Current Issues

Society has put many pregnant teenagers on the spot light now-a-days. Pregnancy among young girls has become a controversy in religions, schools, families, etc. Many parents are afraid of their daughters becoming pregnant and give them a lecture on how pregnancy is a big responsibility, about future, becoming a single teenage mother, religions not permitting to have sexual intercourse before marriage, and how contraception is not allowed in the some religions. There are many types of “talks” that parents give to their daughters, even sons, but it is the reality. Parents play a major role in the decisions many teens make. Ever notice how many kids act when their parents are around and how they act when they are not? Parents tend to be more strict and must have everything their way. When girls are treated this way and finally have bit more freedom, they will not think before they act. In many situations parents will bring up the religion. Religion has an impact on teenage girls and their way of thinking. Religious families will always refer to religion rules on how sex before marriage is not allowed, contraception is not allowed in many religions, etc. These rules also make it hard for young girls to now become pregnant. Teenage pregnancy is also a controversy in religions. It is ironic how rules are set to keep something from happening and in the end it happens several times. Luckily many teens have learning and trying to prevent pregnancy. Research show that teenage pregnancy has decreased and more teens are now using contraception to prevent pregnancy. CDC announced that students who had sex in the past three months without contraception decreased from sixteen to twelve percent in the past decade. Many teens do not listen to religions and parents and start to care about themselves which is the right thing to do.

Hagan, Caitlin. "Teen Pregnancy Rate Lowest in Two Decades – The Chart - CNN.com Blogs." The Chart - CNN.com Blogs. CNN, 15 Apr. 2011. Web. 15 Oct. 2011. http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/05/teen-pregnancy-rate-lowest-in-two-decades/.

 

"Topics in Briefs." RECApp. Web. 15 Oct. 2011.

Background

Teenage pregnancy has been an issue for many centuries however, there are centuries when it was common to become pregnant at a young age. Now-a-days it is a big no no for every girl. In the 1800s and maybe even before that, girls around the age 12 were married. Girls did not chose whom they would marry, instead their parents would decide who the spouse should be. Usually, the spouse was the son of a family friend. Girls at the time were not able to attend school, their rights were very strict. Instead, they would stay home and learn to do house work, while their husbands would be out working. Now that the teenage girl has wed, her husband and her self can start a family together. It was a normal thing to do after teens had wed. In many situations girls became pregnant because their husbands wanted to show ownership. Now, that centuries have gone by, it is not right for a teenage girl to become pregnant. Society have changed this idea of marrying young and becoming a young mother at such a young age, now that girls have more opportunities to better themselves and become a someone. Teen birth rate started to increase around the 1970s, it may have been all the movements and becoming an individual etc. Starting the 1990s there was a huge decrease on teenage births. It may have been that there were new ways to protect and many teens started to become abstinence for the fear of having a child and ending their new lives they were going to start (now that they had more freedom). As time goes by, it seems to have been increasing and decreasing in certain years. This is an issue many parents and schools are worried about. With this economy it is even more difficult to raise a child being so young and in many situations a single mother. Teen birth rate seems to be increasing and also single teen mother has been increasing as well.

"Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Resources." Solutions for America. 2003. Web. 07 Oct. 2011. http://www.solutionsforamerica.org/healthyfam/teenage-pregnancy.html.

 

"What’s in the Teen Pregnancy Pact’s Fine Print? - Latimes.com." Los Angeles Times - California, National and World News - Latimes.com. 2011. Web. 07 Oct. 2011. <http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oew-du23jun23,0,897984.graffitiboard>.