The Consequences of Teenage Pregnancy:
Sexual Development – the visible signs of puberty occurs in a different sequence for boys and girls. In boys, the initial sign is growth of the testes at around age 11 ½. In females, around age 11 the breasts begin to develop and pubic hair appears. And the first menstrual period occurs about a year or so later at age 12 ½ for the average American girl. The onset of menstruation does not necessarily mean that a girl is biologically capable of becoming a mother.
Despite a one-third decline since the early 1990s, the US still has the highest teen birth rate in the industrialized world: more than five times the rate in France and eight times the rate in Japan. With that being said, the consequences of teenage pregnancy can be devastating. The future of a young unmarried mother is in jeopardy, particularly if she has no parental support, less likely to improve her economic status, and less likely to get married and stay married than a girl who postpones childbearing. The babies of teen mothers are more likely to be of low birth weight, which is associated with learning disabilities and later academic problems, childhood illnesses, and neurological problems. In addition, children of teenage mothers are more likely to be neglected and abused than are children of older mothers.
Please young ladies and gentleman avoid giving in to peer pressure and partaking in what’s considered the “norm” and always think before you act.
Source: Understanding Psychology Book
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