Pregnancy during adolescence exposes ladies and the born children to health risks. Some of this risks include; malnutrition, low birth-weight, social and emotional complications and depression (McDowell, 2011). Such bad health conditions can be avoided. Ladies should engage in unprotected sex when their reproductive system has matured.
Teenage mothers do not eat well during their pregnancy (McDowell, 2011). Consequently, they do not gain weight. They give birth to light kids. Low birth-weight relates to several complications including; poorly developed organs, brain bleeding, interstitial problems and respiratory distress. In addition to this, teenage mothers are likely to use drugs due to depression. Using drugs during pregnancy causes health problems to the growing fetus. The fetus can develop alcoholic syndrome in case the mother uses alcohol during pregnancy. Children born to adolescent mothers are likely to have emotional and social problems. They are underfed and reared poorly. As a result, they become under-achievers in academics.
The state is concern with the issue of teenage pregnancy. It has set up The National Support Centre for State Teen Pregnancy Prevention. This community addresses pregnancy during adolescence and sexually transmitted diseases. Teen pregnancy prevention centre has also been created. It provides resources for training in addition to E-learning modules, webinars and podcasts.
In U.S, three in ten ladies become pregnant before the age of twenty. In Georgia for instance, the rate of teen pregnancy is between 1 and 1.5 for the last ten years (Solomon, 2005). However, the rate is declining. The future teen pregnancy rates for Georgia will be extremely low. Statistics has confirmed this. The decline is due to the affirmative action of the US government.
Therefore, teenage pregnancy causes complications to ladies. Mature pregnancy is the best option. Unsafe sex should be avoided by teenagers because their reproductive system has not developed to maturity or its purpose.
References
Hurley, J. A. (2000). Teen pregnancy. San Diego, Calif: Greenhaven Press.
McDowell, P. (2011). Teen pregnancy. New York, NY: Crabtree Pub. Co.
Solomon-Fears, C., & Library of Congress (2005). Reducing teen pregnancy: Adolescent family life and abstinence education programs. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Information Service, Library of Congress.
