Teenage Pregnancy Is A Huge Problem In The United States

In developing countries teenage pregnancy is the norm because girls are often married off as soon as they have surpassed puberty. However, here in the industrialized part of the world teenage pregnancy is considered a massive problem for numerous reasons. For example, in developed countries women are expected to get an education, a job and some life experience before they are considered ready to raise children. Unfortunately almost one million adolescent mothers get pregnant every year here in the United States, which means that this country has the highest teenage pregnancy rate in the developed world.

Why It Happens

There are lots of theories as to why the teenage pregnancy rate here in the United States is on the rise. Some people blame the sexual revolution of the 1960s and claim that the moral standards of society are crumbling. Others hold the lack of adequate sex education in schools responsible or point to the absence of frank conversation between parents and their children. Alcohol and drug abuse also contributes to the problem, since teens are more likely to do something foolish while they are intoxicated and don't have any inhibitions.

The Implications

Teenage mothers are emotionally unprepared for the responsibility of raising a child or the sacrifices that they will have to make. Up to one third of teenage mothers do not complete high school or receive any job training. In eighty percent of teenage pregnancy cases, the father of the child does not marry the mother and pays an average of just eight hundred dollars per year in child support. Consequently the children born of teenage pregnancy are often raised in poverty because the mothers have no other option than to ask for financial assistance from the government.

The effects of teenage pregnancy on the child are heartbreaking. The daughters of teenage mothers are more likely to bear children during their adolescence. The sons born of teenage pregnancy are more likely to engage in delinquent or criminal behavior. The children of teenage pregnancy are also more likely to be abused or neglected and to become maladjusted adults. This happens because teenage mothers are financially, emotionally and mentally ill equipped to cope with the challenges of raising a child.

It is estimated that teenage pregnancy costs the United States tax payer seven billion dollars every year. The tax payer will probably have to pay even more money in the future because the teenage pregnancy rate is expected to increase.

The Solution

People from opposite sides of the political spectrum argue about the solution to teenage pregnancy. Liberals call for more sex education in schools and the provision of free contraception. Conservatives preach complete abstinence until the age of eighteen. Regardless of your personal opinion, research shows that honest communication on the part of the parents helps. If you have a teenaged child let them know about your expectations regardless of whether you favor abstinence or education and the correct use of contraception. Pretending that adolescents aren't curious about sex and not discussing the subject only exacerbates the teenage pregnancy problem.