Teen Pregnancy Reaches Its Peak

Teen pregnancy at highest since 1980s, is the media to blame?

Despite continuous efforts to promote abstinence amongst adolescents, more teens are becoming parents. Nearly two years after the 2008 “pregnancy pact” scandal in Gloucester, Massachusetts, teen pregnancy is now on the rise; this according to the Guttmacher Institute. Guttmacher, a non-profit organization dedicated to research on sexual and reproductive health; released their yearly reports early last week concluded that the rise of teen pregnancies in the nation are at is peak since the 1980s.

The media’s infatuation with pregnancy is almost certain to blame according to numerous reports. With the success of MTV show “16 and Pregnant” and its spinoff series “Teen Mom”, ABC Family’s “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” and the attention of young mothers (i.e. Jaime Lynn Spears and Bristol Palin) it sort of becomes a trend amongst adolescents, especially when their peers are becoming celebrities. Almost two years since their graduation at the Snowden International School in Boston, Alejandra Velázquez and Anna Anderson both 19, are now teen mothers and join the statistics. Both nursing newborns (Jan. 15 & Jan. 24), the two have yet to experience the trials and tribulations of motherhood. “I don’t watch T.V. really,” Velasquez says. “Becoming pregnant wasn’t something I tried to do ‘cause everybody else is doing it. It’s not cool. I’m struggling and my son is not even a week old yet”

Just last week, the L.A. Times published a story revealing that the nationwide percentage of teen pregnancies increased by about 3%, resulting in an estimate of 72 pregnancies per 1,000 girls between the ages of 15 and 19. Just four years ago, it was about 68 per 1,000. It also reported that this rise coincides with the decline in the 1990s. In the 90’s most programs that emphasized on teen parenthood, viewed a negative light, versus a happy ending or becoming a nationwide celebrity like today. “To be honest, I wasn’t happy or sad when I found out I was having a baby” Anderson reveals. “Nobody really makes a big deal about teen mom’s anymore cause so many girls are mothers and are teens.

Most teens that are experiencing motherhood may have their reasons to why or how they became pregnant if any reason at all. Most on the other hand probably won’t realize the real reason until they mature, become full adults and have time to analyze it all. “We all do watch those shows but it hasn’t made an affect on me, maybe my on friends it has.” Anderson says. “I think they’re trying to teach abstinence but some girls might think its cool because they might get a chance to be on T.V.” She continues. The media’s attention on teen motherhood purpose is to educate the youth into abstinence but it seems to be backfiring. According to Anderson “We all do watch those shows but it hasn’t made an affect on me, maybe my on friends it has.” Perhaps it does, since many teens today see pregnancy more as a reward then the creation of a life.