Teenage pregnancy is defined as an unplanned pregnancy during adolescence. Approximately 1/5 of teenage girls between the ages of 15 and 19 become pregnant each year. Many teenagers do not believe that they can get pregnant if they have sex and this is one of the main reasons for early pregnancy.
During adolescence, teenagers often feel pressured by friends and those around them to do different things in order to fit in better with the company. Very often the decision to have sex in these years is influenced by their peers and in fact adolescents do not fully understand the consequences associated with it.
Teenagers often see sex as a way to be cool, fashionable and grown up, but sometimes this can lead to an unplanned teenage pregnancy. 29% of pregnant teenagers report having sex because of some kind of pressure, and 33% say they think they were not ready to have sex, but did so because they were worried about ridicule and rejection.
Girls at this age are at increased risk of unplanned pregnancy if they have limited or no contact with their parents. Many parents are quite busy, which hinders their ability to give guidance and support to their children. Parents could help with many issues related to sex and relationships, as long as they take the time and attention to do so.
It is possible that the teenagers feel uncomfortable talking about sex with their parents or at home this topic is taboo. At such moments, the teens turn to their friends for advice. This often leads to misinformation and lack of adequate opinion, which in turn can lead to pregnancy.
Television and internet
The film and media industries contribute a lot to early pregnancy. Television and the Internet often show sexual scenes and thus encourage sexual activity among teenagers.
During this period of life, teenagers begin to focus more on their appearance and how their peers perceive them. They want to look like their peers. If sex and pregnancy are common and acceptable in their social group (at school, for example), it is much more likely that the teenager will seek some kind of approval in this way.
Lack of knowledge
Teenagers who are not informed about how to have safe sex are much more likely to become pregnant unintentionally. Some teens do not fully understand the biological and emotional aspects of sex. With the opportunity to receive unbelievable information from peers, videos, movies, etc. is much larger. Often teenagers do not have the time and information to make an informed decision before deciding to have sex.
Sexual abuse or rape
Teenagers can become pregnant as a result of sexual abuse or rape. Between 43 and 62% of pregnant girls at this age admit to being pregnant by an older man. Approximately 5% of adolescent pregnancies are the result of rape.
Alcohol or or drugs use
Drinking can also lead to unwanted and unplanned pregnancies. Many teenagers abuse alcohol and drugs. Opiates reduce a person's ability to control their impulses. This, in turn, is the cause of 75% of pregnancies among girls aged 14-21. Approximately 91% of pregnant teenagers report having had sex under the influence of alcohol and which they did not plan to have at all.
The Supportive Parents and Their Role
Despite the fact that the frequency of teenage pregnancies has been gradually declining over the years, it remains a pressing problem. The most global aspect of this problem that young mothers face is the lack of information about their own health, the health of their children, and the absolute lack of skills at this stage of their lives. It is for this reason that the intervention of the parents, their recommendations and advice and, above all, unconditional support are extremely important.
In a large percentage of cases, parental intervention leads to an abortion decision. Most teen abortions involve parental intervention in some way. 60% of minors who have abortions do so with the knowledge of at least one parent, and a large proportion of parents support their daughter's choice. However, in case she decides to keep the child and take care of him/her, the expectant mother has yet to find a way to combine her schoolwork and motherhood.
In fact, It is widely believed that a teenage mother cannot take good care of herself or her baby, but this is not always the case. Many teenage mothers who monitor their pregnancies closely and follow their doctor's recommendations have healthy babies, despite the difficulties they face in their lives.
Remember that family support is invaluable to any expectant mother, regardless of her age.
What Makes Teen Parenting Programs So Useful?
You may be required to enroll in such a teen parenting program by the court, a social worker, child protective services or another organization within the country. Being developed by a certified instructor and a member of the NATPIA, our parenting classes for teens strive to meet the requirements of any entity in the United States and Canada.
In fact, the parenting teenager classes provided by OnlineParentingCenter have strictly educational purposes. They cannot be considered legal or medical advice. In addition, during the course, the teenagers will obtain helpful information about the raising of their children and the processes and events which will occur in the near future after their baby arrives into this world. What is more, the teen moms will get some professional advice on many topics in regards to their children's upbringing.
Furthermore, as you may be required to enroll in a parenting skills class with a specific duration, we have developed a number of programs with continuity from 4 up to 52 hours. Also, we provide weekly adolescent parenting programs as well. Our courses are absolutely affordable, starting from only $34.99.
Lastly, this adolescent parenting class is known to be approved by courts, CPS, social workers, schools and legal representatives across the United States and Canada. However, before starting, we highly recommend you to check whether your state or province will accept your certificate of completion.
