I.

Introduction

Teenage pregnancy can be defined as pregnancy that occurs in young girls below
the age of twenty, regardless of whether they are married or of adult age (Christensen
and Rosen 1). Teenage pregnancy has been increasing at an alarming rate especially in
the United States, Africa, and United Kingdom. It has become a of global concern
because it not only affects the teenager and her family, but the society in general. An
Increase in teenage pregnancy will in the end, lead to increased child poverty as well
as degradation of the child’s well-being.

II. Impact of Teenage Pregnancy

Teenage pregnancy is one of the major concern in today’s society. As the time
goes by, the number of the teenager that becomes an early mother increases. Every
day in a developing country, 20,000 girls under 18 give birth. This means that there
are 7.3 million births every year. Now a days, most of the youth was not socially aware
for what’s happening in the real world. They haven’t notice how our world easily
change for having a lack of social awareness. Teenage pregnancy has two aspects, and
both could occur concurrently within the same country, whether developed or
developing. On the one hand, high teenage pregnancy rates may result from the
culturally sanctioned practice of early marriage and early marital childbearing, and on
the other, from premarital intercourse and unintended pregnancy.

III. Causes and Effects of Teenage Pregnancy

Causes
One of the major causes of teen pregnancy is absence of affectionate supervision from
parents or guardians. In the current society, parents are either too busy or too
permissive. Apart from the provision of basic needs, parents and guardians are not
involved in emotional stability of the girl child. teenagers, especially girls go through
intriguing situations and changes in which they need parental support to understand
and accept the changes. In case they lack this affectionate supervision from their
parents, they seek answers from boyfriends who “seem” to be giving the affection and
attention that ends up with a pregnancy.
Other factors key to this concept is sexual abuse as well as the use of drugs and
alcohol. Teenagers are exposed to alcohol and drugs making them lose control over
their sexuality when drunk thus leading to pregnancies. Sexual abuse on the other
hand occurs when the girls go for sex for pleasure without understanding the sexual
impact. It is also evident when an adult sexually victimizes a teenage girl or a minor
Lack of sex education in schools to teenage girls has also contributed to increased
teen pregnancy. This is because it leads to the indulgent in sexual activities without
understanding the possible effects. It is therefore important to let girls understand
issues surrounding sex and their sexuality as well as the possible impacts.
Effects
The effects of teenage pregnancies are many and unpleasent. Besides
getting pregnant, the teenage girls and their children are at risk of being infected
with STDs including HIV/AIDS. Additionally, there are health implications associated
with early sex and pregnancies such as obstetric fistula, infant death, maternal death,
eclampsia, and cervical cancer. In addition, other complications come about due to the
undeveloped pelvis of the teenage girl

Teenage pregnancy also brings about physical and psychological trauma to the girl
since she is faced with many dilemmas exposed to her by the family and the society. It
also makes the parents feel ashamed because of their alleged negligence as viewed by
the public or society. Lastly, teenage pregnancy has largely contributed to child
poverty, since the girls are forced to drop out of school to take care of their babies.

IV. Ways to Prevent Teenage Pregnancy

Comprehensive sex-education curricula present abstinence as the most effective
method of preventing pregnancy and STDs but also discuss contraception as the
appropriate strategy for persons who are sexually active. There are many methods
available to help prevent pregnancy, including IUDs, birth control pills, and condoms.
Additionally, many groups, such as SHIFT NC in North Carolina and Planned
Parenthood, offer support or counseling programs for teens. You should also be sure
to look for regional groups in your state or city.
V. Conclusion

It can thus be concluded that teenage pregnancy is a problem to the entire society.
Moreover, since it largely caused by factors in the society, it is the obligation of every
member of the society including religious leaders, parents, teachers, and the teenagers
themselves to participate in addressing the issue. it is the job of parents and schools
to teach teens about the negative effects of teenage pregnancy. The parents can
strongly influence their children's decisions by taking the time to be involved when the
issue of sex arises. The schools can also do their part by providing the necessary
information on preventing pregnancies and by encouraging teens to make responsible
choices when having sex. Therefore, the responsibility of adults is to provide teens
with a thorough understanding of abstinence, contraceptive techniques, and the
consequences of sexual activity.