Teen pregnancy is a pregnancy in a young not fully grown women who is below the age of twenty years. Teen pregnancy should be highly discouraged, because as a teen you aren’t fully matured and your body will still be growing and it puts you and the baby inside you at risk. As a teen mother you may face complications such as premature labor, medical complication during the pregnancy period, at child birth or after child birth and are likely to drop out of school, and if you drop out of school you will not have all the education you will need for the future to get a good paying job to support yourself and they baby. Teen pregnancy is highly influenced with; drug and alcohol usage among the teens, lack of good education and parental guidance, high age difference for those in relationships, sexual abuse, dating violence, the environment the teen was brought up in, and traditions that result into early marriages.
Firstly, drug and alcohol usage among the teens which is mostly as a result of peer influence from other teenagers or adults. Alcohol and drugs influence teenagers to indulge in unplanned sexual activities and other risky doings including unprotected sex and this eventually results in teenage pregnancies. Increased drug and alcohol usage among the teens has resulted in a
major increase in the rate of teen pregnancy. The rate of pregnancy among teens who use drugs and alcohol is higher than the who don’t use drugs or alcohol.
Secondly, lack of good education and parental guidance has also influenced the number of increased teen pregnancy. Most parents and people avoid talking to teens about sex and at times they give false guidance regarding sex and they highly discourage the teens of taking part in any discussions on sex. The lack of information on sex and sexual activities exposes the teens to risks when they get involved in the sex activities yet they do not have clear understanding about sex. Because of this lack of education in early and unwanted teen pregnancy.
Thirdly, the gap in age for those in relationships. The teens are mostly exploited by old men who mostly lure them with illegal substances. Teen girls who date men who are older than then usually get pregnant before they attain their womanhood thus teen girls engaging older men and mostly adult men are likely to get pregnant as compared to teen girls who are engaging men of their age.
In conclusion, people must take a responsibility of talking to the teens about pregnancy and relationships so that they will be aware of whatever that occur if they are in any relationship. But the teens should also take the responsibility of keeping their legs closed and their pants around their waist.