1.Introduction
The rising rate of teenage pregnancy in the state of Mississippi is one of the most pressing problems being faced by the government of Mississippi. This paper will focus on the health issue of unintended teen pregnancy in the state of Mississippi focusing specifically on teen pregnancy. An overview of teen pregnancy issue will be provided. An analysis of the current policies and programs in place will be presented. There will be recognition and analysis of policy options that can be used to promote teen pregnancy prevention and the consequent stake holders analysis of the most feasible policy will be provided.
The Problem
Each year in the United States, there are approximately 750,000 women between the ages of 15-19 years who …show more content…
Impact of teenage pregnancy
2.1 Physical Cost of Teen Pregnancy
Unintended teen pregnancy places both mother and unborn child at immense physical risk. Teenage expectant mothers usually have reduced access to prenatal care thus predisposing them to highly negative maternal and child outcomes like high blood pressure, preterm labor, low birth weight, and high risk of infant mortality. National Campaign to Reduce Teen pregnancy cites the maternal death rate to be 2.5 times higher in teens than in mothers aged 20-24 (Nat’l Campaign, 2009, p. 1).
2.2 Educational and Socioeconomic Cost of Teen Pregnancy
Teenage pregnancy also presents with an adverse impact on the mother’s educational status. It is one of the major reasons for the high rate of school dropout amongst teenagers. Due to increased responsibility towards the child, the teen mothers often have a low level of educational attainment, which further impacts their future due to the limited opportunities. In long term, this translates into reliance on long-term government assistance to support them. Additionally, children of teen mothers usually have lower levels of academic achievement and the daughters of these teen mothers are often likely to be teen mothers …show more content…
Sex Education in Public Schools
As a matter of policy, Mississippi relies on abstinence education as the “standard for any sex-related education taught in the public schools.” While schools are not required to provide sex education, those that do must promote abstinence from sexual activity and teach the harms associated with premarital sex. The Mississippi legislature has also statutorily established a school nurse intervention program and a Teen Pregnancy Pilot Program, to be administered by the State Department of Health “in the public school districts with the highest number of teen pregnancies.” Both of these programs incorporate an abstinence education component. The school nurse program offers “preventative services,” including “reproductive health education and referral to prevent teen
The rising rate of teenage pregnancy in the state of Mississippi is one of the most pressing problems being faced by the government of Mississippi. This paper will focus on the health issue of unintended teen pregnancy in the state of Mississippi focusing specifically on teen pregnancy. An overview of teen pregnancy issue will be provided. An analysis of the current policies and programs in place will be presented. There will be recognition and analysis of policy options that can be used to promote teen pregnancy prevention and the consequent stake holders analysis of the most feasible policy will be provided.
The Problem
Each year in the United States, there are approximately 750,000 women between the ages of 15-19 years who …show more content…
Impact of teenage pregnancy
2.1 Physical Cost of Teen Pregnancy
Unintended teen pregnancy places both mother and unborn child at immense physical risk. Teenage expectant mothers usually have reduced access to prenatal care thus predisposing them to highly negative maternal and child outcomes like high blood pressure, preterm labor, low birth weight, and high risk of infant mortality. National Campaign to Reduce Teen pregnancy cites the maternal death rate to be 2.5 times higher in teens than in mothers aged 20-24 (Nat’l Campaign, 2009, p. 1).
2.2 Educational and Socioeconomic Cost of Teen Pregnancy
Teenage pregnancy also presents with an adverse impact on the mother’s educational status. It is one of the major reasons for the high rate of school dropout amongst teenagers. Due to increased responsibility towards the child, the teen mothers often have a low level of educational attainment, which further impacts their future due to the limited opportunities. In long term, this translates into reliance on long-term government assistance to support them. Additionally, children of teen mothers usually have lower levels of academic achievement and the daughters of these teen mothers are often likely to be teen mothers …show more content…
Sex Education in Public Schools
As a matter of policy, Mississippi relies on abstinence education as the “standard for any sex-related education taught in the public schools.” While schools are not required to provide sex education, those that do must promote abstinence from sexual activity and teach the harms associated with premarital sex. The Mississippi legislature has also statutorily established a school nurse intervention program and a Teen Pregnancy Pilot Program, to be administered by the State Department of Health “in the public school districts with the highest number of teen pregnancies.” Both of these programs incorporate an abstinence education component. The school nurse program offers “preventative services,” including “reproductive health education and referral to prevent teen