Teenage Pregnancy

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Carol Paxman

One of the statistics that everyone is happy to trot out against single parenting is teenage pregnancy. Many single mothers were teenagers themselves which puts their daughters at higher risk, and being raised in a single parent family seems to raise the risk in general. Girls from intact families get pregnant as teenagers as well, but since no one is pointing the finger at their families it’s just us, single moms who are told our daughters will be another statistic. What can you do? How can you help your daughter make better choices when you may be guilty of those … Continue reading →

Changes In Teens’ Attitude About Pregnancy

Posted on June 5, 2010 by Kim Neyer

The latest news concerning teen pregnancy is a little troubling. The CDC reports that teens are less worried about pregnancy than in the past. While the percentage of teens having sex has not changed much since 2002, the attitude towards having a child out of wedlock has changed quite a bit. The majority of teens, according to the survey, believe it is okay for an unmarried woman to have a baby. Another interesting fact included in the report is about the most common methods of birth control among teens. The withdrawal method of birth control, also jokingly referred to as … Continue reading →

Parents Play a Pivotal Role in Reducing Teen Pregnancy

Posted on February 8, 2010 by Kim Neyer

In the midst of a debate over the best way to lower teen pregnancy rates, whether it is through teaching abstinence or informing teens about the risks of sexually transmitted diseases and methods of birth control, the story of an eleven-year-old girl giving birth to a baby, to me screams, “neither is working!” The fact is, teachers can preach and teach until they are blue in the face, but until parents take initiative in teaching their own children about sex, teen pregnancy is not going anywhere. Teens are constantly being bombarded with images of teen sexuality in television, movies, books … Continue reading →

Should We Pay Teens to Not Get Pregnant?

Posted on November 10, 2009 by Kim Neyer

Have you heard about College Bound Sisters? It is a program in Greensboro, North Carolina that is designed to prevent teen pregnancy. The program targets younger sisters of teen mothers who are between the ages of 12 and 16, want to go to college, have never been pregnant and are willing to attend an hour and a half meeting each week. In return, for every day that these teens do not get pregnant, they are paid $1. $7 is deposited into a college fun each week that they attend the meeting, are not pregnant, and are still attending school. When … Continue reading →

Pregnancy Tests for Students?

Posted on July 27, 2009 by Kim Neyer

Students in Port Chester, N.Y. may soon be able to get pregnancy tests at school health centers. The clinics, which are in the village’s elementary, middle and high schools, will offer both pregnancy and STD tests, as well as offer counseling and referrals to students who test positive for pregnancy or infection. The clinics are run by Open Door Family Medical Centers and Port Chester is the only school district in Westchester County to host the clinics. Currently, the federally funded program gives immunizations and physicals, as well as mental, vision and hearing screenings. In addition to offering pregnancy and … Continue reading →

Teen Pregnancy on the Rise

Posted on July 20, 2009 by Kim Neyer

Teen pregnancy rates rose in 2006 and 2007 after steadily declining between 1991 and 2005, according to a report released on Thursday by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some experts say that teens are less educated about pregnancy prevention today than before due to an increase in abstinence education in schools. They say abstinence education has led to a rise in teen pregnancy because teens will have sex anyway and are becoming pregnant for lack of knowledge. I don’t believe this is true. According to this logic, not teaching teens about sex would prevent them from having … Continue reading →

Health Risks Related to Teen Pregnancy

Posted on January 19, 2009 by Pattie Hughes

Teen pregnancy continues to be a problem around the world, despite lower teen pregnancy rates. There are health risks specific to teen pregnancy that pregnant teens and parents should discuss with the doctor or midwife. In addition, teen mothers need to be educated about the risks and the importance of nutrition and prenatal care. According to the March of Dimes, teens are at a higher risk of preterm birth, compared to older mothers. The March of Dimes reports that between the years of 2002 to 2004, the preterm birth rate for women 20-29 years old was 11.7 percent. For women … Continue reading →

Epilepsy in Pregnancy

Posted on July 27, 2008 by Pattie Hughes

In past generations, women with epilepsy were often warned against having babies. This is no longer the case. The way in which women react to pregnancy varies widely and this is difficult to predict prior to pregnancy. A small number will have fewer seizures during pregnancy. Others will have more. For the rest, the condition remains about the same. While the vast majority of pregnant women with epilepsy will go on to have perfectly healthy babies, there are some risks. The best way to ensure the best possible scenario for your baby is to get comprehensive medical care before and … Continue reading →

Will My Child Succeed?

Posted on June 7, 2011 by Carol Paxman

Seems that there is more than enough guilt to go around these days but single parents get an extra helping. I’ve read study after study that says because my daughter is growing up in a single parent home she is at risk. Statistics show that children of divorce are more likely to drop out of high school, get pregnant before they are 18 or be “idle” after high school. A large majority of Hailey’s friends are from single parent homes. Most of them are not pregnant, some of them are, or already have children. Some of her friends from intact … Continue reading →

16 and Pregnant

Posted on July 6, 2009 by Kim Neyer

MTV’s 16 and Pregnant is a new show that follows the life of a teen throughout her pregnancy. Each episode depicts a different teen’s trials of dealing with relationships, high school, parents, jobs and becoming a parent. The show seems fairly accurate in documenting the problems that teen moms face. Many of the girls end up dropping out of high school or switching to an alternative high school because of the pressures they face from other students and struggling to make ends meet. They are oftentimes fighting an uphill battle to balance work, school and their new family. They are … Continue reading →