yet amongst Americans were stable, yet amongst Caucasians increased.Caucasians increased.

Abortion rates among teens made up Abortion rates among teens made up only 30% of all abortions in the 70’s.only 30% of all abortions in the 70’s.

Furthermore…Furthermore…

Although the birth rates among teens Although the birth rates among teens were not increasing, the prevalence were not increasing, the prevalence of pre-marital sex was.of pre-marital sex was.

Worries Associated With Sex Worries Associated With Sex Amongst TeensAmongst Teens

Emotional/Physical Emotional/Physical readiness readiness

Moral concerns Moral concerns Difficulty in Difficulty in

obtaining obtaining contraceptivescontraceptives

Carelessness Carelessness surrounding use of surrounding use of contraceptivescontraceptives

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

opinion (%)

1977 1994

years

Sex Between Unmarried Teenagers (morally wrong)

morally wrong

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Unacceptable Alw ays Wrong Almost A lw ays Wrong

Levels of Disagreem ent

Opinion Polls (1986-1994) Premarital Sex Between Ages 14 to 16

The Underlying CorrelationThe Underlying Correlation

Negative stigma of teenage Negative stigma of teenage pregnancy-directly proportional to pregnancy-directly proportional to shrinking middle class.shrinking middle class.

Economic changes:Economic changes: Larger % of teens in populationLarger % of teens in population Declining wagesDeclining wages

Underlying Correlation Underlying Correlation (cont.)(cont.)

Social structural changesSocial structural changes fewer traditional householdsfewer traditional households

Marriage is more common among Marriage is more common among Caucasians than among African Caucasians than among African AmericansAmericans

Chicken vs. EggChicken vs. Egg

Pregnancy vs. PovertyPregnancy vs. Poverty Poverty as cause of Poverty as cause of

pregnancy:pregnancy: Lack of resourcesLack of resources

ContraceptionContraception Social supportSocial support FinancesFinances

Lack of education leads to Lack of education leads to low-paying jobslow-paying jobs

Teen mothers already Teen mothers already living in poverty, pass on living in poverty, pass on poverty to child.poverty to child.

Society used teen Society used teen pregnancy to explain pregnancy to explain various social problems various social problems where there was no where there was no correlation.correlation.

Teen Pregnancy: Teen Pregnancy: Choice & ConsequenceChoice & Consequence

→Is it the chicken or the egg that Is it the chicken or the egg that comes first?comes first?→Does the teen get pregnant because Does the teen get pregnant because of bad choices ?of bad choices ?→Or does a lack of resources, Or does a lack of resources, education, background, etc. lead to education, background, etc. lead to teen pregnancy? teen pregnancy?

• Many poor and minority teens are at greater risk of early Many poor and minority teens are at greater risk of early childbearing because they live in poor neighborhoodschildbearing because they live in poor neighborhoods..

• Those who come from poor and minority backgrounds Those who come from poor and minority backgrounds have intercourse at earlier ages and delay using effective have intercourse at earlier ages and delay using effective contraception. contraception.

• About 40% of pregnant teens seek an abortion. However, About 40% of pregnant teens seek an abortion. However, those who do seek abortions tend to be affluent & white, those who do seek abortions tend to be affluent & white, have more ambitious educational & career goals.have more ambitious educational & career goals.

        In 1980, a large national survey done of young In 1980, a large national survey done of young women aged 15 & 16 suggested that these patterns, of women aged 15 & 16 suggested that these patterns, of teenage pregnancy pertaining to classes, hold true across teenage pregnancy pertaining to classes, hold true across racial linesracial lines

5% of whites, 13% of blacks, and 9% of 5% of whites, 13% of blacks, and 9% of Hispanics said they definitely would consider Hispanics said they definitely would consider having a child out of wedlock.having a child out of wedlock.

Poverty pertaining to Poverty pertaining to Race & Living SituationRace & Living Situation

• Research shows that teenage mothers are in poorer health, have more medical problems during pregnancy, and give birth to still born, short-lived, lowbirth, and medically compromised babies

• The criteria for eligibility of Medicaid is so complex that in some states poor women are well along in pregnancy before they can receive medical care.

• In 1992, 40% of all pregnant teenagers lacked medical care during the first trimester.

• When there is access to routine health care, teenagers who give birth face lower risks.

• The obstacles separating young mothers from healthier pregnancies & births are social rather than physical.

Medical, Problems, Care & Teen Medical, Problems, Care & Teen MothersMothers

Influences of Education pertaining to Influences of Education pertaining to

Poverty & Teen PregnancyPoverty & Teen Pregnancy • The available research suggests that when a young not

only comes from a poor family but receives low grades in school and loses faith in her own abilities, she is much more likely to get pregnant

• In the late 1970's, schools began to adopt programs to keep pregnant teens in the educational system. (Focus on parenting skills)

Programs have allowed teens to stay in school and continue on to graduation.

Increase in the numbers of teen mothers graduating from high school.

→ Early childbearing may Early childbearing may make a bad situation worse, make a bad situation worse, but the real causes of poverty but the real causes of poverty lie elsewhere.lie elsewhere.