Running head: EDUCATION FOR PREGNANT TEENS

Education for Pregnant Teens

Bethany Erwin
CIS 112-011
Dr. Vallade
October 13, 2014

Education for Pregnant Teens

Abstract
Without going in depth about the basic issue of teen pregnancy
as a whole, this paper focuses on the education available for teenage
mothers on how to take care of their children. Talking about
preventative measures may help those at risk of becoming pregnant;
however, teens that are already pregnant need to understand the
steps important to prenatal care and how to take care of a baby. While
there are different ways of preventing unwanted teenage pregnancy as
well as options for those who become pregnant, prenatal education
needs to turn into another resource and become more available to
teens that are already pregnant.

Education for Pregnant Teens

The millennial generation has been more exposed through the

media with shows like MTVs 16 and Pregnant or Teen Mom (1 or 2) and
the focus tends to be more on how to prevent teen pregnancy, rather
than what to do when a teen becomes pregnant. While explaining
options like contraception or abstinence may decrease some from
becoming pregnant, there will always be teenagers that will become
pregnant. However, education needs to exist for those teenagers
where talking about prevention is too late. That education exists, but
the accessibility for all pregnant teens is not guaranteed. Especially if
the teen is trying to conceal the fact that she is pregnant for personal
reasons. Prenatal care is essential for a healthy pregnancy, but if a
pregnant teen is never exposed to specific prenatal instructions there

Education for Pregnant Teens

is a risk that the unborn baby could not be getting everything she/he
might need. Even with teenage pregnancy declining,

(Hamilton, 2012)
getting education for these mothers is still a challenge for our society,
which could cause damaging effects to the baby or themselves
(Domenico, n.d., paragraph 2). There are a lot of different levels of
pregnancy education, especially for teens; education for prenatal care,
balancing school, or even how to live their daily lives as a single
teenage mother. These are all essential for the success of the mother
and child.
Often, a reason pregnant teens fail to seek prenatal care is the
condemnation that they might receive because of their age. However,

Education for Pregnant Teens

just because the goal is to decrease teenage pregnancy, that does not
mean that teens who are already pregnant should be discouraged to
get the help they need for the health of their future baby. There is a
preconceived notion of a specific socioeconomic background for a teen
that becomes pregnant, just because of what she has been exposed to
by the media, whether the numbers are true or not (Furstenburg, 2007,
pg 5). Even if teenage mothers do dominate in a certain race or
economical group, education on prenatal care and finding out the true
reason why it dominates a certain area would be more beneficial than
trying to just reach the teenagers who are not yet pregnant. That fear
of being stereotyped might prevent an unborn baby from getting the
nutrients that it has to have to be healthy. Looking down upon a teen
that is already pregnant and needs help does not prevent another teen
from being pregnant. Also, explaining the purpose of contraceptives
does not encourage sexual activity; it helps prevent unwanted
pregnancy for teenagers who are not ready to become a mother yet
(Health day, 2014,paragraph 5). Without being prepared for what a
baby needs, pregnant teens might start to suffer from health problems
that could defer onto their child.
Being at a greater risk for depression, a pregnant teen could
develop life long side effects on her child if education about depression
and help was not received. Unplanned pregnancy in teens, and often
pregnancy in general, can cause depression and anxiety especially if

Education for Pregnant Teens

poverty and single motherhood are also being faced. Pregnant teens
need to understand the symptoms in order for a healthy life for the
mother and baby (Barberis, 2013, pg 3). Depression and anxiety could
cause young women to become more stressed, consequently making
them not as interactive and playful with their children, which can affect
their higher rates for delinquent behavior (Barberis, 2013, pg 4). Often
feeling alone or hopeless because of her situation, a pregnant teen
might not have a supportive group behind her to help through those
feelings. Which is why organizations that anonymously counsels
pregnant teens, like Stand Up Girl, help deal with teens who might not
have anywhere else to go (Stand Up Girl, n.d.). Understanding
depression that could arise from pregnancy, and how to live with it,
can positively shape both lives.
Even if a pregnant teen decides not to parent the baby and
chooses adoption, the prenatal care is still essential for the health of
the baby and the teen. Without the proper knowledge of what the body
needs during pregnancy, the consequences could be fatal to the baby
or the mother. Hypothetically, if a teen smokes and then becomes
pregnant, she might not realize that her baby could develop birth

Education for Pregnant Teens

defects, such as cleft lip (CDC, 2014).

In prenatal

care visits, doctors are able to monitor the pregnancy and can spot
health problems early (Womens health, 2012, paragraph 20). Since
most teenage pregnancies are not planned, the baby could already be
exposed to certain harmful chemicals or medicines in the body. A
doctor is able to tell when the baby is due or what infectious diseases
that are more harmful during a pregnancy; medical advice that would
not be known if not going into a prenatal care visit (Family Doctor
Editorial Staff, 2010, paragraph 3). Most women would probably not
know all of the things pregnant women are and are not suppose to do,
eat, or take while being pregnant, let alone being a teen. It would
almost be guaranteed that most middle school or high school girls
would not know what folic acid is and that when pregnant (during the
first trimester) 1,000 mcg should be taken every day (Family Doctor
Editorial Staff, 2010, paragraph 5). Food that should or should not be
eaten could be a college course within itself.
Speaking of college courses, it is said that most teenage
mothers will never experience college or even get a high school
diploma. Some pregnant teens feel so overwhelmed with their

Education for Pregnant Teens

unplanned pregnancy that dropping out of school to take care of their

new priorities, which seems to be the only option (Barberis, 2013, pg
6). Dropping out of high school, making it impossible to get into
college, limits pregnant teens potential jobs and employment by
lacking experience eventually causing financial stress because most
families it is hard to support off of a minimum wage salary. While it
might mistakenly be thought that teenagers who become pregnant
might not want to go to college or start a career, the truth is that most
ambitions normal teenagers have for their futures, pregnant teens do
too. During a recent study on pregnant teenage girls and aspirations,
Dr. Phipps found that even with educational success might be lower in
pregnant teens, their goals do not depend on whether or not they
become pregnant during their teenage years (Women & Infants, 2011,
paragraph 3). A major point Dr. Phipps highlights is that teens that are
parenting need resources that make it possible for them to be able to
continue their education following giving birth. That way, after their
pregnancy, the teen moms are able to prepare for their future and their
pursuit for a career.
Despite the decreasing numbers of teenage births in the United
States, teenage pregnancy still remains a problem in society today
(Figure 1). Lack of knowledge on vital information can lead to birth
defects and behavioral problems for the child of a teen mom. To really
try and prevent the rates of teenage pregnancy, education and

Education for Pregnant Teens

prevention for teen moms can be the hope to stop the cycle that exists
for the children of young parents becoming young parents themselves,
as cited in Barberis book on Parenting Challenges, Practices and
Cultural Influences (Baldwin & Cain, 1980). Which is why only teaching
prevention will not help stop the cycle of teenage pregnancy; however,
educating teen parents can prevent future generations from having an
unplanned pregnancy in their teenage years. The different types of
education for pregnant teens can help with cooping with depression,
increasing educational success, and making life for the child better
financially and emotionally.

Education for Pregnant Teens

10

References
Barberis, P., & Petrakis, S. (2013). Chapter 1 Young Maternal Age and
Preterm Birth: Specific Challenges During the Transition to
Motherhood. In Parenting Challenges, Practices and Cultural
Influences (p. 245). New York: Nova Science.
CDC. (2014, April 23). Facts about Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate. Retrieved
October 16, 2014.
Domenico, D., & Jones, K. (n.d.). Adolescent Pregnancy in America:
Causes and Responses. Retrieved October 6, 2014.

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11

Family Doctor Editorial Staff. (2010, August 1). Taking Care of You and
Your Baby While You're Pregnant. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
Furstenberg, F. (2007). Chapter 1 The History of Teenage Childbearing
as a Social Problem. In Destinies of the Disadvantaged (p. 203).
New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
Health Day. (2014). Too Many Younger Teens Still Getting Pregnant: CDC. US News.
StandUpGirl - StandUpGirl - Pregnancy Support. (n.d.). Retrieved
October 6, 2014.
Women's Health. (2012, July 16). Prenatal care fact sheet. Retrieved
October 14, 2014.
Women & Infants. (2011, February 9). Women & Infants researcher:
Pregnant Teens Want to Go to College, Need Support. Retrieved
October 15, 2014, from
http://www.womenandinfants.org/news/Women-and-Infantsresearcher-Pregnant-Teens-Want-to-Go-to-College-NeedSupport.cfm