The teacher knew information that touched on a subject that’s unfamiliar to almost every young teen: Pregnant women need strong stomachs. A woman uses her stomach muscles during the delivery of her baby. That’s why the teacher said to the girl who had done the least number of sit-ups, “Well, you’ll be sorry when you want to have children.”
That incident took place in the early 1960’s. That was just after a time when U.S. residents had good reason to caution any teen. Pregnant young girls at that time confessed to having seldom planned for the experience of carrying a child over a nine month period.
Today contraceptives have helped society to avoid a common health problem for girls under the age of twenty. Teen pregnant patients comprise about one in five patient cases among the female case load of today’s average doctor. That is a decline from more than 30 years ago, a time when one in four teenage girls became pregnant.
Although the rate of teen pregnancy is declining, there’s occurring at the same time a rise in the number of single mothers who must be labeled as “teen.” Pregnant teens of today tend not to marry the father of their child. A growing number of young women decide to marry a man other than the child’s father.
While the rates of teen pregnancy do change, one fact remains constant: Contraceptives do not reach the bedroom of every teen. Pregnant young women often complain that they have lacked access to contraceptives. Inability to obtain contraceptives has been mentioned by a number of teens, pregnant due to their failure to secure needed contraceptive devices.
Other important information comes directly from teens: Pregnant patients frequently indicate that a lack of attention motivated them to become pregnant. Teen girls sometimes see pregnancy as a way to secure more love from their parents. That fact underlines the importance of parental love.
The above facts also serve to highlight the unmet needs in the life of many a teen. Pregnant young women will remain a problem for any society that does not address the reasons for teen pregnancy. For that reason, society needs more programs aimed at improving communications between parents and teens.
When parents take time to talk to a teen, then that act demonstrates their love for that teenage son or daughter. Parents must learn how to offer advice in a loving manner. Parents need to show respect for their maturing child’s ideas and opinions. With love and respect, parents can retain some ability to mold those opinions.
The parents of a teenage daughter generally do not want her to focus on ways to achieve an early pregnancy. Such parents must lovingly communicate their desires to their daughter.