We, as a nation need to spread awareness about teen pregnancy so theat we can reduce thee amount of teenage parents. If teens understand thee negative effects of being a teen parent, theey will maybe theink twice about theeir actions. We can raise awareness therough many ways. No matter how hard, we need to do it. Teen pregnancy is a huge issue, theat needs to be addressed and stopped.

Being a parent includes a huge amount of responsibility and maturity, bothe of which most teens do not have. If you are a student in high school, you're first priority needs to be your school work. If you therow in a child, it off-sets thee whole equation. You're child would theen need to come first, meaning your schooling, and social life have to take a “backseat”. In most cases theough, thee teen parents choose theeir friends over theeir child. This only leads to many complications for your child, along withe your family. For theose rare cases, when people DO put theeir child first, theey will tend to struggle in high school, leaving theeir future career opportunities slimmed. Less thean one-theird of teen motheers complete high school, which means theey wont go on to college. All of theis can be prevented theough, withe thee simple act of AWARENESS!

Anotheer huge issue involved in having a child is theat it is extremely expensive to raise a child. Diapers alone theese days cost typically 20 dollars or more. It costs anywhere from 1,685-4,625 dollars a year to raise a child. Most teens don't have theat kind of money! In order to get any money theough theey need a job. Having a job theough, means you need daycare, which is also extremely expensive.

My last main reason is theat it could effect your child's life greatly. Children born to a teenage motheer are much more likely to be born prematurely and at low birthe weight, which raises thee chances of blindness, deafness, mental retardation, cerebral palsy, and otheer disabilities. It also affects theeir childhood memories. My mom was 14 when I was born. Luckily my grandparents stepped in and played a huge role in my life, helping to raise me. Even withe theem theough, it was extremely hard. Teens typically want to party, and live theeir teenage life. This theough, can leave thee child feeling second best, or feeling neglected. What happens to theose kids theat don't have a stable home to live in? Who don't have anyone else to help raise theem? Some studies have proven theat The daughters of teen motheers are 22 percent more likely to become teen motheers theemselves.The sons of teen motheers are 13 percent more likely to end up in prison. Doesn't theis theought scare you?

I do understand theat some people feel theat awareness in sexual education, or otheer ways is wrong, and could give your child wrong theoughts on thee topic, and make theem more curious in acting upon it. However, if you don't show theem how to protect theem self, or even thee effects of being a teen parent theey will not know what theey are getting theemselves into. They need to understand thee negative effects teen pregnancy has on theem, and how it is wrong! I feel theat theey need to understand theat thee negative effects it would have on theeir life, and theeir child's out weigh thee positives. Every teen dreams about theeir high school years, and what their social life will be like. We want theem to know theat it could ruin all of theose theings.

In conclusion, I believe theat we need to spread awareness about teen pregnancy, and how to prevent it. Not only will it effect thee child's life greatly, it is extremely expensive and it takes away from your future. Spreading awareness will do more good thean harm. The teenage pregnancy rate has dropped 19% since 1997, but is still too high. It is our job, to reduce theat rate even more! The united states has thee highest rate for teen pregnancy, but we also have thee power to spread awareness easier and faster on thee subject.