Teen Pregnancy

1. Teen Pregnancy By: Caroline O, Mackenzie, Audrey, Anna

2. First Impressions -Frightening for new parents, more responsibility is placed upon them -They have to take “adult” roles -Not experienced -Your life shifts direction -Chances are limited -Opportunities lost -Child raising another child -Two seconds and your forced to make adult decisions -Forever stigmatized and stereotyped socially -Grow up fast -Rely on society for aid and help -Higher rates of poverty -Poor life outcomes

3. Major Facts in Case - 1/3 of the women in the united states become pregnant before the age of 20. - U.S. has the largest amount of teen pregnancies in the world. - 8/10 teen do not want there baby at their young ages - 2/10 fathers in U.S. end up with the mother of there baby. - 19% of the girls are married and prepared to have there children. - 60-70% of teen moms quit high school before they graduate. - National Dropout Prevention Center/ Network proves that dropout are 4x's more likely to be unemployed than students, who have graduated high school and attended a college for at least 4 years. - High school dropouts urn 260,000 or less in there lifetime. - Teem moms who drop of of high school will have a harder time earning money. -Media promotes teen pregnancy and provides and unrealistic lifestyle for young people. -Teenagers still in high school or younger are having children and are engaging in sexual activity when they are not ready or prepared for the heavy burden.

4. Characters -Teen parents -Parents of the baby mama and daddy -Newborn baby -Society

5. Possibilities • There are many possible choices someone could make on this situation. First, one could think teen pregnancy is "cool" and engage in sexual activity or become pregnant when still in high school. The long term affects of this would be that these teenagers (with children) would not be able to live normally and would have to make decisions that adults usually make when still sometimes considered "children" themselves. These teenagers could also risk receiving sexually transmitted diseases. The short term affects of the people that would engage in sexual activity at a young age would be that their reputation would be affected, and there friends and family members may find them not responsible enough, not mature, and friendships of these teenagers could suffer conflict. • Secondly, one could think that teen pregnancy, pre-marital sex, and teen pregnancy shows such as 16 and Pregnant or Teen Mom are inappropriate. Those who feel this way would not have the risk of receiving sexually transmitted diseases or becoming pregnant. • Hopefully, anyone who watches shows such as Teen Mom or 16 and Pregnant do not become influenced by the ways of the teenagers on these shows. If one watches these shows solely for entertainment purposes, I feel that it is okay to watch them, although one watching these shows should consider the effects of teenage pregnancy while/before watching these shows.

6. Insight • Interview with MTV’s show Teen Mom, Jenelle Evans • "motherhood is not at all what I expected." • big changes include "trying to raise the money", "moving out on my own", "maintaining relationships with my mom and boyfriend"

7. Catholic Church Views • The Catholic church believes in a pure and chase one self, mind and body. No contraceptive devices should be used; therefore, there has been an increase in unprotected sex for teens. Many have been impregnated without birth control because they have followed the Church teachings. • *******

8. Cultural and Medical Details -High school dropouts are four times more likely to be employed than the students that have graduated high school. -Most of the young girls on the television shows end up in the public eye with many who envy them in today’s society. -Sexuality is celebrated and glorified by the media. -They do not have the experience, knowledge, maturity, and means to raise a child. -The women who became impregnated can file for an abortion and adoption. -The teenagers most likely still live with their parents, can’t vote, drink alcohol, or even be registered as a legal adult.

9. Kind of Dilemma -Obligation of one to another Abortion vs. Keeping of the baby -Responsibility of the new parents to the child -Responsibility of the parents to teach the new parents -Adults of the new parents need to fight the power of the media by being better role models and teachers

10. Values at Stake -The right or wrong of an action The result to become involved in sexual activity. -The acceptance, reputation, or consequence of an action One will never be treated as a normal teenager after giving birth to a child.

11. Principles at Stake Autonomy People should have the right to make their own decisions, society can’t judge. The teenagers can make their own decisions about sexual intercourse. People should have control over the lives. They are ultimately, the only ones who completely understand their own lifestyles including their choices, actions, and preferences.

12. Personal Issues at Stake -Family- problems can erupt in household due to financial troubles and the care of the child. -Employer- job opportunities are decreased because of high school dropouts to support their child. - Community- depend on others, perceived as low-classed and will be pitied because it is a hard life

13. Possible Solutions and Reasons • 1) Yes, it is okay for teenagers to become mothers because it is their own body. They can choose their actions because we live in a democratic country and it is not communist. • 2) No, it is not okay for teenagers to become mothers at such a young age because they do not have the experience, knowledge, maturity, and means to raise a child.

14. Conclusion Our Decision No, we believe that teen pregnancy is wrong, because teens are not ready to have children and everything that comes with it. They have not yet mentally, physically, or spiritually matured to the level of understanding what they are doing and how it will affect them. By making this decision, we are living out the values of patience, respect, love, and strength to rise above society and media influence. In order to carry out this decision, we must remember to stay patient, because their will be a time when we are ready. Remember to respect our own values and recognize what we truly believe is the right thing to do. Show how much we love our partners in life by waiting until we are both ready before conceiving a child and be strong enough and brave enough to ignore what we feel is wrong even when everyone else feels differently.

15. Teen Mom Trailer • http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/661378/teen-mom-season-3-trailer.jhtml

16. Works Cited "About Teen Dropouts." LIVESTRONG.COM. Web. 13 May 2012. <http://www.livestrong.com/article/510137-about-teen-dropouts/>. "About Teenage Pregnancy in the United States." LIVESTRONG.COM. Web. 13 May 2012. <http://www.livestrong.com/article/115724-teenage- pregnancy-united-states/>. "EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: 'Teen Mom' Jenelle Evans: 'Motherhood Is Not What I Expected'" Radar Online. Web. 13 May 2012. <http:// www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2011/03/exclusive-interview-teen-mom-jenelle-evans-motherhood-not-what-i-expected>. "The Nevada Sagebrush." Shows Promoting Teen Pregnancy Patronize Viewers. Web. 13 May 2012. <http://nevadasagebrush.com/blog/2010/03/08/ shows-promoting-teen-pregnancy-patronize-viewers/>. "Tabloids Glamorizing Teen Pregnancy By Putting Teen Moms on Covers?" Fox News. FOX News Network, 10 Sept. 2010. Web. 13 May 2012. <http:// www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/09/10/tabloids-promoting-teen-pregnancy-constantly-putting-teen-moms-cover/>. "The Teen Pregnancy Epidemic: The Light at the End of the Tunnel Is Almost Here." Yahoo! Contributor Network. Web. 13 May 2012. <http://v oices.yahoo.com/the-teen-pregnancy-epidemic-light-end-of-383610.html?cat=52>. "Teen Pregnancy Rates in the USA." LIVESTRONG.COM. Web. 13 May 2012. <http://www.livestrong.com/article/12504-teen-pregnancy-rates-usa/>.