A Parent’s Guide to Pregnancy in the Teenage Years

Your teenager needs your support if they’re expecting a baby. Here’s a parent’s guide to pregnancy in the teenage years.

Since 1991, teen pregnancies have decreased every year due to greater sexual education and better access to birth control. Despite this encouraging development, many parents are concerned that their daughters will become pregnant accidentally. To assist your adolescent in taking charge of her reproductive health, here is everything you need to know about the risk factors and prevention methods for teen pregnancies.

Statistics on Teenage Pregnancy

In 2015, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 43 percent of 15- to 19-year-olds were sexually active. Some 86% utilized birth control, although just 5% used the most dependable alternatives, such as intrauterine devices (IUDs) and implantable contraception.

Women chose condoms and oral contraceptives for the most part, both of which have lower efficacy rates when used as recommended (82 percent and 91 percent, respectively). According to the CDC, there were a total of 194,377 births among minors in 2017. This equates to 18.8 births for every 1,000 American high school students.

CDC OR The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found a correlation between socioeconomic status and a higher incidence of pregnancy among sexually active adolescents. These circumstances include a low level of schooling, unstable home life, and involvement in child welfare services such as foster care.

Pregnancy in adolescence

Having a kid as a teenager can significantly impact the mother’s social, health, and financial well-being.

• Refusing to Attend Class in High School
• Risks to Mother’s and Baby’s Health
• Effects on the Baby’s Life That Are Negative
• Consequences for the public good

Teen Pregnancy Prevention

Because of enhanced sexual education and increased availability of birth control, teenage pregnancies have decreased. Abstinence may work in theory, but it is less specific in practice. Teens are more likely to use birth control techniques than abstain from sex, so educating them on the many types of birth control, where to obtain them, and how to use them is essential.

Students in many school systems are taught about reproductive health, and they can also look up information about it on the internet. Parents must be open to discussing their children’s sexuality with their children. In most cases, teens still rely on their parents for information, which they then double-check on their cell phones afterward. Teenagers should learn about the various ways to protect themselves from being addicted.

Pregnancy prevention programs and youth education programs are great options for girls who don’t have a robust support system at home. Even at school, she can make her point.

Health care worker, nurse Without parental consent, teens can seek reproductive health care. An IUD can be implanted, birth control can be prescribed, and so on by a primary care doctor.

For the Young: Pregnant? What Do I Do Next?

The pregnancy test is positive after you peed on the stick. Even if you’re terrified and stressed, don’t keep your pregnancy a secret. You need to locate an adult you can confide in and open up to them. If you disguise your pregnancy, you will be unable to obtain the necessary prenatal care.

Dr. Malone suggests going to an in-school clinic, an urgent care facility, or a social worker if you’re worried about telling your parents or guardians about your pregnancy. These experts will assist you in determining your next course of action. Your prenatal care will be enhanced by the availability of information that empowers you to make wise choices.

Dr. Malone oversees the Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Teen and Pregnant Program, which may be a natural next step. Pregnant teens can learn a lot about their health and the health of their unborn children at these events. They also know about postpartum living, including how to install a car seat properly and how to keep a baby secure while they sleep. In addition, these programs help link pregnant teens with one another, providing a crucial support network throughout this life-altering experience.

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