Adolescent Pregnancy in America: Causes and Responses by Desirae M

4 Volume 30, Number 1, Fall 2007 Adolescent Pregnancy in America: Causes and Responses By Desirae M. Domenico, Ph.D. and Karen H. Jones, Ed.D. Abstract Introduction mothers did not graduate from Adolescent pregnancy has oc While slightly decreasing in high school. Less than one-third curred throughout America’s his rates in recent years, adolescent of adolescent females giving tory. Only in recent years has it pregnancy continues to be birth before age 18 ever complete been deemed an urgent crisis, as prevalent in the United States, high school, and the younger the more young adolescent mothers with nearly one million teenage pregnant adolescents are, the give birth outside of marriage. At- females becoming pregnant each less likely they are to complete risk circumstances associated year (Meade & Ickovics, 2005; high school (Brindis & Philliber, with adolescent pregnancy in National Campaign to Prevent 2003; Koshar, 2001). Nationally, clude medical and health compli Teen Pregnancy, 2003; Sarri & about 25% of adolescent moth cations, less schooling and higher Phillips, 2004). The country’s ers have a second baby within dropout rates, lower career aspi adolescent pregnancy rate re one year of their first baby, leav rations, and a life encircled by mains the highest among west ing the prospect of high school poverty. While legislation for ca ern industrialized nations, with graduation improbable. How reer and technical education has 4 of every 10 pregnancies occur ever, if a parenting female can focused attention on special ring in women younger than age delay a second pregnancy, she needs populations, the definition 20 (Dangal, 2006; Farber, 2003; becomes less at risk for dropping has been broadened to include SmithBattle, 2003; Spear, 2004). out of school and her chance of single parents. This article en Despite a 21% decline in the rate finishing high school increases compasses a brief history of ado of pregnancy among older ado (Kreinin, 1998). lescent pregnancy in America, lescents between ages 15 and Research reveals many ado factors influencing adolescent 19, nearly 12,000 adolescent fe lescent females become preg pregnancy, and the conse males under age 15 become nant intentionally because they quences associated with adoles pregnant each year (National see no other life goals within cent pregnancy. The conclusion Campaign to Prevent Teen Preg their reach (Winter, 1997). includes implications for educa nancy, 2003; Rothenberg & Plagued by poor school perfor tors, researchers, and practitioners. Weissman, 2002; Sexuality In mance and low self-esteem, they formation & Education Council of have no realistic expectations the United States [SIECUS], 2002). about education or occupations; Adolescent pregnancy and thus, pregnancy is viewed as an childbearing are national prob alternative path to economic in lems that affect the community dependence and adult status and society at large (Spear, (Brown & Barbosa, 2001; 2004). Adolescent mothers be Farber, 2003; Rothenberg & come economically dependent Weissman, 2002; Turner, 2004). due to their decreased educa Usually adolescents who become tional attainment, the decision teen mothers are already expe to keep and raise their children, riencing academic difficulties in subsequent high fertility rates, school, have low educational and greater occurrences of expectations, and are not confi single-parent families (Brindis & dent they will graduate from Philliber, 2003; Farber, 2003). high school, or are attempting Not only is adolescent pregnancy to escape abusive home situa economically costly, it poses tions (Coles, 2005; Koshar, various social consequences for 2001). Pursuing higher educa teen mothers. Pregnancy is one tion or a career is not reason of the reasons commonly cited ably within their reach, and they by female secondary students may experience feelings of hope for dropping out of high school lessness or helplessness regard (Brindis & Philliber, 2003). ing their future (Rothenberg & Rothenberg and Weissman Weissman, 2002). Coupled with (2002) found that 7 out of 10 fe a lack of positive role models and males who became adolescent impoverished living situations, The Journal for Vocational Special Needs Education 5 adolescent females decide to be witnessed a decline in premari secondary students have re come pregnant or they “drift” tal pregnancies, which was par ported being sexually active be into pregnancy, as this decision tially attributed to greater fore marriage (Center for Disease appears to be their best option church participation and more Control and Prevention [CDC], (Brindis & Philliber, 2003; emphasis on self-control and 2004; Santelli et al., 2004; Zero Rothenberg & Weissman, 2002; self-discipline (Farber, 2003). Population Growth, 1997). De Winter, 1997). It is equally im Even into the mid-twentieth spite high rates of adolescent portant to recognize that adoles century, one-fourth of all Ameri pregnancy, the majority of cent pregnancy can be a posi can women were mothers before American adults still believe tive life choice for females from age 20. However, almost all ado teens should not be sexually certain ethnic or social groups lescent mothers were married active, non-marital childbearing (Tripp & Viner, 2005). before the arrival of their babies, is unacceptable, and unwed or they succumbed to the pres adolescent mothers are viewed Adolescent Pregnancy sure to drop out of school to con in a negative manner (Hofferth in Early America ceal the pregnancy (Hofferth, et al., 2001; National Campaign While many Americans have Reid, & Mott, 2001; Hymowitz, to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, become increasingly concerned 1997; Luker, 1996). 2003; Zero Population Growth, with the problem of teenage If adolescent pregnancy and 1997). This position is substan pregnancy over the past three childbearing have been so com tiated by a recent study of ado decades, the truth is that teen mon throughout American his lescent females who reported age pregnancy has been a soci tory, why have these issues re having negative views toward etal concern for more than three ceived such mounting attention teen motherhood (Turner, 2004). and concern in recent years? centuries (Luker, 1996). In pre Factors Influencing vious centuries, adolescent Adolescent pregnancy and early pregnancy and the problems marriage among teenagers were Adolescent Pregnancy surrounding it were not specific more accepted in the 1950s be For years researchers have ex to any age group, but instead cause the young girl usually amined risk factors related to were treated as part of broader married the baby’s father to le adolescent pregnancy. Charac social issues. Only since the gitimize the birth (SmithBattle, teristics such as family struc 1970s has the issue of unwed 2003; Zero Population Growth, ture, age at first intercourse, motherhood become associated 1997). As long as the end result goals, and child sexual abuse with teenagers (Luker, 1996). of a premarital adolescent preg have been associated with ado Subsequently, teenage preg nancy was marriage, the issue lescent pregnancy (Farber, nancy has gripped the attention remained virtually invisible to soci 2003; McCullough & Scherman, of educators, policymakers, and ety (Farber, 2003; Furstenberg Jr., 1991; Stewart, 2003; Xie, the public, hence, being deemed 1991; Hymowitz, 1997). In fact, it Cairns, & Cairns, 2001). was not until the radical social an urgent crisis not only for the Family Structure young mother and her child, but changes of the 1960s that ado Family structure is considered for society as well (Farber, 2003; lescent pregnancy became a a major factor contributing to Furstenberg Jr., 1991; Manlove, more prominent and socially dis adolescent pregnancy and moth 1998; Spear, 2004). turbing trend (Cherry, Dillon, & erhood. Rosen (1997) found a In the Puritan communities Rugh, 2001). In the 1960s, ado growing number of American of early North America, it was lescents began having sexual adolescent females lived in rela not unusual for an adolescent intercourse at an earlier age and tively unstable family situations female to be a wife and mother rejected hasty marriages to le and many became sexually inti because she was considered to gitimize a birth, opting instead mate for a short-term sense of be mature. Throughout the co to remain in school (Furstenberg comfort. Parental rejection, or a lonial period, the incidence of Jr., 1991). The country saw a lack of warmth, affection, or young motherhood and of out- 50% increase in the birth rate love, also led adolescents to seek of-wedlock births posed an eco among unwed teenagers from relationships outside the family nomic burden on communities. 1960 to 1975, and the number to boost their self-esteem In both the Puritan and colonial of births to unmarried teenagers (McCullough & Scherman, 1991). times, young mothers were pun between ages 15 to 19 quadrupled However, strong family relation ished, hastily married off, and from 1960 to 1992 (Furstenberg Jr.; ships and two parent families considered immoral by the Hogan, Sun, & Cornwell, 2000). have been found to lower the church (Farber, 2003; Luker, Today, while premarital sex incidence of adolescent preg 1996). The nineteenth century is not condoned, nearly 47% of 6 Volume 30, Number 1, Fall 2007 nancy (Weisfeld & Woodward, culties in school, or they at over 65% of adolescent mothers 2004). Hymowitz (1997) claimed tempted to escape abusive home had babies by men who were

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