Stereotypes, Stereotyping and Teen Pregnancy :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Teen Pregnancy and Stereotypes Teen pregnancy is increasing yearly. According to the March of Dimes, teenage birth rates have decreased steadily in the country since 1991. Teenage birth rates in the United States remain relatively high compared to the more developed countries. According to the March of Dimes, "nearly thirteen percent of all births in the United States were teens ages fifteen to nineteen. Almost one million teenagers become pregnant each year and about 485,000 give birth (Teenage 1). Babies, as well as the teenage mothers, face long-time problems may face long-term problems from the pregnancy. These problems may include school failure, poverty, and physical or mental illness. Babies born to teenagers are at greater risk for neglect and abuse than those of a woman. Teenage mothers may feel like they are being demanded to do the job and they may take their frustration out on the child (When 1). Why are so many teenagers having children at such a young age? What are the parents doing about it? For a long time now, I have thought about these questions. I am a teenager, why aren't I pregnant? Teenage girls feel pressure from their peers. Peers may say to you "Everyone is doing it." You may feel that you need to be part of the group to be "cool". Sometimes you may even feel that you know what you are doing. You think that nothing is going to happen to you until one day, and then you are delivering a baby. Parents are not as smart as they used to be in the sex education area. Many parents are afraid to speak with their children. Some may feel that their children are learning about it in school so why should they say it again. Many teenagers are sent to foster homes because the parents are too busy to take care of their responsibilities. Neglect is a cause for teenagers to get pregnant. They feel that if they have a child that they can be loved. Teen pregnancy, in my opinion, is awful. I feel that young women should not be having children at such a young age. I feel that these teenagers that are having babies are children themselves, and do not know how to take care of them as well as an older, more mature person might.