Teen pregnancy is one of the greatest problems affecting both parents and teenagers in this age. Media in recent years has labeled teenage pregnancies as just another obstacle that teenagers may face in life ( Hine, 1999) . However, it is important to take note of the fact that a similar socioeconomic status of their parents is the common factor for teenage pregnancies. Socioeconomic factors are a major cause of teenage pregnancies. According to Hine (1999), “one out of six teenage girls gets pregnant out of wedlock while one out of every three to one half of all teenage marriages end in divorce within five years.” In fact, the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy has recently released statistics indicating that teens at the age bracket of 13-18 years old are the most vulnerable population to teenage pregnancies. With low maturity levels and lack of understanding of responsibility, teens are ill prepared to deal with the consequences of their actions. Pregnancies alone do not produce much worry. However, the great implications these pregnancies have in society are much more alarming and require urgent attention.
Background
The socioeconomic factor is one of the greatest precursors to teen pregnancies. Socioeconomic factors shape the personality, attitudes, and lifestyle of an individual based on the persons’ social and economic experiences. One’s socioeconomic status is the class one’s family is put based on their family income and level of education (Santelli, Lowry & Brener, 2000). Statistics reveal that a decrease in socioeconomic status of a person increases the risk of teenage pregnancy. Socioeconomic factors include ethnicity and sense of community. For instance, young women who live in poverty, deprived conditions or come from less privileged upbringings are more likely to become pregnant while a teenager from a good upbringing will not (Botting, Rosato & Wood, 1998; Hobcraft & Kiernan, 2001). Family and individual factors can contribute to the likelihood of teen pregnancy. This includes “having a parent with low levels of education, having lower expectations for the future, and having less confidence in the likelihood of high school graduation” (Young et al., 2004). In addition, the behavior of a teen (e.g., low educational performance, conduct problems, sexual risk-taking, behavioral problems) can be predisposing factors for early parenthood (Woodward, Horwood & Fergusson, 2001). Other individual variables contributing to teen pregnancy and parenting in girls include being in foster care, idealizing pregnancy, illicit drug or alcohol use, and mental health problems (Quinlivan et al., 2004; Wellings et al., 1999).
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One of the ways of determining socioeconomic status of a person is by tracking family income, the occupation of parents, parent’s level of education, and the social standing and status in the whole community. Most often, families with low or poor socioeconomic status have a poor way of orienting their young children for school since thy lack access to resources that promote the development of a child. Furthermore, they are not in a position to provide everything required for the development of a child at that stage of life. Studies indicate that girls raised in poor backgrounds by single parents, and by parents whose education standard is lower have a high risk of getting early pregnancies and becoming adolescent mothers. According to The Michigan Data Book, low income is a high risk factor for adolescent pregnancies.
Teenagers who lack education about sex are most likely to suffer from unintended pregnancy. A great number of adolescent mothers have a dark history of sexual or physical abuse and harassment. Rape, is one of the predisposing factors that can easily cause early pregnancy among adolescent teens. The pressure to find friends and fit in with their peers during adolescence provides a leeway for bad things to happen to the young adolescents. Most often, they influence themselves to have sex without any knowledge of the consequences that follow their actions. Teenagers take sex as a way of feeling cool and sophisticated yet the end result is always unwanted pregnancies that affect their lives (Santelli et al., 2000).
Lack of or limited guidance from parents is one of the factors which promote pregnancy among teen girls (Plan International, 2017). Most parents are busy chasing careers and looking for money to fend for their families. As a result, they don’t find time to spend with their children and guide them on decision making and issues on sex. As a consequence, teen feel shy to talk sexual matters to their parents because they are probably forbidden in the family. This will most likely make them turn for answers from their friends who end up misleading them and exposing them to early sex which may result in pregnancy.
Involvement in religious activities is one of the strongest factors related to a later sexual debut which include waiting until marriage. Teenagers who have low rates of involvement in religious activities have high chances of experiencing teen pregnancy (Santelli et al., 2000). Besides, low rates of religious involvement leads to teen drinking which cause unexpected pregnancy. Most teens will experiment with alcohol and other drugs thus lowering their ability to control their emotions and impulses. Thus, they are able to involve in unplanned sex which can easily lead to pregnancy (Santelli et al., 2000). It is apparent that poverty, limited options in life, poor educational aspirations, peer pressure, teenage drinking, and absence of parents, violence, and many more are causes of adolescent parenthood (Santelli et al., 2000). This study is thus intended to show the relationship between teenage pregnancies and low socioeconomic status.
The problem of Single parents (mothers)
Being in a lower class is mainly associated with being raised by a single parent but more specifically by a single mother (Santelli et al., 2000). Family members greatly influence the acceptance of early parenthood. When an adolescent is raised by a single mother, it is thought that the daughter will also follow in her mothers’ footsteps and this will lead to teenage parenthood (Hogan & Kitagawa, 1985). Because of parental low income, most parents are surrounded by disadvantaged neighborhoods and thus, the parents find it difficult to be role models to their teen children thus resulting into risky behavior such as premarital pregnancy (Hogan & Kitagawa, 1985). A study conducted by Santelli et al. (2000) concluded that teenagers are 2.5 times more likely to engage in sexual activities if their parents had not completed high school. As a direct opposite, parents with a high socioeconomic status find time to spend with their children as well as guide them on several aspects of life including sex. They are able to influence their teenagers in their early years. As a result, teens are more likely to take more precautionary measures which reduce their likelihood of becoming teen parents (Hango & Le Bourdais, 2009).
Studies indicate that girls raised in poor backgrounds by single parents, and by parents whose education standard is lower have a high risk of getting early pregnancies and becoming adolescent mothers. According to the existing literature, teens hailing from poor backgrounds have five times the average more chances of pregnancies ( Hine, 1999). Disadvantaged girls tend to have a low self-esteem as they grow. The only thing which they value is their sexuality. Thus, because their future seems dark and they have nothing for them, they tend to give in to sex which later on may bring about unexpected pregnancy. Furthermore, they cycle may continue since teenage parents are unable to fully cater for their children. As a result, their children may also follow the same path and become teen parents thus continuing the poverty cycle.
The graph shows the marital status of women aged 15-19 years in the Philippines (Natividad, 2014).
Educational accomplishments and hope for future opportunities
Educational accomplishments and the hope for future opportunities is a vital determinant of teen pregnancies. Most young women growing in poor backgrounds tend to think that their aspirations will never come to pass leaving them less motivated to make any accomplishment (Glick, 2004). “One third of adolescent mothers drop out of school even before the onset of pregnancy” (Coley & Chase-Lansdale, 1998). These teen think that unlike pursuing a career and education, they can easily reach maturity through early pregnancy (Hogan & Kitagawa, 1985). Teens from a high socioeconomic class have higher expectations in terms of education. They most often than not would want to acquire a post-secondary degree before they can think of settling down and start a family of their own since they have much to lose if they get pregnant at an early age (Hango & Le Bourdais, 2009). In a high socioeconomic environment, there is an attitude that early pregnancy and education do not go hand in hand (Hango & Le Bourdais, 2009). This reduces the likelihood of adolescent pregnancy. Being in a company of pregnant peers on the other hand encouraged teenage pregnancies among the young girls.
Poverty seems to kill educational aspirations thus making girls miserable and vulnerable to sex. Because of poverty, parents are unable to provide school fees. As a result, girls drop out of school at a tender age and start engaging in sex. This makes them vulnerable to early and unprepared pregnancy and hence the opportunity to become a teen mother. Children from rich backgrounds even if they get pregnant at an early stage have high chances of continuing with their education unlike the children from very poor backgrounds.
There is a direct link between poverty and teenage pregnancies in many countries. In the developed world, teenage pregnancy is most common among teenagers who come from disadvantaged backgrounds and families. They have low expectations in terms of education and job market since their parents are unable to take them to school. Thus, they see no reason for getting pregnant regardless of their age. Furthermore, poor parents are unable to provide social amenities, a good diet, clothing, and money to their children. Children may turn to other people who are able to provide them these things for comfort. Similarly, today’s teenagers are fond of comparing themselves with other people. When their parents are unable to provide because of their status, they are likely to turn to other alternative means which will later lead them to exchange these products for sex. This may lead to early pregnancies.
Most teen pregnancies have been identified to come as a result of lack of knowledge about reproductive health ( Gabler, 2005) . Teenage pregnancy is a big problem which not only affects the health and wellbeing of teenagers but also jeopardizes the survival of the baby. Due to lack of knowledge on reproductive health, children born from teenage mothers usually have high rates of mortality. The age of teenagers clearly indicates that they have only gained little in terms of education. As a result, most teenagers get pregnant because they do not understand how their bodies work. This is because of the poor awareness on fertility, adolescent sexuality and development. Furthermore, there is high resistance of family planning, birth control, and abortion, something which leads to much exposure to early pregnancies. However, one study found out that lower class adolescents in Canada have five per cent likelihood of using contraceptives (Singh, Darroch & Frost, 2001).
Lack of sexual education is a big problem that causes many pregnancies among the teenagers. However, in some cultures, it is a taboo to talk about sex. In fact, women and girls don’t have the power to make their own decision on sex. Even with the comprehensive education curriculum, the teacher lacks confidence to talk about sex since the society does not consider it wise to talk about sex. These societies feel they cannot introduce sex to children. It should only be confined to the married people ( Gabler, 2005). Sex education becomes effective if the information on birth control is availed to teenagers. Recent studies by the Youth Risk Behavior Survey which was conducted by the Center for Disease Control suggests that at least 80% of reported lowered pregnancies were due to effective use of contraceptives and birth control measures. Therefore, enhancing education on birth control and contraceptive use serves as an effective mechanism to avoid abortions. Furthermore, it reduces illiteracy levels among teenagers and enables them to make well-thought decisions to avoid pregnancies. However, most teenagers remain uninformed about the available choices and their possible effects.
Furthermore, lack of basic information on sex exposes many teenagers to early pregnancies converting them into teen parents. Sex education involves the determination of the sexual behavior. Moreover, sex education exposes teens to methods of avoiding pregnancies as well as protecting themselves from sexually transmitted infections. However, the lack of this kind of education has resulted into high rates of teenage pregnancies. Most teenagers are oblivious of what sexual behavior is because they have not been informed. As a result, they engage in all forms of things without realizing they are sending some indicators for the people to prey on them.
More so, resistance to comprehensive sex education increases the risk of pregnancy among the teenagers. While sex education helps teenagers to better understand the sexual world and behavior, it also allows them to engage in sex but taking precautionary measures to protect themselves. Research from the University of Washington has indicated that comprehensive education lowers the risk of early pregnancies by 60% (Coley & Chase- Lansdale, 1998). Lack of comprehensive sex education makes youths shy and unable to share issues sex with anyone. They will keep their struggles deep within themselves and make decisions which are not rational but which expose them to high chances of getting pregnant. However, comprehensive education does not seem to help if people are not free to talk about issues relating sex with their children without any fear. Sex is no longer a topic for the married but something which ought to be discussed at the family level with the children.
Access to support welfare programs
Access to support welfare programs may promote high rates of pregnancy among teens (Moore, Morrison & Glei, 1995). When parents can easily access welfare support, they are less likely to use contraceptives as well as welcome the whole idea of premarital pregnancy among teenagers (Moore et al., 1995). Because of the disadvantaged background, families are most likely to encourage teen pregnancies since welfare can relieve the family of its predicaments (Moore et al., 1995). Adolescents from lower class families may use pregnancy as an escape route from their predicaments owing to their disadvantaged background.
Lack of parental guidance
Lack of parental guidance is a critical social problem that contributes high rates of teen pregnancies. It has been established that children who spend much time with their parents have much to discuss and thus have lower chances of becoming teenage parents (Coley & Chase- Lansdale, 1998). However, the kind of parentage these days is alarming and shocking. These days, parents are very busy with their lives; they chase careers and money to fend for the family they don’t even spend time with. As a result, there is a great distance created between children and their children. The freedom of expression and is curtailed and thus, children feel shy to share things that affect them so much.
In most cases, parents avoid the sex-talk with their children and if they do, they provide false information about sex and at the same time discourage their children from getting any form of information about sex. In other cases, teenage mothers lack any form of information about sex because of the distance they have with their parents. And when parents fail to give guidance to their children when they so much need, they tend to turn to their peers who will offer alternative solutions and introduce them to sex as the best alternatives. They engage in sex without thinking about its implications and side effects.
The main role of parents is to give guidance to their children. Parents should provide information on sex and how to avoid bad friends. Parents are supposed to listen to their children and give them direction concerning the issues that are so pressing to them. In most cases, parents seem too overprotective to their children (Coley & Chase- Lansdale, 1998). They don’t want them to get in contact with boys or interact with the outside world. This is a dangerous trend because it exposes children to sexual behavior immediately they get any slight opportunity. Such kind of parents fear telling their children the truth about sex and thus thrive on fear that they will know it on their own and mess up with their lives.
In fact, parents should provide sex education to their children. They should provide health education and make their children aware of the changes which take place in their bodies owing to adolescence. However, most parents have not been able to do this and made their children look strange. They thus turn to friends who later on give them a lot of information some which is misleading thus, exposing young children to sexual behavior which later on lead to pregnancy.
Peer influence
Peer pressure is a major factor that contributes to high sexual behavior among adolescent teens. Peer influence makes teenagers indulge in early dating when they are not even ready for it. The pressure to find friends and fit in with their peers during adolescence provides a leeway for bad things to happen to the young adolescents. Most often, they influence themselves to have sex without any knowledge of the consequences that follow their actions. Teenagers take sex as a way of feeling cool and sophisticated yet the end result is always unwanted pregnancies that affect their lives.
Because of peer pressure, adolescent teens engage in drug abuse and alcoholism. Some teenagers have taken alcohol and other drugs because their friends introduced them to them without their willingness (Nicholas & Good, 2004). A person on the influence of drugs is not able to think rationally and make well-thought decisions. Thus, youths will only think about sex and because they are unable to control their impulses, they easily engage in unprotected sex. They may get pregnant as a result and become teenage parents when their time for parenthood isn’t ripe yet. Furthermore, peer pressure exposes teens to pornography and pornographic content which derails their morals (Nichols & Good, 2004).
In this age of technology, most youths are on social media platforms. There are all kinds of fashion available for grab. Every youth would want to compete with their friends from a rich background who are doing so well and are happy. As a result, young girls engage in unwanted behavior by becoming vulnerable to sex to get favors that will enable them be at the same level with other people. Sometimes, this involves having sex with older people with an aim of getting money to meet their many needs which their parents are not able to meet.
Involvement in religious activities
Involvement in religious activities has a direct influence on a persons’ sexual behavior. Teenagers who have low rates of involvement in religious activities have high chances of experiencing teen pregnancy (Nicholas & Good, 2004). Besides, low rates of religious involvement leads to teen drinking which cause unexpected pregnancy. Most teens will experiment with alcohol and other drugs thus lowering their ability to control their emotions and impulses. Thus, they are able to involve in unplanned sex which can easily lead to pregnancy ( Dasgupta, 2013 ). Teens who actively take part in religious activities adhere to the religious principles on sex and sexuality and thus are not able to get them doing sex at an early stage of life. Furthermore, teens who involve in religious activities tend to be busy doing what is constructive and thinking about what religious beliefs hold so dearly to them (Preventing Sexual Risk Behaviors and Pregnancy among Teenagers). As a result, they are unable to find themselves practicing sex which is deemed “illegal” by their religious authorities and figures.
There are high chances that a youth who does not involve in religious activities has bad peer influence, involves in drugs, and sexual behavior. This is because a religiously affiliated teen is in the company of other teens that espouse the same principles as his because birds of the same feather flock together. Thus, a teen that doesn’t involve in religious activities will be able to engage in much sexual acts at an early age which expose her to early pregnancy. Furthermore, religious people hold that sex is sacred and should only be done by married people ( Dasgupta, 2013) . As a result, religious teens have high chances of abstaining from sex until they get married. This simply means they cannot get pregnant at an early age.
Teen pregnancy is an issue that affects every society of different socioeconomic status. However, most teen pregnancies are more prevalent in societies with low socioeconomic status. With forty percent of women of women bearing children in lower socioeconomic class and twenty percent in middle class and eight percent in the upper class (Glick, 2004), it is thus evident that this compelling evidence supports the conclusion that factors associated with ones’ socioeconomic status have an impact on the prevalence of teen pregnancies. However, one study found out that lower class adolescents in Canada have five per cent likelihood of using contraceptives (Singh, Darroch & Frost, 2001). This data contradicts the existing theory that adolescents from lower income class don’t have knowledge on contraceptives.
Generally, the facts are in support of the conclusion that teenagers from lower socioeconomic backgrounds experience higher prevalence of teenage pregnancies. These early pregnancies form a cycle of poverty which continuous and may contribute to more disadvantaged backgrounds and supports the notion that you will live and die in your class. Clearly, there is great need to enhance social programs aimed at educating and motivating families from lower income to break from this poverty cycle by promoting contraceptive use and grabbing education opportunities that pave way for a great and bright future.
References
Botting, B., Rosato, M., & Wood, R. (1998). Teenage mothers and the health of their children. In Population Trends-London- (pp. 19-28). HMSO.
Coley, L.R., & Chase- Lansdale, L.P. (1998). Adolescent pregnancy and parenthood : Recent evidence and future directions. American Psychologist, 53, 152-166. Retrieved from http://harrisschool.uchicago.edu/about/publications/working-papers/pdf/wp_97_07.pdf
Dasgupta, A. (2013, July 15). Sex Education and Teenage Pregnancy. Retrieved from https://www.onlymyhealth.com/sex-education-teenage-pregnancy-1300086674
Gabler, J. (2005). Freaks, Geeks, and Cool Kids: American Teenagers, Schools, and the Culture of Consumption. Contemporary Sociology, 34(2), 198.
Glick, G. C. (2004). On the demographic stratification on U.S. teenage pregnancy rates. Retrieved from http://www.drake.edu/artsci/PolSci/ssjrnl/2004/Glick.pdf*
Hango, D., & Le Bourdais, C. (2009). The effect of education on early parenthood among young Canadian adults. Canadian Studies in Population , 36, 237-265. Retrieved from http://www.canpopsoc.org/journal/2009/CSPv36n3-4p237.pdf
Hine, T. (1999). The rise and fall of the American teenager. New York, NY: Bard.
Hobcraft, J., & Kiernan, K. (2001). Childhood poverty, early motherhood and adult social exclusion. The British journal of sociology, 52(3), 495-517.
Hogan, P. D., & Kitagawa, M. E. (1985). The impact of social status, family structure, and neighbourhood on the fertility of black adolescents. The American Journal of Sociology, 90, 825-855. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2779520
Natividad, J. (2014). Teenage pregnancy in the Philippines: Trends, correlates and data sources. Journal of the ASEAN Federation of Endocrine Societies, 28(1), 30.
Nichols, S. L., & Good, T. L. (2004). America's teenagers--myths and realities: Media images, schooling, and the social costs of careless indifference . New York: Routledge.
Plan International. (2017). New report on Teen pregnancy and early marriage. Retrieved February 15, 2019, from https://plan-international.org/news/2017-05-10-new-report-teen-pregnancy-and-early-marriage
Santelli, S.J., Lowry, R., & Brener, D.N. (2000). The association of sexual behaviours with socioeconomic status, family structure, race/ethnicity among US adolescents. American Journal of Public Health, 90, 1582-1588. Retrieved from http://ajph.aphapublications.org/cgi/reprint/90/10/1582
Singh, S., Darroch, E.J., & Frost, J.J. (2001). Socioeconomic disadvantage and adolescent women’s sexual and reproductive behaviour: The case of five developed countries. Family Planning Perspectives, 33, 251-289. Retrieved from http://www.alanguttmacher.org/pubs/journals/3325101.html#31
S.E. Cashdollar | Doctoral Student In Comparative Human Development, University Of Chicago. (2015). OPINION | Aspirations, teen pregnancy linked. Retrieved from https://www.abqjournal.com/629036/aspirations-teen-pregnancy-linked.html
SOS Children's Villages Canada. (2012). Lack of Services and Education Affecting Teen Pregnancy in Philippines. Retrieved from https://www.soschildrensvillages.ca/lack-services-and-education-affecting-teen-pregnancy-philippines
Moore, A. K., Morrison, R.D., & Glei, A.D. (1995). Welfare and adolescent sex: The effects of family history, benefit levels, and community context. Journal of Family and Economic Issues , 16, 207-238. Retrieved from http://www.springerlink.com/content/x22333n528580h22/fulltext.pdf
Quinlivan, J. A., Tan, L. H., Steele, A., & Black, K. (2004). Impact of demographic factors, early family relationships and depressive symptomatology in teenage pregnancy. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 38(4), 197-203.
Annotated Bibliography
Botting, B., Rosato, M., & Wood, R. (1998). Teenage mothers and the health of their children. In Population Trends-London- (pp. 19-28). HMSO.
In this paper, the struggles of a teenage mother have been highlighted. Better still, the future implications of her decisions are put on the limelight. It is apparent that the it results in more teen pregnancies and poverty.
Coley, L.R., & Chase- Lansdale, L.P. (1998). Adolescent pregnancy and parenthood : Recent evidence and future directions. American Psychologist, 53, 152-166. Retrieved from http://harrisschool.uchicago.edu/about/publications/working-papers/pdf/wp_97_07.pdf
In this article, the author gives much detail about the influence of parenthood on adolescent pregnancy. Much emphasis is laid on the fact that parents have done so little to guide their teen children hence resulting in their getting pregnant. In my paper, this information is helpful in assessing the role of parents.
Dasgupta, A. (2013, July 15). Sex Education and Teenage Pregnancy. Retrieved from https://www.onlymyhealth.com/sex-education-teenage-pregnancy-1300086674
In this article, the author labors to demonstrate how the lack of comprehensive education,basic sex information, and birth control information may lead to poor decisions thus pregnancy. I have used this article to show the importance of comprehensive education and enlightenment in terms of sex education.
Gabler, J. (2005). Freaks, Geeks, and Cool Kids: American Teenagers, Schools, and the Culture of Consumption. Contemporary Sociology, 34(2), 198.
This article shows how American teenagers are affected by school and culture. These socioeconomical factors play a big role in forming their attitudes and shaping their perceptions. I have used this article to demonstrate the effect of peer pressure on youths.
Glick, G. C. (2004). On the demographic stratification on U.S. teenage pregnancy rates. Retrieved from http://www.drake.edu/artsci/PolSci/ssjrnl/2004/Glick.pdf *
This article provides statistics about the spread of teenage pregnancies among the US teens. From the data, it is clear that teen preganacies are higher among the people from low income backgrounds and states. In this paper, I have used this information to show how differences in socioeconomic status influences teenage pregnancy.
Hango, D., & Le Bourdais, C. (2009). The effect of education on early parenthood among young Canadian adults. Canadian Studies in Population, 36, 237-265. Retrieved from http://www.canpopsoc.org/journal/2009/CSPv36n3-4p237.pdf
This article shows the effects of education and parenthood on the behavior of a teen. Specific emphasis is laid by the author on how the lack of education leads to early parenthood among the Canadian youths. In this paper, I have used this article to demonstrate how lack of educational aspirations due to poverty leads to early pregnancy.
Hine, T. (1999). The rise and fall of the American teenager . New York, NY: Bard.
In this book, Hine demonstrates how teen behavior contributes to early marriages and sexual behavior that leads to pregnancy. Furthermore, he describes the failure of parents in providing parental guidance to their children thus leading to a crisis. In this article, I have used this article to highlight the crisis facing they young teens.
Hobcraft, J., & Kiernan, K. (2001). Childhood poverty, early motherhood and adult social exclusion. The British journal of sociology , 52(3), 495-517.
In this journal article the correlation of early child poverty and its outcomes later in life. In fact, it was found that early childbearing is directly linked to poverty and continued cycle of early childbearing. In this paper, I have used this article to demonstrate the role of poverty in bringing early pregnancy in youths.
Hogan, P. D., & Kitagawa, M. E. (1985). The impact of social stauts, family structure, and neighbourhood on the fertility of black adolescents. The American Journal of Sociology , 90, 825-855. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2779520
In this article, the author highlights the impact of social status on teenage pregnancies among Black adolescents. It is clear that low social status results in needy status which opens room for teens to engage in sex. I have used this article to demonstrate the extent to which teen pregnancy is enhanced by poverty.
Natividad, J. (2014). Teenage pregnancy in the Philippines: Trends, correlates and data sources. Journal of the ASEAN Federation of Endocrine Societies, 28(1), 30.
This article is a survey of family health in the Philippines. It shows teen pregnancies which took place at an early age. The authors concluded that low standards of education due to low socioeconomic status is one of the predisposing factors to early pregnancy. In this paper, I analyzed this article and used it to show how premarital sex activity due to lack of hope for future education leads to teenage pregnancy.
Nichols, S. L., & Good, T. L. (2004). America's teenagers--myths and realities: Media images, schooling, and the social costs of careless indifference . New York: Routledge.
In this book, Nichols highlights the predicaments of an American youth specifically the influence of socioeconomic factors. The author lays great emphasis on how media images, schooling and social media exposure exposes youths to sexual behavior which leads to pregnancy. In this paper, I have used this article to highlight the influence of social cost, media images, and schooling on teen pregnancy.
Plan International. (2017). New report on Teen pregnancy and early marriage. Retrieved February 15, 2019, from https://plan-international.org/news/2017-05-10-new-report-teen-pregnancy-and-early-marriage
This blog gives a story of women from low socioeconomic countries and how their predicaments give a leeway for teenage pregnancies. From this article, we can clearly see that poverty is one of the factors. Moreover, speaking about sex in a family set up is a taboo. In this paper, I have used this article to criticize family beliefs and the role of poverty and lack of education in enhancing teenage pregnancies.
Santelli, S.J., Lowry, R., & Brener, D.N. (2000). The association of sexual behaviours with socioeconomic status, family structure, race/ethnicity among US adolescents. American Journal of Public Health, 90, 1582-1588. Retrieved from http://ajph.aphapublications.org/cgi/reprint/90/10/1582
This article is a research to find out the relationship between sexual behavior and socioeconomic status, family structure, and race. Researchers determined that socioeconomic factors led to high rates of teenage pregnancies among the US teenagers. In this paper, I have used information from this study to highlight the role of parents and low socioeconomic status in teenage pregnancies.
Singh, S., Darroch, E.J., & Frost, J.J. (2001). Socioeconomic disadvantage and adolescent women’s sexual and reproductive behaviour: The case of five developed countries. Family Planning Perspectives, 33, 251-289. Retrieved from http://www.alanguttmacher.org/pubs/journals/3325101.html#31
Darroch & Frost highlight the differences between teenager’s sexual patterns in low income countries and them from high income countries. Conclusions from this study indicated that childbearing is high in low income countries compared to high income countries. This due to their socioeconomic status. I have used this article in my paper to show the clear differences that attribute to high teen pregnancies in low socioeconomically societies.
S.E. Cashdollar | Doctoral Student In Comparative Human Development, University Of Chicago. (2015). OPINION | Aspirations, teen pregnancy linked. Retrieved from https://www.abqjournal.com/629036/aspirations-teen-pregnancy-linked.html
This journal article gives information on the teenage pregnancies in Mexico. The authors of this article show the role of disadvantaged family set ups in engineering teen pregnancies. Among factors in disadvantaged backgrounds include lack of motivation for future advancement in education, poor culture, drugs, and low levels of education. In this paper, I have used this article to demonstrate how low socioeconomic factors have resulted in many pregnancies among the youth.
SOS Children's Villages Canada. (2012). Lack of Services and Education Affecting Teen Pregnancy in Philippines. Retrieved from https://www.soschildrensvillages.ca/lack-services-and-education-affecting-teen-pregnancy-philippines
This article describes the influence of lack of reproductive health information and poverty on teen pregnancy. The author uses statistics in the Philippines to show how teen pregnancies have resulted owing to lack of reproductive health information and high rates of poverty. I will use this paper to show how poverty and lack of reproductive health information are precursors to teenage pregnancies.
Moore, A. K., Morrison, R.D., & Glei, A.D. (1995). Welfare and adolescent sex: The effects of family history, benefit levels, and community context . Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 16, 207-238. Retrieved from http://www.springerlink.com/content/x22333n528580h22/fulltext.pdf
This article provides information about the influence of welfare support to teenage childbearing. The authors have tried to elucidate how poverty opens doors for welfare support programs which expose youths to teenage pregnancies. In this paper, this article was used to show how money can be used by poor families to engage in premarital sex and accommodate teenage marriages so as to get financial gain.
Quinlivan, J. A., Tan, L. H., Steele, A., & Black, K. (2004). Impact of demographic factors, early family relationships and depressive symptomatology in teenage pregnancy. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 38(4), 197-203.
This article demonstrates how separation from parents can be a precursor to teen pregnancies. Furthermore, the authors demonstrate how other factors such as drug use and life experiences influence a youth. In my paper, I have used this article to highlight the influence of drugs and lack of parental guidance on teenage pregnancies.
