Teenage Pregnancy

[Kanariya674]

This topic has been addressed in the abortion thread, but I wanted to make a post mainly dedicated for it.

We all know this happens. Teenagers get pregnant, by ways that was or wasn't in their control. Lately, the idea has been revolving around my head. A best friend of mine, only sixteen, is pregnant with her first child and is at least a month or two along. I want to be there for her, and I will try to support her when her baby is born, but of course I am limited to what I can do. Her mother is very supportive (a good thing), and will help her take care of the baby.

But of course, not all are as lucky. Personally, I don't believe in having the baby only to have someone else babysit it. It's your baby, you take care of it. I mean, everyone needs assistance now and then, but if the person can't handle the responsibility of it, they shouldn't have had it in the first place. But with her situation, her mother is more than willing to care for the child, and I guess it works out for her.

For those who are familiar with people who are pregnant at a young age, who have been pregnant when they were young, or just wish to comment on the topic, put in your input.

[RationalInquirer]

but if the person can't handle the responsibility of it, they shouldn't have had it in the first place.

Nadya Suleman (Octomom) anyone?
Heard she was planning to sell the video of her giving birth for seven figures ($$$$$$$). Her publicist quit on her and quoted saying "this woman is nuts". She was also offered a contract with Vivid Entertainment (a pornography company) for $1 000 000. She declined for the sake of her children. Really? that's it? She did it only for her children? If she didn't have children she would have accepted the offer? That woman doesn't know how to be a parent. There are many people willing to care for her children. She's not one of them.

As for teen pregnancy? It's a very, very, bad idea. Teens have no business of impregnating themselves. If pregnancy was a result of rape, that's in another story.

[HolyShadow]

Remember, kids. Wear a condom or life will rape you every single day until you die, instilling you with a seed that may eventually cause you to go nuts and drown your children in a washing machine.

Speaking metaphorically, of course. Obviously if you're able to wear a condom, you can't get pregnant. (Or can you?)

[Fat1Fared]

I am glad you put this up, as it is an area I find interesting, but didn't feel it was really right for a man to start, as rightly or wrongly women bear the brunt of this, so men cannot really critise a womens ideas

I come from england which was (and may still be) the place with the highest teenage pregnantly rate in world, and it is one of those things I think is wrong completely:

1=Most teenagers are still children themselves (in western countries), and so are barely responsible enough to look after themselves, let alone kids (just look at some of the poeple I know at Uni, one of them, has to have her perants still do her washing...etc and gets 300pounds a month from them, <doh>

2=Why waste the best years of your life? You have another 20 years to have kids, once get to 20. You can only be a teenager once and have adult fun with very little responsibility.

3=kids are just horrible anyway, they cry, need attention all time, make mess, they are sick everywhere, do you really want to deal with all that, when your friends are out having fun

4/5=it is unfair on kid, as apart from getting a poorer level of care for reasons already stated. very few teenagers have the money to look after kids, (it was worked out a child in england will cost its parents, 80,000pounds on average to rise now days. Some like your friend, may have help from parent, but is that fair on parent and also some won't. My mum was a teenage mum (had my sister at age of 18) and though my grandparents didn't turn her out, they weren't able or willing to help too greatly as it was my Mums mistake. Also she had all the other problems above, plus many others, and not to go into detail, as well as basically losing her childhood, she lost lot of her adult life too, because it made her very bitter and she was very restrictive on her own kids to stop them doing this, however this meant that she had poor relationship with her children

[darkarcher]

Well, there is one 100% sure-fire way to not get pregnant.

I'll leave it at that and let the thread continue.

[TPishek]

Well, there is one 100% sure-fire way to not get pregnant.

Hear hear.

[Fat1Fared]

Well, there is one 100% sure-fire way to not get pregnant.

I'll leave it at that and let the thread continue.

lol dark has gone off topic

[HolyShadow]

Well, there is one 100% sure-fire way to not get pregnant.

I'll leave it at that and let the thread continue.
By having anonymous unprotected sex with multiple partners at the same time?

[JesusRocks]

By having anonymous unprotected sex with multiple partners at the same time?

yes. that was absolutely the point dark-kun was making.

[HolyShadow]

yes. that was absolutely the point dark-kun was making.
Definitely. >_>

[Fat1Fared]

well it has worked for me so far,

only had to move once, rest of time, they could never find me, (gave them my address as a pizza place and told them my name is Tom)

[darkarcher]

lol dark has gone off topic

Not at all. The topic is addressing pregnancy and I responded by directly addressing pregnancy.

[GcarOatmealRaisinCookies]

well it has worked for me so far,

only had to move once, rest of time, they could never find me, (gave them my address as a pizza place and told them my name is Tom)

what do you know?
that's how I found the dead beat that fathered my child's address.
I work in pizza delivery, he placed an order and I found out where he lived.
Afterwards, I wanted to throw a brick through his window, climb in, and murder him in his sleep. Didn't though, but you get the picture.

Anyways. Nobody needs to get pregnant since kids are annoying ill mannered little cretins.

Srsly, Kids are a lot of responsibility, it's best to wait before having them. Until you are mature enough to handle the responsibility, and preferably NOT a member of a site that's a parody of an anime devoted to children's card games.

[Rydonmower]

and preferably NOT a member of a site that's a parody of an anime devoted to children's card games.

Hear hear!

[Fat1Fared]

what do you know?
that's how I found the dead beat that fathered my child's address.
I work in pizza delivery, he placed an order and I found out where he lived.
Afterwards, I wanted to throw a brick through his window, climb in, and murder him in his sleep. Didn't though, but you get the picture.

Anyways. Nobody needs to get pregnant since kids are annoying ill mannered little cretins.

Srsly, Kids are a lot of responsibility, it's best to wait before having them. Until you are mature enough to handle the responsibility, and preferably NOT a member of a site that's a parody of an anime devoted to children's card games.

Gcar maybe you should go up few posts, and read my actual thoughts on this

[OverMind]

By having anonymous unprotected sex with multiple partners at the same time?

I'm sorry, but the correct answer is "sterilization".

On the bright side you still get the consolation prize. Johnny, tell him what he's won!

*cue the deep-voiced voiceman*

HolyShadow will be living large with a brand new ... bag of used condoms.

*cue the audience cheering*

[TPishek]

I'm sorry, but the correct answer is "sterilization".

On the bright side you still get the consolation prize. Johnny, tell him what he's won!

*cue the deep-voiced voiceman*

HolyShadow will be living large with a brand new ... bag of used condoms.

*cue the audience cheering*


Hmmm, I thought the correct answer was "abstinence".... depending on the method used, sterilization doesn't always work. For example, vasectomies occasionally self-reverse.

[OverMind]

Hmmm, I thought the correct answer was "abstinence".... depending on the method used, sterilization doesn't always work. For example, vasectomies occasionally self-reverse.

Then you use a method that always works.

Would you gamble on your gonads? I didn't think so.

[Fat1Fared]

guys, this is not about how to stop teenage Pregnancy, it is about, whether you think it is acceptable or not,

I mean we all know how to stop getting Pregnancy,

[killshot]

guys, this is not about how to stop teenage Pregnancy, it is about, whether you think it is acceptable or not,

I mean we all know how to stop getting Pregnancy,

In what situation would a natural biological phenomenon be considered "unacceptable?" If you are wanting to discourage teenage sex then that's fine, but don't say its unacceptable to get pregnant.

Personally I don't have a problem with teenagers having sex as long as they are responsible enough to know how to protect themselves. Sadly, the ones that aren't smart enough to use protection are the ones that pass on their genes. Kind of like the opposite of natural selection.

[OverMind]

In what situation would a natural biological phenomenon be considered "unacceptable?" If you are wanting to discourage teenage sex then that's fine, but don't say its unacceptable to get pregnant.

Personally I don't have a problem with teenagers having sex as long as they are responsible enough to know how to protect themselves. Sadly, the ones that aren't smart enough to use protection are the ones that pass on their genes. Kind of like the opposite of natural selection.

The genes may be passed, but natural selection comes into play after birth and during the offspring's life.

Anyone got any statistics on suicide rates, drug addictions, etc. on those children born and raised by teenage mothers?

I'd infer that children born from a stable, adult relationship (note how I don't say marriage), are far more likely to excel among our species than those born from teenage mothers, simply because there are more advantages from the former. In this way, natural selection still holds.

Of course, I'd love it if someone could trump whatever I've said with data ... I'm too lazy to find it myself.

[Fat1Fared]

killshot, you misunderstood me there, I have no problems with teenage sex (be bit of joke if did,) but feel that teenage pregnancy is a problem, mainly because it is not just your own life, you are messing up

everyone read what put at top and you will understand better

[TPishek]

Consequences of a teen birth

A 1996 survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 69 percent of teenagers viewed teenage pregnancy as a big problem, yet they tended to underestimate the consequences of unintended pregnancy. Their perception was that they would stay in school (94 percent), they would marry the mother/father (51 percent) and that they would not need welfare (75 percent). In reality, only 70 percent eventually complete high school, 81 percent of teenage births are out of wedlock, and 56 percent need public assistance to cover the cost of delivery, while 1 in 4 teen mothers receive public assistance into their 20's.
For the female, a teen who gives birth has much less likelihood of completing high school and of obtaining any post-secondary education. She is likely to spend more years unmarried, as a single parent, and to have more children than her counterpart who postpones childbearing. Half (52 percent) of all mothers on welfare had their first child as a teen.

Teen fathers bear little of the measurable costs, although their emotional or other costs are not well studied. Eighty percent do not marry the young mothers of their first children. These young men attain somewhat lower educational levels and experience modest earnings losses when compared to their classmates who did not become fathers.

By far the greatest harm is experienced by the children. They are at heightened risk of being born prematurely and/or at low birthweight. This raises their probabilities of infant death, blindness, deafness, chronic respiratory problems, mental retardation, mental illness, and cerebral palsy. It doubles the chance that the child will later be diagnosed as having dyslexia, hyperactivity, or other disability. Young parents are often less able to provide an environment for the early cognitive stimulation needed for adequate brain development. Consequently, children born to teenage mothers tend to do worse in school, where they are 50 percent more likely to repeat a grade, perform much worse on standardized tests, and ultimately less likely to complete high school. Their problems continue into adolescence where they are likely to have higher rates of behavioral problems and higher rates of abuse and neglect.


More detail at this other site (http://www.cpeip.fsu.edu/resourceFiles/resourceFile_78.pdf) (pdf)

And if you're really interested, here's a 35-page government-sponsored research report (http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/2e/16/d1.pdf) (also a pdf).

[OverMind]

<A bunch of stuff that validates my hypothesis>

More detail at this other site (http://www.cpeip.fsu.edu/resourceFiles/resourceFile_78.pdf) (pdf)

And if you're really interested, here's a 35-page government-sponsored research report (http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/2e/16/d1.pdf) (also a pdf).

Huzzah! Natural selection triumphs again.

Thanks for that.

[EdBat]

I'm sorry, but the correct answer is "sterilization".

On the bright side you still get the consolation prize. Johnny, tell him what he's won!

*cue the deep-voiced voiceman*

HolyShadow will be living large with a brand new ... bag of used condoms.

*cue the audience cheering*

This...is a beautiful post.

On topic:
To me, it seems like the grandparent of the end result of a teenage pregnancy often gets stuck with the kid, while their kid goes off and finishes school, which really isn't fair to the teenager's parent...considering they've pretty much already raised their own kid.
Or they could be like my "cousin's" mom who forced her 14-year-old pregnant daughter to drop out of high school and get a job when she had her baby. Either situation is extremely bad, and unfair, however the foster/orphanage care system in the USA is so messed up that it often times ends up being an even worse choice.
Honestly, sex education (even on the east coast of the USA) needs to be more extensive, because a lot of parents are too lazy/afraid/unsure/busy/etc. about what to tell their children. Sadly some PARENTS don't even know a lot about contraception, and so on.

[Eia]

All of the girls I personally knew in high school who became pregnant kept their children and the child was happilly added either to the mother's or the father's family, and the mother finished high school.

*shrug*

Of course, it's a stressful event in life and it changed their lives forever, but it wasn't the end of the world or a horrible tragedy.

[Apple]

Thats because it isnt a horrible tragedy. if you have unprotected sex and are wanting to avoid risks such as pregnancy or STD's then you are playing with fire

[IamMcDoob]

Thats because it isnt a horrible tragedy. if you have unprotected sex and are wanting to avoid risks such as pregnancy or STD's then you are playing with fire


A good friend of mine became pregnant shortly before graduation. I haven't seen her since then, and it's been almost two years. She was always a party person and I know the baby is having medical issues. She isn't going to college like she had originally planned, and is instead holding down two jobs to keep up with all the medical expenses. Fortunately for her the father is a decent fellow and they've been able to, for the most part, keep on top of the bills.

Bottom line, getting pregnant at such a young age will almost always destroy any dreams of the future that person(s) had up until that point. It is never never NEVER a good thing.

[Fat1Fared]

Iam, that is pretty much what I was on about, my Mum was a teenage parent, and now almost 25 years later, she has only just got her life back on track and will probably never do her dream of being nurse

Plus she still has a lot of angry/fear in her about what happened, which has really effected her children in the way she rised them

[Danni I. Sullivan]

Sometimes it can work ibut it depends on the person.
My sister, it did not work with.
She has three kids with three different fathers, and she's finally married to the last one's father, now she's in the Army, and her first kid is causing her alot of problems.

[Jim Profit]

http://i3.ytimg.com/vi/vYAGxoPng5k/default.jpg
As strictly as I am opposed to abortions. I have no ill will against those who try to "get out of their responsibilities" by leaving their kids with babysitters or family members.

If family members are willing, who cares?
If they're paying money to have someone else deal with their kids, who cares?

Contraception and babysitting exist because it is a high demand. The free market provided alternatives to being at home all day with the kids. I'm simply opposed to killing babies. Nothing more.

[Kanariya674]

http://i3.ytimg.com/vi/vYAGxoPng5k/default.jpg
As strictly as I am opposed to abortions. I have no ill will against those who try to "get out of their responsibilities" by leaving their kids with babysitters or family members.

If family members are willing, who cares?
If they're paying money to have someone else deal with their kids, who cares?

Contraception and babysitting exist because it is a high demand. The free market provided alternatives to being at home all day with the kids. I'm simply opposed to killing babies. Nothing more.

[resists starting an abortion argument]

I understand if you baby needs to go to daycare because you have to work. I understand if you're having a rough day and you need someone to watch the baby that day.

What I'm disagreeing with is another family member basically taking over the role as the mother (or father, but most likely the former). That family member might as well have had that baby themselves. If their daughter is going to get pregnant, and then leave the responsibility to the parent most of the time, she's pretty selfish.

I am going to (try) and revive the thread a little. Just recently, an acquaintance of mine got pregnant. Condom broke? No. Birth control? No. She goes back and forth 'I don't want to deal with children' or 'I like kids', but usually it's the first. She's pregnant, with a habit of smoking and a party-er. The father I think is being manipulative - he really likes this girl, and is getting her pregnant to ensure he is tied to her somehow forever.

It bothers me. >>

[HolyShadow]

Kanariya, humans are flawed. Don't let it bother you and only look out for yourself.

[Kanariya674]

Kanariya, humans are flawed. Don't let it bother you and only look out for yourself.

I know. It's just a really sad outcome. In the end, I just look at these examples and try to do better.