Teen pregnancy is a huge risk that nobody should take
Teen pregnancy for some is considered not such a big deal and something you don’t need to worry too much about, however, this is a huge misunderstanding. Teen pregnancy is a big social issue that teens must take seriously, teen pregnancy has many risks and could affect the parents and the baby in a lot of negative ways. Teen pregnancy is not something that should be normalized nor something that should be seen as a little deal, teens need to realize how big of a risk teen pregnancy is and how to prevent it.
Healthy relationships are significant, especially for the path you both plan for the future. Having an unplanned pregnancy can lead to bigger risks since it is unexpected and unprepared. A healthy relationship is open with each other and their opinions, and of course, respecting each other’s boundaries. Unhealthy relationships have a higher risk of teen pregnancy since unhealthy relationships sometimes don’t think before having sex and what it can lead to for them both. Being aware of the risks is very important for both partners in the relationship, and being aware of ways to prevent the risks is important too. Sex education is something that both partners should be educated on and should be taken seriously.
Bryan Rodriguez ‘28 said, “I think healthy relationships are important to prevent teen pregnancy because you can be more open-minded with each other.”
Being in a healthy relationship allows the couple to express both opinions and visions for what they both want and think more carefully for what they plan ahead of them.
“I think it is important that the couple also learns about sex education so that it makes them more aware of what can happen if they are not careful,” said Rodriguez.
There are a variety of risk factors for teen pregnancy, examples could be poverty, substance abuse etc. Teen pregnancy can higher the chance of unemployment since teen pregnancy lowers the chances for teen mothers to finish high school, leading to lower educational attainment. Teen pregnancy can highly affect a teen’s education and career plans for the future since they are now required to care for a child. Studies have shown that teenage mothers have around 30% lower incomes than adult mothers. Teen pregnancy does not just affect the mother, but the father as well. The father may struggle with problems surrounding mental health and low rates of employment as well.
Dayana Ramirez ‘28 said, “I believe teen pregnancy should not be normalized because if teens aren’t allowed to adopt children then why should teens get pregnant and need to put their teenage dream aside to raise children at a state where they’re most commonly not ready to do so.”
Ramirez said, “I do believe being educated in sex could help prevent teen pregnancy because a lot of teens don’t live in a household where they’re comfortable enough to have such talks with adults leading to them not being informed enough”
Overall, it is essential to maintain a healthy relationship while at the same time being educated on sex education. Couples should be open about their thoughts, be careful with the decisions they make with each other and choose the safest options. Teen pregnancy is not something that should be normalized since teens are not prepared to care for a child, being educated on sex education is highly important.
