Negative Effects Of Teen Pregnancy

Negative incrimination regarding teen pregnancies are a modern perception. Before the 20th century, it was considered a norm for many women to conceive children slightly after onset of menses. As well as the obvious: they did not possess the contraceptives like there is in today’s time. It was just the ‘normal’ thing to do. Generally, the role of the young women (once they were able to produce offspring) was to find their husband and begin a family. The ages of these girls ranged from 13 to 18. The women would marry a slightly older man; usually, the men’s ages ranged from later teens (17, 18, 19) to the 20’s. “Life spans were significantly smaller in the 1800s and the sole reason for women was to procreate and support the men in their lives”

It affects the parents and as well as the government as a whole. I would think most teenagers do not have a stable income. Well, it may be a problem considering babies cost a lot of money! (Also, this is when mothers will either abort the child, or give to a foster care.) If teenage parent(s) decide(s) to keep child and have no reliable income; it will result in welfare. Within the first year of becoming teen mothers, one-half of unmarried teen mothers go on welfare (Teen Statistics). This means other people are paying for teenagers to have children. In result, the United States spends at a minimum of $11 billion each year due to the costs of teen pregnancy. Some recent studies estimate that the cost may be as high as $28 billion per year or an average of $5,500 for each teen parent. “Adverse Effects” states, “The majority of this cost is associated with teens who give birth before age 18.” Taxpayers are paying loads of money each year for improved health/ foster care, public assistance payments, increased restraint rates among children of teen parents and lost tax revenue because of lower educational attainment and income among teen mothers (Adverse Effect

Children coming from adolescent parents are more likely to have poorer health, behavioral, and educational outcomes throughout their lives (comparing to children with older parents). Infants born from teenage mothers are at an increased risk for health issues. (This explains why our ancestors had lost so many of their infants.) Pregnant juveniles are less likely to gain sufficient weight during pregnancy, this can lead to a low birth weight of the child. Low birth weight is associated with several infant and childhood disorders and a higher rate of infant mortality. Low-birthweight babies are more likely to have organs that are not fully developed, which can result in complications, such as bleeding in the brain, respiratory distress syndrome, and intestinal problems (Health Communities). Also, teenager’s brains have not fully developed yet. Scans have revealed changes of the volume, of gray matter in parts of the cortex that are “responsible for more ‘top-down’ control, controlling impulses, and planning ahead—the hallmarks of adult behavior…”(The Teen Brain). This means, minors do not understand the concept of ‘what they are doing now can affect them later life’. Plus, these young mothers may have not had the education to even know what is wrong from right in pregnancy! Adolescent mothers are more likely known to smoke cigarettes, use