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Cydney Custer
K. Hensel
English IV
10/13/2015
Teen Pregnancy
Teen pregnancy has been and still is a growing issue all over the world. Did you know
that 3 in 10 American girls will get pregnant at least once before the age of 20? About one
million high school students become pregnant each year. Believe it or not, the United States has
one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the entire world. Becoming pregnant as a teenager may
cause financial and educational hardships as well as health issues for both the mother and baby.
Although a lot of states offer financial services, child care is not as cheap as it may be
assumed. Most programs available for the benefit of teenage mothers are based on income.
(Kamalasanan et. al.) Therefore, the mother is required to make at least minimum wage to obtain
child care. If she cannot meet this requirement, she will be responsible for paying for both hers
and the babys needs without help. If the teenage mother has insurance, her medical problems get
covered, but the baby would need a separate insurance. When the parents dont have insurance to
cover maternity care, the child and the family is burdened to pay for birth and after care.
Education may be put on hold when a teen becomes pregnant. Most teen moms do not
finish high school or get a college diploma. Only 40 percent of teen mothers finish high school.
Fewer than 2 percent finish college by age 30. It has been said that children of teen mothers
perform worse on many measures of school readiness, they are 50 percent more likely to repeat a
grade, and are more likely than children born to older mothers to drop out of high school
(NCSL 2015). The dropout rates among pregnant teens is 90 percent across the United States.

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Teen pregnancy is actually the leading reason for high school dropouts. Fortunately, teen
pregnancy rates are declining, which means dropout rates among pregnant teens are also
reducing.
Becoming pregnant at a young age will not only cause you financial and educational
struggles, but can also lead to serious health risks for the mother and baby. Teens usually do not
usually get the treatment that they need when they are pregnant, such as prenatal care. This can
lead to, premature delivery, toxemia (HBP), significant anemia, etc. Also, teenage mothers are
less likely to gain adequate weight during their pregnancy, leading to low birthweight. Low
birthweight 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 (Remedy Health Media 2015). Babies subject to this can also suffer
brain damage, mental retardation, injury during birth, or even death. The younger the mother, the
greater the chance to have complications for both the baby and the mother.
There are young mothers all over the world. Although the rates of pregnancy are
declining, it is still an issue. Becoming pregnant as a teenager should be prevented at all costs
because it carries many risks for both the mother and the child. Not only will it affect them, but it
will also affect friends, family, and others around them.

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WORKS CITED
"Financial Problems of Teenage Pregnancy." Financial Problems of Teenage Pregnancy. Web.
12 Oct. 2015.

"TEEN PREGNANCY AFFECTS GRADUATION RATES." National Conference of State

Legislatures. N.p., n.d. Web.

"Teen Pregnancy & Health Risks to the Baby." - Teen Pregnancy. Web. 12 Oct. 2015.