Teen Pregnancy - is it really the problem?

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Mystic_of_God

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It seems to me that teen pregnancy is being made more of than it actually is.

Granted, the parties involved should not be having sex, but it seems that liberals are just using teen pregnancy as a platform to advocate sex ed, contraception, and abortion. It looks like, to me, that the real problem is that teens are having sex, not that teens are getting pregnant.

There is nothing, extrinsically or intrinsically, evil about teen pregnancy, really, in my estimation. You may argue that the responsibility comes too soon, but isn’t it like the weight of the world, even if it comes when and where it is socially acceptable?

There is, however, something gravely wrong with teen sex. It is socially and morally unacceptable.

So where is the problem? It doesn’t seem to be with pregnancy.

(I just hope that I haven’t sent the mods to forum admin purgatory) 🙂
 
i agree with you, but i also think the main cause of teens having sex(and i think it’s obvious) is the enormous amount of sex plastered everywhere, schools, tv, internet, books, magazines,
i think it’s clear right now that there’s no way we can get rid of all this impurity everywhere, it’s something i think only God can make happen, of course we need to pray, but i mean, i don’t see a big change like that happening without God taking extreme actions to do so.

i mean like, if you tell anyone on the street right now what you’re views on sex are, they might just think your crazy,
i think if anythings going to change, it’s gotta be God that changes it.
and when i say change, i don’t mean peoples sins, i’m talking about sex being advertised and taught everywhere the way it is,
although people should be admonished of their sins, but ultimately that’s between them and God.

ok i guess i’m done…
 
Interesting. You’re probably right: the late teen years are very good years physically to have children.

The problem is meeting the cost of child support.

Feminists also dislike teen pregnancy because it may well mean there are a few fewer females going to college, etc., etc. This said, I’ve met many women in their teens and twenties who really like and want to not have to go into the workforce.
 
The real problem is when two unmarried people have sex regardless of their age. It’s defined as fornication and it is condemned by God. Remember that our Blessed Mother was a teenager when she gave birth to Our Lord. So God does not see the age of a person who is pregnant but He does see her morals and how she got that way…teachccd
 
of course.

Teen pregnancy rate was much higher in the past.

Because, many people married and started families right out of high school.

It’s not the unmarried pregnancy rate, not the teen part.

As far as unmarried pregnancy, this is a great tragedy because the child is deprived of the protections of the sacrament of marriage.
 
Maxply said:
Interesting. You’re probably right: the late teen years are very good years physically to have children.

The problem is meeting the cost of child support.

Feminists also dislike teen pregnancy because it may well mean there are a few fewer females going to college, etc., etc. This said, I’ve met many women in their teens and twenties who really like and want to not have to go into the workforce.
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Actually the teens are five to twenty times more dangerous than the twenties for childbearing, one-and-a-half times more dangerous and only about a fifth as fertile with all socioeconomic, lifestyle and other factors equalized. The 20’s are the time to have kids.
College has nothing to do with it. Colleges have day cares and they are packed. And lots of students are part-time, working, married, over 30, under 17…it’s flexible these days.
People fear teen pregnancy because they don’t want to support a high-risk pregnancy and birth to a mother who isn’t physically ready for it and then support a premie and then support the single mother and her brood while she works on her GED; they also don’t want teenage girls marrying the first man who asks because men who hang around 15-year-old girls saying, “When are you going to turn 16?” don’t tend to be good family-making prospects.
But imagine a world where girls and boys spend 8th through tenth grades learning to identify a good spouse, eleventh and twelfth grades looking seriously for someone they can build a home with, and their two years of college engaged; they would graduate with good voc/professional certificates, get married at 20, and have their first at 21 when it’s relatively easy. Abstinence then would mean just until you’re about 20. Anyone could handle that.
 
Teen pregnancy is the symptom of deep problems. Remember, the cultural norm for many centuries was for people to marry and bear children in their teens. Teen sex and hence teen pregnancy in our culture is the result of, among other things, a failure to cherish our daughters, the exploitation of young girls by older men, and the looking for love, validation, and security by girls who are emotionally shattered. By no means is this list exhaustive. So, I would say that teen pregnancy per se is not the problem.
 
I’m having a little trouble with the significance of the title question…it follows that teen pregnancy is a result of teen sex…so…yes, it’s teen sex that is the root of teen pregnancy.

And…teen pregnancy is problematic, not only because most teens are ill-equipped and not prepared for marriage and child rearing.
 
strngrnrth said:
Actually the teens are five to twenty times more dangerous than the twenties for childbearing, one-and-a-half times more dangerous and only about a fifth as fertile with all socioeconomic, lifestyle and other factors equalized. The 20’s are the time to have kids.
College has nothing to do with it. Colleges have day cares and they are packed. And lots of students are part-time, working, married, over 30, under 17…it’s flexible these days.
People fear teen pregnancy because they don’t want to support a high-risk pregnancy and birth to a mother who isn’t physically ready for it and then support a premie and then support the single mother and her brood while she works on her GED; they also don’t want teenage girls marrying the first man who asks because men who hang around 15-year-old girls saying, “When are you going to turn 16?” don’t tend to be good family-making prospects.
But imagine a world where girls and boys spend 8th through tenth grades learning to identify a good spouse, eleventh and twelfth grades looking seriously for someone they can build a home with, and their two years of college engaged; they would graduate with good voc/professional certificates, get married at 20, and have their first at 21 when it’s relatively easy. Abstinence then would mean just until you’re about 20. Anyone could handle that.
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Oh, is that really the reason? Pardon me, but it seems that if parents fail to educate their child in sex and marriage, which has been the time-honored custom, then pregnancy seems to be the “punishment” that fits the crime. Mind you, it isn’t really a punishment.

Anyways, when have you heard of girls getting married at 16? If it has happened, it’s very rare. Moreover,(Heck, who gets a measly two years of college education? I’m a guy looking at a bachelor’s degree in computer science, and another year to get certified in something) If you think that I advocate teen marriage, then you are gravely mistaken.
I’m focusing on teens who have illicit sex and get pregnant. I’m pointing out that teen sex is the problem, not teen pregnancy, that there is nothing wrong with teen pregnancy. I do, however, realize that, given the relative emotional immaturity, teen mothers need guidance, but hardly more than what is necessary otherwise.

My main point is that those who advocate abortion, sex ed (the Planned Parenthood type of sex ed, anyway), etc attempt to change the focus from sex to pregnancy, and thus, weaken and strengthen their argument all at once. They have constructed an emotional screen without logical basis, implying with their propaganda (y’know “Stop Teen Pregnancy” and all that nonsense) that teen pregnancy is bad, and not explaining why beyond the old “They aren’t ready”, which is hardly grounded in proven fact, or logical explanation. You might even argue that the father in this instance my come to realize the meaning of responsibility, and the mother may be less inclined to violence. (yes, girls can and do play dirty) I’m not going to open that can of worms, because I have nothing with which to support that premise.

The other subject you bring up is sex ed. Reading your post, it’s hard to tell if you support it or not. Your post implies that you support it.

The only thing I will say on the subject, is that sex ed is one of those things. If Catholic schools will provide good sex ed in alignment with the teachings of the church, then great. But such a solution in public schools is not likely. In fact, any solution that pleases everyone is just flat impossible. I have believed for a long time that parents should always educate their children in such matters, because it seems to be the only practical solution. In any case, there is no incentive for schools to provide sex ed because, teen pregnancy is not a problem.

It’s that simple
 
Newbie2 said:
I’m having a little trouble with the significance of the title question…it follows that teen pregnancy is a result of teen sex…so…yes, it’s teen sex that is the root of teen pregnancy.

And…teen pregnancy is problematic, not only because most teens are ill-equipped and not prepared for marriage and child rearing.
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That is not the point. Arrrgh! Please explain your facts.

And don’t give me that stupid argument about “Not ready”. I have yet to see that argument’s basis in fact. The fact is, pregnancy in general is good, children in any station of life are a blessing, and, when all is said and done, new life is always worth the cost.

Just tell me why teen pregnancy is bad.
 
Mystic_of_God said:
Anyways, when have you heard of girls getting married at 16? If it has happened, it’s very rare. It happens often. Most people who worry about teen pregnancy are concerned about the health and economic aspects. Marriage would do a lot to defray the economic aspect and would make abstinence easier. However, I wanted to point out that marriage at 16 is not good because of the remaining health issues and the relative unlikelihood of a good marriage when it is rushed like that.Moreover,(Heck, who gets a measly two years of college education? I’m a guy looking at a bachelor’s degree in computer science, and another year to get certified in something) The average American has two years of college.If you think that I advocate teen marriage, then you are gravely mistaken.
I’m focusing on teens who have illicit sex and get pregnant. I’m pointing out that teen sex is the problem, not teen pregnancy, that there is nothing wrong with teen pregnancy.I believe that teen sex is bad, teen pregnancy is worse, and poor, medically undersupported teen pregnancy is even worse yet. I’m not for birth control but for diversion of teenage loneliness from peer pressure to be promiscuous, into learning how to choose a good husband or wife. Not getting married yet, but burning that energy learning and preparing for the future. My main point is that those who advocate abortion, sex ed (the Planned Parenthood type of sex ed, anyway), etc attempt to change the focus from sex to pregnancy, and thus, weaken and strengthen their argument all at once. They have constructed an emotional screen without logical basis, implying with their propaganda (y’know “Stop Teen Pregnancy” and all that nonsense) that teen pregnancy is bad, and not explaining why beyond the old “They aren’t ready”, which is hardly grounded in proven fact, or logical explanation. You might even argue that the father in this instance my come to realize the meaning of responsibility, and the mother may be less inclined to violence. (yes, girls can and do play dirty) I’m not going to open that can of worms, because I have nothing with which to support that premise.I want to narrow down what is really wrong with teen pregnancy and address those issues rather than pretend handing out BC would solve it. That’s why I advocate abstinence with a defined goal: marriage for those who want it. Not nebulously too far away to imagine, but within view, the purpose of the learning they do.

The other subject you bring up is sex ed. Reading your post, it’s hard to tell if you support it or not. Your post implies that you support it.
I support abstinence/self respect/ self defense training along with character judgement education at home and maybe even in school and mass media so they will have enough knowledge to begin dating intelligently.
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Pregnancy is not a disease, and lasts only nine months. It’s survivable. Just ask your wives and mothers. But STD’s are forever.
 
To make my position perfectly clear:
How I believe it was in most of human history – The records show that women had their first children at widely varying ages, and historians mostly say that is because they had widely varying circumstances. Some needed to provide an heir for a dying or endangered husband, some needed to wait out a famine or war before trying to have children – age was just one factor. Many died in childbirth and that was terrible and tragic.
What I believe most women actually want – polls on this forum have given me a rough idea that most women prefer marrying at about 22 and having about four or five kids, starting at about 23. This jibes (yes, jibes) with biology: It is good for most women physically to have children between ages 21 and 24, and to have about three or four. It is good for the woman to have them about four years apart. The thing is, four year gaps times four kids doesn’t equal the difference between 21 and 24. It equals a year for the first one, then 12 years, so 13 years. The danger in pregnancy and childbirth is far greater all else being equal before 21 and after 24. Before 20 or after 28 or so it’s dangerous, not good for the woman, physically, and after 38 or before 16 it’s very dangerous indeed. So to fit 13 years in with minimal overlap with the dangerous years, and close as possible to what women actually want, means making the gap slightly smaller, three years average, then having the first at 21, the last at 30. That might just make the average woman happy and allow her to be healthy as well, and have healthy children. It’s a compromise between nature’s different conflicting requirements. It also seems to be the norm to which people have drifted in history whenever circumstances allowed.
What I think is stopping most women from doing what most of them seem to want – A woman instinctively knows she will be economically vulnerable when her oldest is just a little too young to be left in charge of the others. Historically this means when the oldest is about six or seven. Mom would then be about 27 or 28. She needs her husband to be strong at that time. But he is at his strongest at 30 to 32. This means she needs a husband three to four years older than she is. If she is to be married at 20 he will be 23 or 24 at that age. He should be a virgin. So should she, of course. Problem is, a male generally has sexual urges at 13 or 14, and they are very strong by the time he is 18 or 19. How to keep the girls confident enough to say no and the boys focusing their energy somewhere constructive until they are 23? And, how to give young people in today’s economy skills that will support a family before age 20? And, how to help young people choose the right person in a culture that stunts emotional development and isolates people so we hardly know anything about anyone’s character? The problem can be solved if we address it.
A possible way we could help the young – Send a message that it is acceptable to be married young, whereas it is unacceptable to have premarital sex regardless of age, and then provide the youth with the educationt hey really need: For both sexes, abstinence training that takes reality into account – the reality that it’s a battlefield out there and slogans don’t work when someone whose opinion you care about won’t stop trying to wear you down, etc. Training must include verbal, social, psychological, legal and even physical self-defense. For girls, the information that men are very different and that they will not change for the better after marriage. Tips on evaluating and choosing one. The fact that you don’t have to be married but if you don’t marry you shouldn’t have sex. For boys, all this as it applies but also a focus on preparation to be fathers one day when they are married, and a visible, tangible link between abstinence today and fatherhood later, with a clear vision that they will be looking for wives soon. Young men are capable of feats of self-control when the goal is visible.
I don’t know what else will work. Just addressing part of it won’t help. It needs to be comprehensive.
 
Mystic_of_God said:
It seems to me that teen pregnancy is being made more of than it actually is.

Granted, the parties involved should not be having sex, but it seems that liberals are just using teen pregnancy as a platform to advocate sex ed, contraception, and abortion. It looks like, to me, that the real problem is that teens are having sex, not that teens are getting pregnant.

There is nothing, extrinsically or intrinsically, evil about teen pregnancy, really, in my estimation. You may argue that the responsibility comes too soon, but isn’t it like the weight of the world, even if it comes when and where it is socially acceptable?

There is, however, something gravely wrong with teen sex. It is socially and morally unacceptable.

So where is the problem? It doesn’t seem to be with pregnancy.

(I just hope that I haven’t sent the mods to forum admin purgatory) 🙂
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I think teen sex is a problem and teen pregnancy is a problem. Both are really big problems. Whether we see it as a lesser evil than abortion its a fact that many teen moms end up in social problems, they have problem finding good spouses, many get poorly educated, end up social loosers and their children grow up in confused homes where they are effected in bad ways. A woman who is single and raising a kid will often also feel alone and stigmatized.
teen-pregnancy needs to be prevented for its own sake and so does sexual activity among young people… and first and foremost the mentality that is the foundation of both problems.
 
The “me” society is to blame.

Not living for God and living in obedience to God. Living as if “your” happiness is the most important thing is the problem. It’s a learned behavior.
 
My quote: " I’m having a little trouble with the significance of the title question…it follows that teen pregnancy is a result of teen sex…so…yes, it’s teen sex that is the root of teen pregnancy.

And…teen pregnancy is problematic, not only because most teens are ill-equipped and not prepared for marriage and child rearing."
Mystic_of_God said:
That is not the point. Arrrgh! Please explain your facts.

And don’t give me that stupid argument about “Not ready”. I have yet to see that argument’s basis in fact. The fact is, pregnancy in general is good, children in any station of life are a blessing, and, when all is said and done, new life is always worth the cost.

Just tell me why teen pregnancy is bad.
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:confused:

Which facts need explaining? That teen pregnancy is only possible with teen sex? Or that teens are ill-equipped for child rearing? I’ll assume the latter:
  1. I’m making the assumption that we’re discussing unmarried teens becoming pregnant. If you need explanation as to why this is problematic…well…it should be obvious.
  2. I didn’t challenge your OP with assertions that your question or opinon was “stupid”. I would appreciate the same consideration.
That being said, I’ll defend teens not being ready for rearing children:

First, are they really ready for marriage? Emotional maturity-wise, I’ve yet to meet a teen who is. Yep, I know in times past the age of marriage was significantly lower than it is now, but I have a difficult time accepting that there are more than a very few teens who are emotionally ready to make such a life-long commitment.

Second, financial considerations are not a small matter. How can teens afford to raise a child/children on minimum wage jobs? Again, there are those who have the chops to make a decent living, but they are very, very few and far between.

I’m not arguing that a new life is bad, quite to the contrary. My position and I’d wager the position of most on this forum is that the best situation for rearing a child is with two caring, committed spouses who are in a position to provide the emotional, spiritual and financial support that it takes to raise a child in these times.

However, a vast majority of teen pregnancies happen out of wedlock, and a significant number of them end in abortion. I don’t have research results to back that us readily at hand, but c’mon…do you really need a study to “prove” that this is the case?

Back to the original question…what are you*** really ***asking? That new life, regardless of the circumstances of the parents is good or not? I’m afraid I still don’t quite completely understand.
 
Newbie2 said:
Which facts need explaining? That teen pregnancy is only possible with teen sex? Or that teens are ill-equipped for child rearing? I’ll assume the latter:
  1. I’m making the assumption that we’re discussing unmarried teens becoming pregnant. If you need explanation as to why this is problematic…well…it should be obvious.
  2. I didn’t challenge your OP with assertions that your question or opinon was “stupid”. I would appreciate the same consideration.
That being said, I’ll defend teens not being ready for rearing children:

First, are they really ready for marriage? Emotional maturity-wise, I’ve yet to meet a teen who is. Yep, I know in times past the age of marriage was significantly lower than it is now, but I have a difficult time accepting that there are more than a very few teens who are emotionally ready to make such a life-long commitment.

Second, financial considerations are not a small matter. How can teens afford to raise a child/children on minimum wage jobs? Again, there are those who have the chops to make a decent living, but they are very, very few and far between.

I’m not arguing that a new life is bad, quite to the contrary. My position and I’d wager the position of most on this forum is that the best situation for rearing a child is with two caring, committed spouses who are in a position to provide the emotional, spiritual and financial support that it takes to raise a child in these times.

However, a vast majority of teen pregnancies happen out of wedlock, and a significant number of them end in abortion. I don’t have research results to back that us readily at hand, but c’mon…do you really need a study to “prove” that this is the case?

Back to the original question…what are you*** really ***asking? That new life, regardless of the circumstances of the parents is good or not? I’m afraid I still don’t quite completely understand.
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Ok, sorry for getting all huffy, and acting like you’re stupid :o .

First point: I’m not talking about teen marriage.

Second point: Finances are a problem? Really? Think about it. Almost every parent there is can support an infant for a few years, until the mother is on her feet. What’s more, today, things are workable with careers and so forth. Single mothers are all over the place.

Third point: I am not insinuating that fornication in any case is ever right.

Fourth point: Abortion has nothing to do with the original point.

Let me clarify:

Teen Pregnancy is a made-up problem.

Teen Sex is a real problem, and a rather large one, at that.

Pregnancy is NOT sex.

Pregnancy may be a symptom of a problem, but it, in itself, is not wrong. There is nothing, and I mean NOTHING, wrong with teen pregnancy, intrinsically or extrinsically
Where did this made-up idea come from? Probably from people trying to change the focus from sex to pregnancy, so they can forward their abortion/sex ed agenda. We can’t combat them on how to prevent teen pregnancy, because that isn’t fair ground. This is a situation which is ideal for them.
 
Newbie2 said:
I’m having a little trouble with the significance of the title question…it follows that teen pregnancy is a result of teen sex…so…yes, it’s teen sex that is the root of teen pregnancy.

And…teen pregnancy is problematic, not only because most teens are ill-equipped and not prepared for marriage and child rearing.
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Not only that, one in every four teens has an STD of one form or another, something unheard of in previous generations. Some STDs make it impossible for women (and men) to have children.
 
The question is, why are these children having sex at such a young age. I think that the media and television and acceptance are some of the problems. But, I have seen a bigger issue with all of this first hand. I work at a health clinic and get to see first hand some of these children coming in for help… I am just a receptionist but I know what these children are looking for. They are mostly looking for love. Unfortunately, it is in the form of sex. They are lonely, and confused. Most of the parents are working two jobs to support these kids who are on the streets. They have no guidance. I am not blaming the parents for this at all. With today’s economic situation, it is hard for a parent to know what their children are doing 24-7 as they have to work just to put food on the table. So what is the solution to all of this? I don’t know! But, I do know that it needs to change.
 
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