Teenage Pregnancy the Disadvantages of Teen Pregnancy

Teenage Pregnancy

The disadvantages of teen pregnancy

Teen pregnancy is increasing worldwide and the accompanying negative effects have dire implications for society. Countries have engaged in aggressive campaigns to arrest and limit the number of teens becoming pregnant. There has been limited success from the approaches utilized because of the multiple variables that influence a teenage to engage in sexual behavior. A critical part of the problem is that most teens are not interested in becoming pregnant but are desirous of heterosexual sexual contact. When this is coupled with the limited ability to foresee outcomes of their actions the combination creates the conditions for teen pregnancy. Teenage pregnancy has severe consequences for both partners although the females tend to carry the greater burden.

The main problem that occurs when a teen becomes pregnant is the impact on the teen's education. Teenage is the time when many individuals are in their high school years. Finishing high school is a critical predictor of future college success as well as increasing the individual's life chances. When a teenager becomes pregnant during their high school years they often do not finish high school. The inability to finish high school is a problem that both males and females face though the girls are more likely not to finish. The failure of pregnant girls not to finish high school has multiple causal factors.

The social stigma that is accompanied with becoming pregnant as a teen may influence a girl not to continue her education. The teenager may be beset at school with negative glares and disapproving looks from peers and teachers. This constant disapproval is often more burdensome than the student can countenance. In cases where the student does not drop out of school, they may face the challenge of keeping up in class. The number of missed days due to morning sickness and other health concerns may limit the volume of work the student can accomplish, thus compromising their learning experiences.

Additionally, the physical changes that accompany pregnancy can have enormous psychological and social consequences for teens (Pros and cons 2010). The weight gain that accompanies pregnancy is often disconcerting for more mature females. Young women for whom physical image is very important as an indicator of self value may experience a loss of self-esteem because of their weight gain. Accompanying the weight gain may also be several other physical changes that might permanently affect how the young person feels about their body. Stretch marks that may never go away may occur in and around the stomach and breasts. These stretch marks may add to feelings of insecurity about the body and diminish the self-image. An additional physical concern is that if the young woman is in her early teens her body may not have developed adequately to allow her to manage the additional baby weight effectively.

The social consequences of teen pregnancy are also a major disincentive to becoming pregnant while one is a teenager. The dynamics of parenting will demand that the teenager remain at home to take care of the child. Depending on the family financial circumstances, successful care of the child may also require that the teen find a part-time job. Between the demands of baby care and the demands of earning a living, there is practically no time left for the teen parent to engage in an active social life. The strictures placed on the teen parent by having a baby may mean that they will have to miss the prom and they may not even be able to go out on dates.

Dating itself becomes extremely problematic. The teen parent may still have contact with the mother or father of the child. Very often this relationship has broken down and the girl is left to manage the care of the child by herself. Dating someone new has two problems firstly there is the problem of the time to do so, since large blocks of time are dedicated to child care. Additionally, if the father of the child is still in the picture he may become jealous of new individuals coming into the life of the mother (Redmond 1985). This jealously may occur in both parties. The jealous partner may engage in behaviors that make dating difficult and even upsetting. This inability to create and sustain romantic relationships with persons of the opposite sex may leave the teen feeling alone and isolated. This isolation is also occurring when the teen may be in the greatest need for companionship and social support.