Teenage Pregnancy: Analysis of Causes, Consequences, and Education

This report addresses the public health challenge of teenage pregnancy, analyzing the reasons behind unintended pregnancies among adolescent girls. It explores the factors contributing to this issue, including behavioral and mental health challenges, and the self-perpetuating cycle of early childbirth. The report further examines the consequences of teenage pregnancy, such as maternal anemia and increased risks during pregnancy, emphasizing the biological and social factors involved. Additionally, it discusses the success of sex education programs in providing accurate information about sexuality and reducing risks, while highlighting the continued need to support teenagers' health and well-being. The report references several studies to support its findings, offering a comprehensive overview of the topic and its implications for public health.

Running head: TEENAGE PREGNANCY
TEENAGE PREGNANCY
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One of the major public health challenges in recent times has been teen pregnancy.
Currently, teen birth rates have seen a decline remarkably in the United States since the most
recent ultimate in the early 1990s. Although majority of the youth population lead healthy
and well developing life, there can be a good reason for optimism in several areas of
adolescent health conditions (Solomon-Fears & Ronquillo, 2015). However, several
teenagers have been experiencing preventable behavioural as well as mental health issues
such as substance abuse, damages, obesity and other challenges. The following paper aims to
highlight reasons to which several adolescent girls experience unintended pregnancies. In
addition to this, it will focus on certain consequences of teenage pregnancy and to what
extent sex education programs draw success.
As per report of Youth Risk Behaviour Surveillance System of 2013, several high
school students continue to involve in sexual risk behavioural patterns which tend to result in
unintended pregnancies as well as sexually transmitted infections (Kappeler, 2015).
Furthermore, another reason to which high school adolescent girls tend to have sexual
intercourse and nearly one out of eight adolescent girls are likely to become pregnant before
they reach adulthood.
Teenage pregnancy has been explained as a self-perpetuating cycle in which early
childbirth in one generation elevates the propensity of the next generation to be experiencing
challenges of adolescent pregnancy. However, irrespective of the reasons for any ubiquity
being of adolescent maternal age tend to result in other consequences as well as risks towards
the pregnancy not specifically pertaining to the newborn but further to health conditions to
mother. As per Cook and Cameron (2015), maternal anaemia is usually experienced in
pregnancy especially pregnant teenage girls tend to have shown increased rates of anaemia as
compared to adult pregnant women. Furthermore, to throw light on reasons for which teenage
maternal age tend to associate with an elevated risk for complications during pregnancy with

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more complications related to biological and social factors. Kappeler (2015) has noted that
while bearing a child at such tender age, teenage mothers are likely to be at the standard pre-
pregnancy weight and height. Additionally, teenage mothers fail to obtain the adequate
financial means in order to obtain increased levels of education. Consequently, lead to further
issues of poverty, deprived nutrition, and insufficient prenatal care in addition to higher
incidence of substance abuse.
Teachers who show great level of self-discipline not only help students to circumvent
unintended pregnancy but further teach regarding use of condom and contraceptive methods
in order to reduce the risks of sexually transmitted infections (STI). Sex education programs
in recent times are gaining great success as it encompasses wide range of issues associated
with physical and biological factors of sexuality besides the emotional and social factors
associated with sexuality (Hall et al., 2016). Moreover, success of sex education program
have been involving the endeavours taken by parents and educators to provide honest,
accurate as well as affirming awareness and knowledge to youths about sexuality.
To conclude, while there has been a robust sense of knowledge and awareness, there
is still a continuing need for helping teenagers establish their strengths and improve their
health conditions.

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References
Cook, S. M., & Cameron, S. T. (2015). Social issues of teenage pregnancy. Obstetrics,
Gynaecology & Reproductive Medicine, 25(9), 243-248.
Kappeler, E. M. (2015). Adolescent health and teen pregnancy in the United States: a
progress report. Public Health Reports, 130(3), 196-198.
Maravilla, J. C., Betts, K. S., e Cruz, C. C., & Alati, R. (2017). Factors influencing repeated
teenage pregnancy: a review and meta-analysis. American journal of obstetrics and
gynecology, 217(5), 527-545.
Solomon-Fears, C., & Ronquillo, R. (2015). Teenage pregnancy prevention: Statistics and
programs. Congressional Research Service.