PSY FPX 7230 Assessment 3 Teenage Pregnancy 

Teenage Pregnancy

Motherhood is the central accomplishment of a woman’s life, in which she succeeds in having maternal competence, mature behavior, and positive maternal role identity. Effective preparation is highly required to perform the mother role successfully as well as adapt to becoming an adult. Nevertheless, increasing teen pregnancy is a matter of utmost concern everywhere (Mangeli et al., 2017).

Adolescence requires physical, psychological, social, and intellectual preparation for a successful transition to motherhood, which is not provided to teen mothers in all these areas. Adjustment to motherhood and adolescent responsibilities further complicates their problems. Socioeconomic limitations further complicate their transition to motherhood (Mangeli et al., 2017).

Teenage mothers come with a range of complications that are related to body, mind, society, and soul. These are in the form of always requiring support and guidance, being limited in taking decisions, not having proper mothering skills, and vulnerability to pregnancy and childbirth complications (Mangeli et al., 2017).

Adolescent Pregnancy Complications

Adolescent pregnancy has been linked with higher risks, including low birth weight, preterm delivery, and infant death. Although biological immaturity has been attributed to these by some, others attribute them to socio-economic conditions to a great extent (Restrepo-Méndez et al., 2011).

Moreover, teenagers will be at greater risk of requiring a cesarean delivery due to underdevelopment of the pelvis, with longer recovery times and higher rates of anemia, which indirectly affect birth outcome and maternal psychological status (Restrepo-Méndez et al., 2011).

Challenges of Adolescent Motherhood

The postpartum period also has other challenges for teen mothers. They feel a sense of being caught between two worlds, social isolation, and discrepancy between expectation and reality (Devito, 2010).

Causes of Teenage Pregnancy

Multiple factors are involved in adolescent pregnancy, such as family history, early sexual activity initiation, personal goals, and sexual abuse experience. Teenagers with unstable home lives may be looking for intimacy elsewhere and thus are at risk of pregnancy (Domenico & Jones, 2007).

Best Practices in Prevention

Successful sexuality education can postpone sexual initiation and clear up myths about sexuality. Programs, however, must involve young people in producing knowledge and solving problems pertinent to their lives instead of focusing on transmitting information (Boonstra, 2015).

Peer-based programs that include environmental factors and stress the unacceptability of adolescent pregnancy can empower teens to make healthier decisions while building their individual skills (Hendricks & Wood, 2017).

Conclusion

Teenage pregnancy is a multifaceted problem that calls for multi-dimensional approaches to prevention and management. Effective interventions must tackle socio-economic factors, provide comprehensive sexuality education, and allow adolescents to make informed choices regarding their sexual lives (Mangeli et al., 2017).

PSY FPX 7230 Assessment 3 Teenage Pregnancy

Dangal, G. (2006). An update on teenage pregnancy. Internet Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 5(1).

Devito, J. (2010). How adolescent mothers feel about becoming a parent. The Journal of Perinatal Education, 19(2), 25–34. doi:10.1624/105812410X495523

Domenico, D. M., & Jones, K. H. (2007). Adolescent pregnancy in America: Causes and responses. Journal for Vocational Special Needs Education, 30(1), 4-12.

Farber, N. (2003). Adolescent pregnancy: Policy and prevention services. New York: Springer.

Hendricks, F., & Wood, L. (2017). An alternative approach to a complex issue: youth-designed strategies for the prevention of teenage pregnancy in schools. Perspectives in Education, 35(1), 40-53.

Mangeli, M., Rayyani, M., Cheraghi, M. A., & Tirgari, B. (2017). Exploring the challenges of adolescent mothers from their life experiences in the transition to motherhood: A qualitative study. Journal of Family & Reproductive Health, 11(3), 165–173.

PSY FPX 7230 Assessment 3 Teenage Pregnancy 

Meade, C. S., & Ickovics, J. R. (2005). Systematic review of sexual risk among pregnant and mothering teens in the USA: Pregnancy as an opportunity for integrated prevention of STD and repeat pregnancy. Social Science & Medicine, 60, 661-678.

Restrepo-Méndez, M. C., Barros, A. J. D., Santos, I. S., Menezes, A. M. B., Matijasevich, A., Barros, F. C., & Victora, C. G. (2011). Childbearing during adolescence and offspring mortality: Findings from three population-based cohorts in southern Brazil. BMC Public Health, 11(1), 781-781. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-11-781

Taylor, D., & James, E. A. (2011). An evidence‐based guideline for unintended pregnancy prevention. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing, 40(6), 782-793