NRS 434NV Adolescent pregnancy essay

Topic 3 DQ 1

Adolescent pregnancy increases the risks of maternal complications during and after pregnancy. It also increases the risk of the fetus and infant in neonatal care. Complications linked with teen pregnancy are preterm birth, low birth weight, and infant mortality. But age-based biological aspects alone do not increase the rate of fetal deaths. Infants born to teenage mothers have an increased likelihood of a low birth rate owing to behavioral and psychological elements affecting them. NRS 434NV Adolescent pregnancy essay. Psychosocial risk factors must, therefore, be the primary concern during care

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Maternal history of poor childhood encounters influence strained outcomes in teen pregnancy. These include physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, intimate partner abuse, or living with persons with mental illness or substance use problems. These experiences increase the subsequence of risky sexual behavior, smoking, alcohol use, and depression. For instance, intimate partner behavior is usually directed towards women more than men. Commonly, women below the age of 24 and those who have not completed high school experience more partner violence (Michael & Wilcox, 2007) NRS 434NV Adolescent pregnancy essay . Besides, children whose mothers have mental issues happen to be at greater risk of psychological problems. These children tend to be neglected or sexually abused. That means these factors predispose young girls to sexual abuse and risky behavior, which predisposes them to teenage pregnancies.

There are many initiatives at the community and state level devoted to preventing teenage pregnancies. Between 2010 and 2015, CDC, the Federal Office of Adolescent Health (OAH), and the Office of Population Affairs partnered to showcase the importance of innovation, multi module community programs for controlling the rate of adolescent pregnancy and births (CDC, 2018). The focus was to reach African Americans and Latino young persons between the age of 15 and 19. One of the community resources is UT Health San Antonio, which provides teen education on pregnancy and empowering family and community awareness on teen health. It focuses on helping them gain confidence, knowledge, and skills to reach full potential. For Young Parents is a community-based resource for sharing information on education and medical rights and parenting of adolescents currently continuing with their education (Child Welfare Information Gateway, n.d). The resource also provides information on where adolescent parents can get support resources, including where to find childcare, support groups, and financial benefits that can help them pull through. These resources are essential to promoting teenage mothers’ health and preventing more young births in the community. NRS 434NV Adolescent pregnancy essay

Adolescent pregnancy and childbearing have significantly reduced in the last ten years. While Kern County still has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in California, across the state rates are declining to record lows, according to the newest data, from 2017. It shows California with a rate of nearly 14 births per 1,000 females ages 15 to 19. That’s the 16th lowest teen birth rate in the nation, and below the national average of nearly 19 births per 1,000 females in that age range. Arkansas ranks highest with 33; Massachusetts lowest with 8. But within California, there are wide variations. Affluent Marin County has the lowest rate with just over 6 births, while Imperial County is highest, with an Arkansas-like level of  just over 33. Kern County, with nearly 32, ranks third-highest and is nearly double the state average. NRS 434NV Adolescent pregnancy essay

Though, teen birth rates are falling in every California county — sometimes dramatically.  Kern County’s rate has actually been cut almost in half in just a decade. Many experts cite California’s comprehensive sex education and guarantees of confidential access to birth control. California law allows anyone under 18 to seek birth control services or the morning-after pill on their own. Minors 12 and older can seek treatment for sexually transmitted diseases without parental consent, and as a result of a California Supreme Court ruling they can get an abortionwithout parental consent or notification, but a variety of factors are no doubt at play. Research has even shown that the struggles depicted in MTV’s “16 and Pregnant” and “Teen Mom” may have prompted some teens to be more vigilant about birth control, according to a 2014 Brookings Report. NRS 434NV Adolescent pregnancy essay

In conclusion, adolescent pregnancy is a rampant problem in society today. States and communities must adopt necessary measures, including providing education and support resources to empower young children. Identifying risk factors such as violence is essential to preventing risky behavior. NRS 434NV Adolescent pregnancy essay. A conducive learning environment should be fostered to encourage adolescent school attendance, thus staying away from dangerous sexual activity/practices

References:

Centers for Disease Control. (2018, September 26). Community wide initiatives. https://www.cdc.gov/teenpregnancy/projects-initiatives/communitywide.html

Michael K. Magill|Ryan Wilcox. (2007, May 1). Adolescent pregnancy and associated risks: Not just a result of maternal age. AAFP American Academy of Family Physicians. https://www.aafp.org/afp/2007/0501/p1310.html

Supporting pregnant and parenting teens. (n.d.). Child Welfare Information Gateway. https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/preventing/promoting/parenting/pregnant-teens/

Castillo, E., ( October 30, 2019). In California, the Teen Birth Rte has Hit a Record Low. How? Retrieved on January 25, 2021 from: https://calmatters.org/health/2019/10/behind-californias-record-low-teen-birth-rate NRS 434NV Adolescent pregnancy essay