Teen pregnancy comes with a host of challenges (emotional, physical, financial and social), What are some of these that other young people should understand?
JV: Teen pregnancy changes family dynamics because parents have to confront the fact that their child is sexually active. Emotionally, adolescent girls are going through major hormonal changes and there is an even bigger hormonal flux when that is paired with pregnancy. Socially, they may become part of the gossip ring at their school. A teen mother's life drastically changes, and her relationships with her girlfriends may suffer. The financial burden is huge, with the cost of raising a baby estimated at $11,000 in the first year alone.*

* http://www.teenageparent.org/

JC: Parents need to accept the fact that their children may become sexually active and they need to educate them about contraception. There is no evidence that providing birth control means your teen will become sexually active. It is downright dangerous to only teach abstinence. It is more important to teach them to delay the initiation of sexual activity and about contraception. A teen needs to know what to do if they get into a situation where sex is an option.

JC: Having open communication with a teenager about issues around sex and relationships, very early on in the teenage years, is important. And because teens don't always want to talk to their parents about these issues, I think it's really important for teens to have doctors they can talk to about these issues in a safe and confidential way.

What impact will glorified media attention have on teens' perception of teen pregnancy?
JC: If she acts excited about the pregnancy, it glosses over how hard it is for teen mothers to handle all aspects of teen pregnancy. They get thrown into adulthood before they are ready for it. If she projects the message that this is exciting and normal to have a boyfriend, fall in love and have a baby at her age, we don't want other girls to follow in her footsteps. The only way she can remain a positive role model is if she comes out to support teen contraception.

SF: She could also be a role model to other teenagers who become pregnant if she is a responsible parent.

What are some of the most common misconceptions about teen pregnancy?
JC: Many adults think teens get pregnant to get public funds and they are lazy or taking the easy road out, and that's hardly the case with any of these kids. Teens think that they won't get pregnant the first time they have sex or it's difficult to get pregnant. Some girls also think having a baby will help cement their relationship with their boyfriend or be a source of unconditional love.

Contact:
Jamie Newton
617-919-3110
james.newton@childrens.harvard.edu

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