Introduction
It is imperative to note that teenage pregnancy has been a global concern for a very long time. Also referred to as adolescent pregnancy because it occurs in the population of young women between the age of 15-19, this problem occurs in both high middle as well as low-income countries (Cook & Cameron, 2015). However, it is likely to be rampant in most marginalized communities across the world, mainly because of a lack of education, limited employment opportunities, and rampant poverty. It is estimated that about 21 million teenagers between the age of 15-19 years old, especially in the developing world, become pregnant, where an estimated 12 million of this number give birth. Also, about 780,000 births occur to teenage girls who are below the age of 15 in the third world countries (Solomon-Fears & Ronquillo, 2015). According to these estimations, teenage pregnancy has become a very important issue that needs to be studied to restore the normal fabrics of our social foundations. Therefore, this paper will discuss the main reasons why I chose to study the topic of teenage pregnancy alongside the major themes that have been studied concerning this topic. Finally, I will state what I hope to achieve by studying this topic.
Understandably, the issue of teenage pregnancy has remained a thorn in many families worldwide (Cook & Cameron, 2015). Because of the several effects of this problem, I felt this would be an appropriate topic. Many factors are contributing to teenage pregnancies and births. In most communities, the teenagers are under immense pressure to marry and bear children at a very early age. As a result, most of them marry in many developing countries before they are 18 years old. However, other reasons cannot be understated. Firstly, the health effects of teenage pregnancy are a major concern that made me consider this a topic of study (Cook & Cameron, 2015). It cannot be denied that childbirth and pregnancy complications are a leading cause of death in teenagers in this age group.
Also, early childbearing increases the risks for newborns and their mothers because of the health complications. Studies have shown that mothers below the age of 20 give birth to newborns with higher risks of preterm delivery, low weight, as well as a possible severe neonatal problem (Solomon-Fears & Ronquillo, 2015). Secondly, there are several economic and social impacts of teenage pregnancy. The social effects of most unmarried teenagers in developing countries include rejection, stigma, as well as violence by parents, partners, and peers (Solomon-Fears & Ronquillo, 2015). This causes increased trauma among teenagers. Also, teenage pregnancy has often led to increased school dropout, and this may jeopardize the future education of these teenagers as well as limited employment opportunities.
In the current literature regarding the issue of teenage pregnancy, various themes have been characteristic of this problem. As had been mentioned earlier, teenage pregnancy is caused by several factors. Firstly, living environmental issues has been one of the major themes (Montgomery, 2004). To cope with their new conditions, teenagers are mostly affected by the problems within the living environment. However, adapting to the new environment and participating in the maternity group homes is a challenge to many (Montgomery, 2004). Another issue prevalent in the current literature on teenage pregnancy is an adjustment to pregnancy. It cannot be denied that adjusting to pregnancy is an enduring and challenging affair. The change in body conditions, as well as the range of other adjustments, is hard to bear for teenagers (Montgomery, 2004). Most of them express fear and regret. However, some teenagers view pregnancy as a positive perspective in their lives. The last them is the motivation to do well. In this theme, most teenagers have expressed positive concerns about their pregnancies by admitting that it has acted as a motivation to do well in school and be successful in their future lives (Montgomery, 2004).
By examining the various themes in this literature, I hope to achieve various factors. From the themes studied, it is evident that health care providers have a chance to see how the lives of teenagers have changed since becoming pregnant (Montgomery, 2004). Firstly, it will help inform teenagers that pregnancy is not an end to their dreams. Still, they have a chance to adjust to the living environmental issues and overcome the various effects of pregnancy. Also, teenagers will understand that their pregnancy can act as motivation for their future lives and desires (Montgomery, 2004). By examining this literature, I also hope to inform teenagers that they can adjust to the pregnancy and continue with their education to change their lives later because pregnancy is not an end to everything in their lives.
Conclusion
In conclusion, teenage pregnancy is a major global problem that needs drastic measures to combat. This could be through ensuring that teenagers are thoroughly educated on the effects of early-age pregnancy and put in place economic measures that will reduce poverty levels in lower- and middle-class countries. Also, by ensuring that the teenagers are made aware of the mentioned themes, they can prepare well for the adverse effects of teenage pregnancy.
