Teenage Parents

Teenage Parents

By A. Arnold

            There has been a recent sensation of shows about teenage parents (for instance Teen Mom and 16 and Pregnant); it would seem that America is fascinated by teen parents.  But who are these youngsters and what happens to their children?

What happens to teenagers who become parents?

            Becoming a teenage parent changes your life in a lot of ways.  Often times juggling a baby and school is just too hard for young parents and their education suffers.  Only 38% of teen mothers graduate high school, compared to the 92% of women nationwide.  In fact, parenthood is the leading cause of dropping out of school among women.  Obtaining a college degree is even harder with teen mothers as less than 2% earn a college degree by age 30.

            Because of this lack of education the majority teenage parents (both mothers and fathers) never advance beyond entry-level positions.  The majority of teens who become parents while living in poverty stay in poverty. 

            Most teenage parents are single parents as 8 out of 10 teenage parents split up before the baby is born.  Only 1/3 of teen parents receive child support.  In addition most teenage parents are living in poverty and so even if the parent not living with the child pays child support is it usually less than $800 per month. 

            Teenage parents also have higher rates of depression, alcohol abuse, and substance abuse.

            One in four teenage mothers will become pregnant within 24 months after the birth of her first child.  This often compounds these problems.

 

What about the children of teen parents?

            Because teen mothers are less likely to receive prenatal care, gain the appropriate amount of weight, and eat well and more likely to smoke tobacco, drink, and take drugs their children are more likely to have birth defects, be born premature and have low birth weight.

            Teen parenthood doesn’t just affect the parent’s education; it also affects the child’s. Only 2/3 of children of teen parents graduate high school, as opposed to the 81% of children nationwide and children of teen parents are 50% more likely to repeat a grade. 

            The effects on children of teen parents don’t just affect their education.  Sons of teen parents are twice as likely to end up in prison than sons of older parents and daughters of teen mothers are three times more likely to become teen mothers themselves. The children of teen parents are twice as likely to be abused as children than children of older parents. Children of teen parents are also more likely to suffer mental illnesses such as substance abuse, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety disorder.

How does teen parenthood affect the nation?

            Teen parents are more likely to use public assistance and live in poverty.  Children of teen parents are more likely to be charged with a crime, end up in prison, they are 2.2 times as likely to end up in foster care, and are more likely to have physical or mental health problems. Because of lost tax revenue, the cost of public assistance programs such as food stamps and welfare, child health care, the increased need for foster care, and the increased involvement in the criminal courts and prisons it is estimated that teen pregnancies cost the United States 9 billion dollars per year.

So how do we prevent teen parenthood?

This is an example from the critically acclaimed film "Mean Girls" of how NOT to teach students about sex

            The best way to prevent teen parenthood is to educate teens about safe sex, contraception, and abstinence.  The CDC has defined teen pregnancy as a public health problem and has implemented programs across the country to reduce teen pregnancy and so far they’re working! Despite the rash of TV programs glorifying teen parenthood in this country, the rate of teen pregnancy in the US is the lowest it’s ever been.

Sources I Used:

o   http://misacor-usa.org/index.php/teenage-pregnancy-and-education

o   http://www.stayteen.org/teen-pregnancy

o   http://www.cdc.gov/teenpregnancy/aboutteenpreg.htm

o   http://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2012/05/teen_moms_how_poverty_and_inequality_cause_teens_to_have_babies_not_the_other_way_around_.html

o   http://www.healthcommunities.com/teen-pregnancy/children/sex-education.shtml