There are so many problems that teens have to encounter these days, however one of the biggest problems is teen pregnancy. Being a teenage parent is a very stressful and exhausting life style where responsibility is key. Also, a common misconception is that only the teenage parents are affected by the pregnancy, but the whole situation really dies take a big toll on the families of teen parents and the baby.
The pregnant teenage girl is the one who is the most affected by the pregnancy, obviously. Unless she were to get an abortion, high school would become very difficult and most pregnant teens have to go on independent study, or even completely drop out of school. If she chooses to keep the baby, then she will have to mature rapidly and gain more responsibility. I have had two friends in the past year who have gotten pregnant and they had to miss out on so many of the things that girls look forward to in high school. They also had major self esteem issues after having the baby because their bodies changed so dramatically.
Teenage pregnancies affect much more then just the teenage parents. All the family that surrounds the teen parents will be affected as well. The family is most likely going to have to help the teenagers raise the baby, since the teens are not going to be fit to raise the baby on their own. It would be both emotionally and physically draining for the entire family to have to support someone else. When worst comes to worst, the teenager's parents are left to raise and care for their grandchild, while their child is out partying with friends. It is really a huge responsibility to take on.
Finally, the baby itself is affected by being born to a teenage mother. A majority of teens sadly choose to get an abortion, but the few girl who choose to keep the baby have to make sure they care for the baby properly. Sometimes the babies are born into a household suffering from financial problems and may not receive the care a baby should get while growing up. Others may choose to give the baby up for adoption so that they can have a health and happy life growing up. If the baby is born into a stable and functional family, however, then they will grow up to be happy and healthy. Either way, teens should never become parents, because they are simply not mature enough to support a baby.
Having a baby, especially as a teenager, is always a huge responsibility. Sadly, many teens do things today without thinking about the consequences, so many are getting pregnant. Only one of my friends has given birth to her baby, and while she loves him with all her heart, she wishes that she had never made the decisions that got her to pregnant. We can only hope that all the babies born to teen parents will have happy and healthy lives.
