Understanding Teenage Pregnancy

Over half a million teens become parents every year in America. Teen parents can range in age from as young as 12 years old to 19 years old. Teen pregnancy constitutes 20% of all unplanned pregnancy every year. And despite the massive campaigns carried out by the government and various health and social groups, more and more teenagers have become "unexpected" parents.

When teens become parents it is critical to their well-being that they find adequate resources to support their emotional, educational, parental development. The most important factor to consider is that you are now responsible for both your life and your child's life. Your awareness of this two-fold responsibility will improve the likelihood that you and your child will experience a better quality of life.

One barrier young parents face to improving their quality of life is not having access to the resources they need to support their emotional, physical, and mental growth and development.

Many teen parents experience feeling of shame and regret after they discover that they are pregnant. Some experience isolation from their friends and resentment for the loss of their teenage lifestyle. It is also very common for teen parents to feel afraid and alone. You must remember however that while your feelings are valid they may not be healthy for you or your baby.

Teenage mothers who don't get support from their former partners and family are less likely to finish their college education. Statistics also show that only 38% of teenage mothers are able to finish high school and only 2% graduate from college. Further, it can be predicted that a child born of a teenage mother is more likely to live poorer when they become adults and continue the same cycle.

However asking for support and researching resources can help teen parents turn these statistics around. Your parents are a great source of support. Your parents can give you advice on how to care for your baby during and after pregnancy. Your parents can also share some of the financial burden of becoming a teen parent by allowing you to continue living at home.

A high school guidance counselor can help teen parents process the feelings and stress that will arise during pregnancy and after the baby is born. In addition, there are several books that discuss best parenting practices. These books can provide teen parents with a wide range of solutions on how to discipline, feed, and raise a child.

The final point is that there are authoritative resources like HelpTeenParents that provide resources for teen fathers and mothers to get the information they need to build a better life for themselves and their children. Teens should be well informed about the outcomes of their actions and web resources can do a better job of helping teens to understand what to expect when they are expecting a baby.