The Rising Trend of Teenage Pregnancy in the Society

Introduction

There are many social difficulties affecting society today, but the frightening problems affecting parents and children who are in the learning process have drawn increasing attention. Teenage pregnancy is one of the common issues that hinders learning. The issue is still on the rise, particularly among college students, despite assertions that the rate of pregnancy among young people in school has decreased by 50% during the 1990s. Teen pregnancy has drawn extensive criticism and worry due to the wide-ranging impacts it has on the country, the pregnant teen, and their families. With various causes associated with the problem, no solution has been found viable yet considering the evident number of pregnancies. It is, therefore, important that the issue is addressed to ensure that all youths remain in school to get education.

Cause of Teenage Pregnancy: Lack of Motivation

One of the key courses of teenage pregnancy is the lack of motivation among youths. Most teens, especially our college mates, fall victims of early pregnancy due to lack of motivation from the society. Amidst claims that teens are old enough to know that premarital sex is wrong, it should be the responsibility of the society to guide them. According to Rudoe, the rapid change in the cultural norms is the greatest contributor of this problem (294). Today, the intensity of stigma resulting from such actions has reduced over time; this has made teen pregnancy appear as a normal phenomenon. Churches are also currently shying away from informing the youths against sex before marriage and early pregnancies. People should also not forget that some religions forbid the use of contraceptives. If this is the case, then youths have no option but to lose themselves in influence of peer pressure and indulge in unprotected sex.

Lack of Parental Support

Lack of parental support is also associated with the rising trend of pregnancies among youths. Apart from the fact that our parents are busy every time, they have also failed to offer guidance and counseling to the teenage children. Many authors claim that teachers should take the roles of directing teens and educating them about sexual relationships. It is however, parents’ responsibility to ensure their children are safe and are brought up morally (Goonewardene and Waduge 117). Teens indulge in activities like drug and substance abuse without parents knowing; some are also involved in prostitution because of the lack of attention that they tend to seek from parents at adolescent stage (Vlaicu 85). This, therefore, gives them room to engage in early sexual intercourse and get pregnant. Parents no longer advise their children on good morals and what is expected of them; this neglect has made teens look for attention in other places like from peers who mislead us more often.

Misconception and Inadequacy of Pregnancy Prevention Information

Furthermore, there is always misconception and inadequacy in information regarding pregnancy prevention techniques. Teens who may wish to avoid pregnancy have limited understanding of the prevention methods and techniques. It is claimed that the media is currently doing more than enough to offer relevant information on birth control and protected sex. However, survey data frequently show that young adults and teenagers are always misinformed about the existing birth control methods and contraceptives (Goonewardene and Waduge 119). Many others are not aware of the various control methods except for use of condoms. The fear of unknown safety and ways of using the techniques has shied many people away. A real example is the rumor that most contraceptive and planning methods such as pills and intrauterine devices cause weight gain or barrenness (Vlaicu 87). With such beliefs, few teens are willing to prevent pregnancies with such big risks in mind.

Peer Influence

Peer influence is also associated with high cases of pregnancy among youths. Teens get pressure from fellow friends to engage in activities like sexual intercourse or use of drugs. Amidst claims that youths can control themselves and make personal decisions, it is clear that they let friends dominate their lives to the extent that they get manipulated to indulge in sexual acts without knowing the consequences of their behaviors (Kiely 153). Most teens engage in early sex to appear sophisticated and be cool which sometimes result in unplanned pregnancies. Studies have shown that 29% of pregnant teens have reported they were pressured while 33% of them they were not ready but got involved only to avoid rejection and ridicule from friends (Kiely 154). Peer pressure, therefore, plays a greater role in spreading the indulgence in early sexual relationships and pregnancies.

Restricted Access to Contraceptives

Currently, there is high cost of contraceptives which is accompanied by the restricted access within a limited age. The society has always believed that the right age to start accessing birth control techniques is after 18 years. Such a conception has prevented youths from accessing the contraceptives amidst the fact that they engage in sexual acts (Vlaicu 88). The safest contraceptive methods are very costly and the access is seriously limited. Many federal administrations blame teens for not accessing the “free” contraceptives. Take an example of female condoms; they cost more than $3 and few teens can afford this without engaging parents (Rudoe 297). Services like Intrauterine device implantation are very expensive and few hospitals offer such services; only those with health care providers or insurance can actually afford them. This means that many teens are at the risk of getting unwanted pregnancies because of poverty as well as lack of affordable facilities.

Substance Use among Teens

Substance use among teens, especially drinking of alcohol, is also associated with high levels of pregnancy. Unexpected pregnancies also result from teen drinking. According to Goonewardene and Deeyagaha, amidst the struggle to treat teen pregnancy and drinking as different problems, the two are intertwined (118). Many college students tend to experiment with drugs and alcohol, especially when they are under peer influence. It has been proven that drinking lowers an individual’s level of control over impulses; this, therefore, makes alcohol account for over 75% of pregnancies occurring among teens of age between 14 and 21 (Rudoe 300). It is also estimated that 91% of teens reported with pregnancy always confess that they originally did not plan for sex before they went drinking.

Conclusion

In summary, there are various scenarios that cause the rising pregnancy cases among youths. As such, initiating programs to provide free access to contraceptives will help many youths. Every teen needs to know about the importance of abstinence; the church must play its role in instilling moral values in youths to avoid early indulgence in sexual activities. In addition to this, parents should also be able to open up and talk to their sons and daughters regarding sex, love, and relationships. The technology should also be used to reduce pregnancy cases. Every government can take the opportunity to advocate for the use of contraception and abstinence among youths through the use of social media. Offering support and healthcare is not enough; information regarding youth education, employment opportunity and birth rates in every location should be gathered; this can easily help in planning for the creation of awareness as well as in the allocation of funds.

Works Cited

Goonewardene, I. M. R., and RPK Deeyagaha Waduge. “Adverse effects of teenage pregnancy.” Ceylon Medical Journal 50.3 (2005): 116-120. doi:10.4038/cmj.v50i3.1428

Kiely, Elizabeth. “Book review: Teenage Pregnancy: What’s the Problem?.” Critical Social Policy 32.1 (2012): 153-155. doi:10.1177/0261018311425203b

Rudoe, Naomi. “Becoming a young mother: Teenage pregnancy and parenting policy.” Critical Social Policy (2014): 293-311. doi:0261018314526007.

Vlaicu, Sorina. “The influence of culture and values on policy-making and teenage pregnancy rates in the United States, Canada, and Italy.” Policy and Society 21.2 (2002): 83-116. doi:10.1016/s1449-4035(02)70010-6