Teenage pregnancy is a term that is used to define an underage or a teenage girl who is between the ages of 13 and19 getting pregnant. Some of the teenage pregnancy facts are that teenage mother are less likely to gain sufficient amount of weight during their pregnancy which in turn results in low birth weight of the child. Additionally teenage pregnancy information also states that teenage pregnancy tends to have a high infant mortality rate as in low birth weight babies the organs are not fully developed which may then result in the baby suffering from complications such as respiratory distress syndrome, intestinal problems and bleeding in the brain. This is mostly because teenage mothers just like other teenagers tends to have very poor eating habits and are also not likely to take the much needed multivitamins during their pregnancy as recommended by the doctor. Additionally teenage mothers are more likely to consume alcohol, take drugs and smoke during their pregnancy which in turn are hazardous of both the mother and the child and may cause some long term health problems in the child. Many a times it has been observed that babies that are born to teenage mothers tend to be at a higher risk of neglect and abuse as the teenage mother are not ready for the constant care giving and the responsibility associated with having a child.
Adult parents can prevent teenage pregnancy by discussing the teenage pregnancy facts with their children via open communication and also giving their children adequate guidance about contraception, sexuality and the responsibilities and risks involved in having intimate relationships. In fact nowadays there are many schools that have introduced sex education as part of their curriculum which provided information to young people on reproduction and birth control which in turn can help prevent an unwanted pregnancy. One of the main problems observed in teenage pregnancies is that teenage girls when they get pregnant have just been enrolled in high school or even middle school at times and are still dependent on their parents . Many a times in teenage pregnancies the father maybe the same age as the teenage girl and in such cases both are not able to take up the responsibility of having a child which leaves them with the option of having an abortion or giving the baby up for adoption or in some cases the child is raised by a single mother.
Submitted by J on November 26, 2010 at 12:13