Teen pregnancy problem grows

Another national report card on our youth has alarming statistics, one of which places our community as sixth in the nation for teenage pregnancies.

We react with shock, sympathy for those young women who must make decisions about their future and wonder why we can’t do more to change the situation.

These facts are from a national group concerned with action for prevention:

More than 50 percent of the welfare expenditures in this country go to families in which the mother began her parenting as a teenager.

School-age pregnancy is the largest single cause of dropping out of school.

Health risks are much higher for both the teen mother and her child.

Four out of 10 teenage girls will become pregnant. One in five will bear a child. In addition to the teen herself, the young father and the parents of both youngsters are affected by this pregnancy.

Studies in recent years have queried teenagers on why they became pregnant. Here are some of their answers:

• Lack of self-esteem and self-confidence. Saying “no” might cause them to lose their boyfriend. They fear they will have no one who really cares about them.
• Dysfunctional families. Many families have no goals, no organization. They find it difficult to provide guidance or emotional support for their children. M any parents are not comfortable talking about sex.
• Media influence. Movies, TV and radio give teens the idea that a casual date ends in a sexual encounter or a relationships outside of marriage.
• Teens are risk-takers. Psychologists who have studied the though processes of young people report that they don’t think they will become pregnant.
• Idle time. Many youth have too much unsupervised time. When they are not in school, not involved in school activities or do not have a job after school, they may tend to “hang out” with others who also have too much free time. Working parents are not at home to supervise friends.
• Some adolescents feel pressure to become adults. Having a child or fathering a child proves their masculinity and makes them feel like adults.
• Lack of knowledge about parenting responsibility. Few teens understand the 24-hour-a-day responsibility of being a parent. Without the knowledge they do not consider the consequences of becoming a parent.

Many community organizations are working on this problem. Homemaking classes in schools are teaching parenting, child development and family living. After-school meetings are planned that not only keep students involved in community affairs, but help them set goals for the future. Family counseling is available to help family systems work. Teens from a number of community resources can obtain accurate information about how reproduction occurs and what can prevent it. Teachers and counselors work to help students develop decision-making skills and are continuing to work on the school dropout rate. Many of the negative consequences of pregnancy will be overcome by advocating increased health care, education, child care, counseling and social services for teen parents.

But it s not enough to know that these services are available in our community. The solution will come when everyone in the community works together to help teenagers.

Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D. Copyright 1989