Adolescent pregnancy

Adolescent pregnancy

Teen or adolescent pregnancy has been associated with many factors—for instance, ignorance of sexual and reproductive health (Dongarwar & Salihu, 2019). Many adolescent girls do not know about their sexual and reproductive health or rights. They, therefore, are likely to have an early sexual debut, have multiple partners, and engage in unprotected sex. Ignorance of sexual and reproductive rights predisposes adolescent girls to sexual violence. This includes rape, sexual assault, and forced marriages. All these forms of sexual violence can lead to adolescent pregnancies.

Lack of education or poor performance in school can also lead to adolescent pregnancies. In school, adolescent girls can be taught about sexual and reproductive health, adolescent pregnancies, and their effects on an individual, family members, and the community (Nash et al., 2019). Furthermore, the girls are taught about sexual violence. They can learn about the different forms of violence and actions to be taken if they experience any form of sexual violence because a lack of this knowledge predisposes them to adolescent pregnancies. Other factors predisposing to teenage pregnancies are the use of recreational drugs, absence of parental supervision, major conflict among family members, and low socioeconomic status.

Community and state resources that can help pregnant adolescents are the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) and American Adoptions. PPFA has counselors who will provide professional advice to pregnant adolescents. It also has professionals who teach about sexual and reproductive health and rights. American Adoptions has professional counselors who give advice about unexpected teenage pregnancies. They also help create adoption plans for those who are interested.

Between 1991 and 2020, the adolescent birth rate in Maryland has fallen by 76%. Nonetheless, there were 2,431 adolescent births in 2020. In Maryland, 72% of adolescent births occur to older adolescents aged 18 or 19 years old (Osterman et al., 2020). The rate has decreased because of more education on reproductive and sexual health and rights. This education has led to safer sex practices among adolescents.

References

Dongarwar, D., & Salihu, H. M. (2019). Influence of sexual and reproductive health literacy on single and recurrent adolescent pregnancy in Latin America. Journal of pediatric and adolescent gynecology, 32(5), 506-513. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpag.2019.06.003

Nash, K., O’Malley, G., Geoffroy, E., Schell, E., Bvumbwe, A., & Denno, D. M. (2019). “Our girls need to see a path to the future” –perspectives on sexual and reproductive health information among adolescent girls, guardians, and initiation counselors in Mulanje district, Malawi. Reproductive health, 16(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-018-0661-x

Osterman, M. J., Hamilton, B. E., Martin, J. A., Driscoll, A. K., & Valenzuela, C. P. (2022). Births: final data for 2020. https://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc:112078

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1a) Adolescent pregnancy is viewed as a high-risk situation because it poses serious health risks for the mother and the baby. Describe various risk factors or precursors to adolescent pregnancy. Research community and state resources devoted in adolescent pregnancy and describe at least two of these resources. Research the teen pregnancy rates for the last 10 years for your state and community. Has this rate increased or decreased? Discuss possible reasons for an increase or decrease.

Adolescent pregnancy

1b) Describe two external stressors that are unique to adolescents. Discuss what risk-taking behaviors may result from external stressors and what support or coping mechanisms can be introduced.