Teen pregnancy is an important issue in America today and has been for several decades.
In the 60’s and 70’s, it was handled much differently than it is today. When a teenage girl became pregnant in the pre-abortion era, it was hidden at all costs. The girl became a pariah if she was ever found out and as it was considered a disgrace for a young unmarried girl to become pregnant. Families would often take great lengths to hide the pregnancy, even going so far as to send the girl away to have the baby in secret and would often place the baby up for adoption then going about life as though nothing had occurred. No one knew the affects this would have for the mother and child until many years later, when the child became old enough to search for the mother who gave them up. It affected the mother in the most grievous way because not only did she have to endure a pregnancy (most times alone), but she also had to deal with the emotional and psychological issues that come with an unplanned pregnancy, carrying the baby to term, giving birth and finally, giving the child away. However, the child had to deal with knowing that his or her mother and father, for whatever reason, could not, would not or simply did not want to take care of a child.
The community is affected because of the costs incurred by the prenatal care and the delivery of these babies. Then many of these babies were born with medical issues due to their mothers’ young age. Studies show that babies born to teen mothers are at “increased risk for a number of health risks” (health.com, 2012). These risks include the following: low birth weight and cognitive issues because of the fact that teen moms are less likely to seek prenatal care and are more likely to engage in unsafe behavior, such as taking drugs, smoking or drinking alcohol.
Babies born to teen moms are also at