User:Johnsont0/sandbox

Teen Pregnancy: A Social Issue

Though birth rates of adolescent mothers have greatly declined since 1991, teen pregnancy continues to be a hot button social concern for many people (Ventura, Curtin & Mathews, 2002). The social and health disadvantages of having children in your teens is no surprise, as many teen parents fail to graduate high school or go on to receive a post-secondary education resulting in poor paying jobs and an increased risk for a lengthy term of poverty (Furstenberg, 1991; Repke, 1990; Hoffman & Foster, 1997).

Stress and depression are a major concern amongst adolescent teens who do not receive an adequate amount of care and support during pregnancy and after the birth of the child (Colletta, 1983; Bogenschneider, Small & Tsay, 1997). Lack of social support during pregnancy can lead to lower self-esteem and lack of childcare commitment among teen mothers after the child is born (Dunst, Vance & Cooper, 1986).

Teen pregnancy serves to be a difficult experience for an adolescent, as they are not only expected to care for this life they have created, but to do so in the midst of trying to find themselves as a person and form their identities (Erikson, 1963; Hurlbut, Culp, Jambunathan & Butler, 1997; Musick, 1993). Many teens need to rely on family to assist them in providing the basic needs in life (shelter, food, and clothing) for themselves and their child and when family is unable to assist it is often up to society to pick up the pieces (Caldwell & Antonucci, 1997; Kalil & Danzinger, 2000; Unger & Wandersman, 1988; Wasserman, Brunelli & Rauh, 1990).