Being a teenager is hard. Between attending school, doing homework, participating in extracurricular activities, having a job, keeping up with household duties and chores, and maintaining relationships with family members and friends, it can become very overwhelming and stressful at times. For many teenagers, finding free time to do anything outside of their normal routine can be a difficult task. It is fairly safe to say that most teenagers could not imagine having to deal with the stress and responsibility of raising a child at this point and time in their lives, but astonishingly enough, this is the reality for hundreds of thousands of teenagers across the United States. In 2010 alone, there were approximately 614,000 women between the ages
…show more content…
According to the Mayo Clinic, “the most common complications for pregnant teens – especially those younger than age fifteen and those who don’t receive prenatal care – include a low level of iron in the blood (anemia), high blood pressure, and preterm labor” (Mayo Clinic Staff). All of these complications can have a very negative impact on the mother, her pregnancy, and her child. Anemia during pregnancy can cause a woman to go into preterm labor, suffer from postpartum depression, and possibly lose a large amount of blood during childbirth, which may result in the need for a blood transfusion (“Anemia in Pregnancy”). If a woman suffers from high blood pressure during pregnancy she is more likely to have complications with her kidneys and other organs and is at risk for developing preeclampsia, a condition that puts the life of both the mother and her unborn child in danger (“High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy”). Preterm labor can result in the mother’s baby being born prematurely, which can cause a number of issues for the child (Brooks). Young women who are pregnant should be aware of these risks and conditions that could seriously affect their …show more content…
Studies have shown that children who are born to teenage mothers are more likely to have behavioral issues and slower mental development, along with a higher chance of being affected by some sort of learning disability (Valdez). Also, children who are born to teenage parents are at a higher risk of being abused or neglected (Mayo Clinic Staff). Other studies have also found that “boys born to teenage mothers are three times more likely to be incarcerated” (Valdez) and girls who are born to teenage mothers have a higher chance of becoming pregnant as a teenager themselves (Mayo Clinic Staff). In some cases, the mental and social risks that pertain to children born to teenage parents are worse than the dangers to the child’s physical health. While often times the love and happiness of bringing a new life into the world ultimately outweighs the negative impacts of teen pregnancy, this is not always the case for all teenage mothers. Despite the joys of having a child and being a parent, becoming pregnant as a teenager poses many physical, mental, social, and emotional risks and challenges to both the mother and her child that teens should take into consideration if and when they choose to become sexually
According to the Mayo Clinic, “the most common complications for pregnant teens – especially those younger than age fifteen and those who don’t receive prenatal care – include a low level of iron in the blood (anemia), high blood pressure, and preterm labor” (Mayo Clinic Staff). All of these complications can have a very negative impact on the mother, her pregnancy, and her child. Anemia during pregnancy can cause a woman to go into preterm labor, suffer from postpartum depression, and possibly lose a large amount of blood during childbirth, which may result in the need for a blood transfusion (“Anemia in Pregnancy”). If a woman suffers from high blood pressure during pregnancy she is more likely to have complications with her kidneys and other organs and is at risk for developing preeclampsia, a condition that puts the life of both the mother and her unborn child in danger (“High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy”). Preterm labor can result in the mother’s baby being born prematurely, which can cause a number of issues for the child (Brooks). Young women who are pregnant should be aware of these risks and conditions that could seriously affect their …show more content…
Studies have shown that children who are born to teenage mothers are more likely to have behavioral issues and slower mental development, along with a higher chance of being affected by some sort of learning disability (Valdez). Also, children who are born to teenage parents are at a higher risk of being abused or neglected (Mayo Clinic Staff). Other studies have also found that “boys born to teenage mothers are three times more likely to be incarcerated” (Valdez) and girls who are born to teenage mothers have a higher chance of becoming pregnant as a teenager themselves (Mayo Clinic Staff). In some cases, the mental and social risks that pertain to children born to teenage parents are worse than the dangers to the child’s physical health. While often times the love and happiness of bringing a new life into the world ultimately outweighs the negative impacts of teen pregnancy, this is not always the case for all teenage mothers. Despite the joys of having a child and being a parent, becoming pregnant as a teenager poses many physical, mental, social, and emotional risks and challenges to both the mother and her child that teens should take into consideration if and when they choose to become sexually