Sociology Case Study: Teenage Pregnancy and Vulnerability Factors

This case study analyzes the case of a 22-year-old woman, Betty, who became pregnant at 15, highlighting the vulnerabilities she and her child faced. The study explores the impact of her challenging childhood, including parental neglect and instability, on her development and subsequent experiences as a young mother. It delves into the specific reasons for her vulnerability, including lack of sex education, mental health issues, and the social and economic challenges associated with teenage pregnancy. The assignment incorporates theoretical frameworks, policy perspectives, and professional approaches to address the complexities of the case. It further examines the role of social work interventions, government programs, and community support in mitigating the adverse consequences of teenage pregnancy and promoting the well-being of young mothers and their children. The study also highlights the importance of prenatal care, family planning, and access to resources for teenage parents.

CASE STUDY OF TEEN
PREGNANCY AND
VULNERABILITY

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................3
Case study on Teenage pregnancy..............................................................................................3
Identified case study that identifies example of vulnerability children, young people and
family face. .................................................................................................................................3
Provide the specific reason why child, young person and family in position of vulnerability.
What components meant were specific issue in the case which might not seen in average
family..........................................................................................................................................4
Demonstrate the knowledge of specific issues of the case by including theoretical, policy and
professional perspectives. ..........................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Teenage pregnancy is pregnancy in women of the 19 years of age and younger (Paton,
Bullivant and Soto, 2020). Therefore, this can be termed out as the adolescent pregnancy and
pregnancy to female under the age of 20. Hence, pregnancy and birth are significant contributor
to high school dropout rates among the girls.
The present report is based on case study of teenage pregnancy. This is the report that
will lay focus on crucial elements of vulnerability in children, young people and families.
Furthermore, case study will reflect specific reason that why the child, young person in the
position of vulnerability. Also, specific focus will be given on specific issue of the case that
includes theoretical, policy and professional perspectives..
MAIN BODY
Case study on Teenage pregnancy.
INTRODUCTION-:
Identified case study that identifies example of vulnerability children, young people and family
face.
The present case study deals with circumstances and challenges faced by 22 year old
Betty who got pregnant at the age of 15. Her six year old daughter name is Candy. Betty referred
to the social service cell of the local authority for appropriate social work service cell of local
authority to undertake social work intervention. Betty mother left their children while they were
young due to alcohol related issues (Appleby, 2020). Later on, she and her sister sent to home for
children and that that place they occasionally receives the visits of their father.
Thus, Betty and her sister attended children village school and then then they went to
secondary school. Thereafter, Betty started to develop truant in her early teens and became
pregnant with relationship of boy at the age when they 14 years old. Betty decided to keep the
child rather than to go for adoption. Afterwards, Betty, her daughter candy and sisters spent six
year with their father. Betty got traumatised due to death of her father and she also got
concerned about the negative attitude of their child towards her. She also suffers from speech
disorders, issue relates with loosing weight and also experiences the episodes of amenorrhoea.
With the analysis of the case study this has been found out that Berry may have been
neglected during her childhood. Therefore, childhood neglect can adverse impact on physical,

social, intellectual and psychological development of young people (Allen, Cannings-John and
Gregory, 2020). This can be stated that the early parenthood may also bring varied negative
consequences such as adverse mental and physical health outcomes, fewer chances of
completion of education and this also rise the chances of being lone parents. Thus, these kind of
people suffers from issues such as greater social economic deprivation, greater incidence of
sexual abuse and low self esteem.
Social work practice in this kind of circumstances, must focus on understanding her case,
thereafter formulae suitable plan of action. Therefore, social workers must adopts suitable anti-
discriminatory, anti-oppressive and person centred approaches dealing with her case ( Mezey,
Robinson and Bonell, 2017). Hence, UK legal authorities has made number of social work
policies and intervention programmes for the young mothers. Social work must engage Betty in
with open ended question about the difficulties and challenges. Hence, Betty must be allowed to
express freely so that there can be possibility in rising the full understanding of challenges as
well as the emotional, physical and mental strength.
Provide the specific reason why child, young person and family in position of vulnerability.
What components meant were specific issue in the case which might not seen in average
family.
From the case study, this has been analysed that Teenage pregnancy are more likely to
dace adverse situation as unemployed, living in poverty and give birth to the low birth weight
babies. Hence, this has been found out that Adolescents face a great challenge in their early stage
of the pregnancy. Major biological and psychological changes may get occur during this period.
Therefore, there is huge number of teenagers become pregnant each year, and 85% of these
pregnancies are unplanned (Cook and Cameron, 2017). By looking at the situation of Betty, this
has been found out that Pregnancy mainly occurs at the first time sexual intercourse without the
use of contraception. This kind of vulnerabilities occurs as people are less aware of sex
education. In addition to this, Teen mothers such as Betty are more likely to face several social
and psychosocial stresses that leads to become the victim of mental health problems.
As per the analysis of the case study this has been found out that Betty suffers from issue
such as vomiting, high blood share and hyper tension related issues. This kind of the issues also
become the challenging factor that can also disrupt the growth of baby. Therefore, this has been
found out that the early teen age pregnancy has has tremendous long term psychological effect

on both mother and children. Thus, this can be analysed that Sexually-transmitted diseases can
impact the life of Betty this affects her mental health. Due to ineffective mental condition, the
teenage mother can think about the Suicide attempts, poor birth outcomes and issues relates with
parenting are some of the major problems among the childbearing teenage. In addition to this,
chances of premature birth are significantly high in teenage pregnancies. Hence, this also has
been found out that Premature birth may come with several short-term as well as long-term
medical complications that is inclusive of the respiratory concerns, digestive problems, vision
issues and cognitive disorders. Therefore, the High blood pressure can be found as common
problem among teenage adolescents ( Loganathan, 2017). This is issue that is linked to organ
damage and other health problem such as pre-eclampsia that can also disrupts foetal growth.
With the help of the case study this has been found out that Betty has suffered lot of issue
due to early age pregnancy. She was unable to maintain social life due to teen pregnancy. So, it
can be stated that teen age pregnancy can cause a lot of changes such as mood, swings and
changes in mood etc. This also has adverse affects on family and parents, child etc. Therefore,
this can be stated that medical issues, financial issues, psychological issues are some of the factor
that affects the growth of child and also bring out adverse affects on child of mother who got
pregnant at early age ( Bałanda-Bałdyga, Pilewska-Kozak and Dobrowolska, 2020). Therefore,
this has been analysed that this is imperative for teenage girls in terms to seek out qualified
prenatal care that can aids to ensure they are receiving an adequate intake of nutrients and
prenatal vitamins that can assist to prevent iron and other nutritional deficiencies. Hence, this has
been found out that there are some of the risks that are greater at the teen pregnancy and these as
are-:
 Issues relates with the high blood pressure that creates hypertension during the
pregnancy, ineffective level of PIH can can lead to pre-eclampsia).
 Rise in the higher rate of infant mortality as this also disrupts the growth of baby.
Case study-:
Demonstrate the knowledge of specific issues of the case by including theoretical, policy and
professional perspectives.
The above case study aids to identified the issues that leads to circumstances and
challenges faced by 22 year old women Betty who got pregnant at the age of 15. Due to her early
age pregnancy, she facing health issues such as vomiting, weigh loss and amenorrhoea. Thus,

one of the major issue found out in the chosen case study at the childhood of Betty she may have
been neglected as her father and mother was suffered from alcohol related issues. Her mother left
home while she was very young. Due to this, Betty and her sister went to home for children. Due
to improper family guidance, Betty was lack with physical, emotional and mental capabilities. In
order to reduce the issues of teenage pregnancy social care practices must take reasonable steps
anti-discriminatory, anti-oppressive and person centred approaches in dealing with these kind of
the cases of teenage pregnancy.
With the use of theoretical framework such as social work and with adoption of the
person centred approaches the effective guidelines can be framed out for the individual who are
suffering from these kind of adverse conditions. Hence, children of teenage parents are likely to
be economically deprived and socially excluded. The UK government’s must take the number of
the initiatives that assist to build social work policies and infrastructure for teenage mothers by
framing out the number of intervention programmes that can aids to reduce these kind of issues
( Bałanda-Bałdyga, Pilewska-Kozak and Dobrowolska, 2020). Social workers help teen mothers
by the development of mutual assistance groups in which people can receive and give help
between each other. This has been found out that Young mothers like Betty can also be
appropriately educated and trained in developing and managing small businesses so that she can
cope with her issue of financial inadequacy.
The federal government of the UK is taking varied initiatives to reduce teenage
pregnancy with help of providing the affordable family planning services. By developing
effective guidance for safe and effective use of birth control. This authorities also taking steps to
developing and evaluating the programmes within communities where the teen birth are the
highest. The Teenage Pregnancy Strategy (TPS) was termed out as one of the comprehensive
approach by any UK government that assist to reduce England’s high teenage pregnancy rates.
This is the strategy that was launched in year 1999 with a goal of halving the under-18
conception rate. In the year 2014, the rate had dropped 51%. Therefore, the main purpose of this
study was to explore how the plan of action was designed and implemented in order to
accomplish the successful outcomes.
Thus, Teen parents also faced with economic burdens relate to being in school and
raising child. To cope with it government has introduced the Supplemental Nutritional assistance
programme. It is programme that assist to economic and physical well-being of teen parents and

their children. Under this, teen parents offers the special needs that are varied from adult
beneficiaries. Apart from government assistance programs the Teen parents can take the support
of the non profit agencies to complete their education, get the effective job training and to find
out the employment. Henceforth, there are number of the ways under human service worker that
can assist the teen parents. With the help of government agencies such as local department of the
human services can assist teen to undertake government assistance. In UK, legal authorities also
taking steps towards offering parenting classes, counselling or other services that can help to
meet out the unique needs of teen parents (Cook and Cameron, 2017).
Therefore, the legal authorities of the UK also developed Teenage pregnancy prevention
programme that is evidence-based program which funds diverse organizations that are working
to prevent teen pregnancy across the United Kingdom. They also provide proper assistance to
teenage mother and their child by providing each facility that do not disrupt the growth of child
and well being of mother.
CONCLUSION
Hereby, this can be summarized that Teen pregnancy is one of the issues that carries
health, economic, and social costs for mothers and their children. The present report is based on
case study of Betty who is 22 year old and got pregnant at the age of 15. Furthermore, report has
covered the issues defined in case study relates with mental and psychological issues. Also,
report has covered policies and strategies taken by government in UK to help teenage mothers
and children..

REFERENCES
Book & Journal
Paton, D., Bullivant, S. and Soto, J., 2020. The impact of sex education mandates on teenage
pregnancy: International evidence. Health Economics.
Appleby, G.S.D., 2020. How is teenage pregnancy portrayed in Okechukwu Nzelu’s novel, The
Private Joys of Nnenna Maloney? How has teenage pregnancy changed today?. Literary
Cultures. 3(1).
Allen, L.A., Cannings-John, R.L. and Gregory, J.W., 2020. Pregnancy in teenagers diagnosed
with type 1 diabetes mellitus in childhood: a national population-based e-cohort
study. Diabetologia. 63(4). pp.799-810.
Mezey, G., Robinson, F. and Bonell, C., 2017. Tackling the problem of teenage pregnancy in
looked‐after children: A peer mentoring approach. Child & family social work. 22(1).
pp.527-536.
Cook, S.M. and Cameron, S.T., 2017. Social issues of teenage pregnancy. Obstetrics,
Gynaecology & Reproductive Medicine. 27(11). pp.327-332.
Loganathan, K., 2017. A Risk Factor Tool for United States Teenage Pregnancy: Adapting a
Tool from the United Kingdom.
Bałanda-Bałdyga, A., Pilewska-Kozak, A.B. and Dobrowolska, B., 2020. Attitudes of Teenage
Mothers towards Pregnancy and Childbirth. International Journal of Environmental
Research and Public Health. 17(4). p.1411.