Teen Pregnancy.., How many agree it's stupid!! Options

[princess*missy]

Heey Ya'll.. Do any of you know someone trying to get pregnant? I do and personally I think it's stupid. She's 17 and still in school...she's already had one kid and she doesn't even have it... she couldn't afford to keep up with it... so why should she try to have another one.. it get on my nerves because all I hear from her is... I wanna get pregnant!! Her b/f is not all that great, he talks dirty to other girls (which is HER friends) and he asked her to get my number and take a pic of me because he wanted to talk to me to see what I looked like...

Is there anyone out there who know someone like this?

BTW- thanks for taking the time to read this!

[Cujiine]

Well that really only depends on the two people involved. There are two girls I know at my school who are 16 and 17 and they're both in the early stages of pregnancy but their bfs are going to stick by them and stuff cause thei're good guys.

[*Uronacid*]

In many cases, women who try to get pregnant on purpose are trying to control the people they are in a relationship with. People who do it on purpose aren't making very good decisions because they are bringing a child into an unhealthy environment. I think teen pregnancy is a bad idea, but I don't look down on teens who make a mistake and end up with children.

[Broken Wonderwal...]

It depends . Your friend doesn't sound very clever. I mean she wants to get pregnant although she probably knows that her bf is not gonna stand by her. I guess she thinks that a baby is like a toy and it's an easy thing to raise up a child. Trust me. IT'S NOT.
If she thinks that by having a baby she will be able to control the guy then sh'es mistaken.
Wel, actually i have a son and although i know i was too young to have him, things are getting a lot easier now.
Thus, I believe that if the girl knows beforehand that her bf won't support her, getting pregnant is a bad idea.

[multifaceted]

There was this girl in 6th grade that got pregnant by her boyfriend who was 20 and she had to leave school because she wanted to have the baby and the boyfriend was a released criminal for something and he went back to jail right after she got pregnant.

I don't know what happened to her but with that situation. That's stupid.

But what am I to judge? If you are responsible enough and able to take care the baby and get a job and be successful, then have a baby at whatever age you want to.

[me1issaaaa]

So, she's already had one, and doesn't even have it to call her own? And she thinks she can keep this one? How would this one be any different? It's your own personal choice when you want to have a child, so I am no one to judge, but... this kid isn't going to have a good home. Not how you want to have a family.

[elaboratedream]

I dont have anything against teenage girls who get pregnant because they made a mistake, or they tried to prevent it but it happened anyways... or things like that
but a 17 yr old who wants to get pregnant?? even though she knows she can't support a child?
Thats just irresponsible.
and I agree with Uronacid, she's prolly just trying to control her bf.
she prolly notices that he flirts with other girls and is in some way hoping that she can get his attention if she gets pregnant.

[unconfirmed_exis...]

I feel like I'm picking clothes here,

Hmmm should I go with irresponsible or unreasonable.
I think I'll go for both when it comes down
to a teenage girl that wants to be pregnant.
It's a parent's nightmare (for most parents)
and at a young age it's difficult to find a teenager mature
enough to handle all the duties of raising a child "well".

I don't know anyone like the girl you just mentioned
and in a way I'm somewhat glad because your
friend scares me a bit. I hope she knows what she's doing..

[mznikki]

In many cases, women who try to get pregnant on purpose are trying to control the people they are in a relationship with. People who do it on purpose aren't making very good decisions because they are bringing a child into an unhealthy environment. I think teen pregnancy is a bad idea, but I don't look down on teens who make a mistake and end up with children.

So, she's already had one, and doesn't even have it to call her own? And she thinks she can keep this one? How would this one be any different? It's your own personal choice when you want to have a child, so I am no one to judge, but... this kid isn't going to have a good home. Not how you want to have a family.

they've wrapped up what i was going to say
but to answer your question on if i know someone who is trying to get pregnant, i don't, although i know 4 girls who have had teen pregnancies, all of whom did not plan to have the baby, it was due to irrisponsibility- unprotected sex. one of those 4 girls are my friends, one had an abortion and knew she couldn't keep the baby. the other 3 girls kept their babies, one is barely making it and i don't even know if she has the baby anymore because she was kicked out of her house after dropping out of school(age 15) even before she was pregnant. the other two girls just had the baby recently and thier moms is taking care of the babies. the fathers of the 2 girls babies never stuck around, but one of those guys did as far as i know.. personally i don't think its a wise decision espcially if they are that young.

[iROCKYOURSOCKS]

i think its crazy to have a kid at such a young age period. I mean jeez you want to at least finish High School and enjoy life a little.

[Hiphop d[-_-]b]

It's her decision. I know you only want the best for her, but who are you to judge. 2 of my friends got pregnant in 8th grade, 2 in 9th grade and bunches of other girls I don't regard. One of them, Naynay is doing fine. She goes to a highschool w/ a daycare center so she can be close to her baby. The father is in jail, but they seem happy and like they're going to make it. But who knows.

There's a girl on cB who had a baby when she was 13/14. She's doing wonderful I assume. She's married last time I know of, and now has another baby boy.

Teen pregnancy is always an antsy subject. But if the teen prepares for it and wants it whole-heartedley then what can you do ? Unless it was just clumsy bedroom work and they forgot the condom or something then their actions come with repercussions.

[lovescream]

I think teen pregnancy is a bad idea, whether or not you want to or it's an accident. Unless you're filthy rich and have grannies and is 100% sure you're able to support your child, bad idea, IMO.

No, I don't know anyone personally who got pregnant. :/ I've heard things, maybe seen a girl or few at the high school next door (I'm still in Middle School) but I didn't know any of them. =\

I do know a 7th grader who had sex though. But she blabbed it out to like everyone (wtf?) so I'm not sure if she's lying or not, but a few days after, we never saw her or her boyfriend at school EVER again. :S

[michellerrific]

It depends whether that person is actually ready to give up the time and money and care to raise a kid. If she thinks she can do it, and she can, well then that's not really a problem. But if this girl you're describing, your friend, couldn't even keep up with the first kid and now she's having another one? Now that's an idea i don't like.

[princess*missy]

I feel like I'm picking clothes here,

Hmmm should I go with irresponsible or unreasonable.
I think I'll go for both when it comes down
to a teenage girl that wants to be pregnant.
It's a parent's nightmare (for most parents)
and at a young age it's difficult to find a teenager mature
enough to handle all the duties of raising a child "well".

I don't know anyone like the girl you just mentioned
and in a way I'm somewhat glad because your
friend scares me a bit. I hope she knows what she's doing..

Thanks for mentioning parents cause that reminded me of something... She recently lost her former baby because she fell and landed on her stomach.. but before all this happened her parents kicked her out because they found out she had gotten pregnant and was still trying... and now she's living a run down motel with hardly no clothes and nothing like that.. Her b/f doesn't have a job... Doesn't she realize she can't afford a baby?

[tokyo-rose]

I don't know anyone like that.
I wouldn't go so far to say that teen pregnancy is stupid; it just doesn't seem logical that someone so young would want a child if they hadn't even completed their education yet. :\ It's her choice though.

[ilauqh]

i can't really answer the poll because YES i think teen pregnancy is stupid but NO i don't know anyone that is trying to get pregnant.

[MrStrife]

I got a lot of friends who had kids at an early age. In my eyes, it's neither stupid nor a mistake, it's just going to make life a lot harder with another one to take care of. Shiit happens you know. BTW, I do know a guy who wanted to get his girl pregnant but I known for a while and he's stupid.

[Broken Wonderwal...]

Thanks for mentioning parents cause that reminded me of something... She recently lost her former baby because she fell and landed on her stomach.. but before all this happened her parents kicked her out because they found out she had gotten pregnant and was still trying... and now she's living a run down motel with hardly no clothes and nothing like that.. Her b/f doesn't have a job... Doesn't she realize she can't afford a baby?

Your friend probably considers raising a child an easy thing, when it obviously isn't.
How is she gonna raise the baby up if she lives in a motel and has no money at all?
I think you should definitely talk to her and try to change her mind.
It sounds like she needs sb to support her, u know, since her parents kicked her out and all.
Does she have any friends? What's their opinion?

[SimplicityGirl]

I'm not gonna say it's stupid to be pregnant when you're a teen, but I'll say that the conscious decision on her part to even WANT to get pregnant when her parents kicked her out is stupid. How is she going to support her baby when she can BARELY support herself? And as for the boyfriend...if he doesn't have a job, and neither of them have financial support of any kind, then really, bringing a kid into the world isn't the best option.

I'd try to get her to talk to some kind of counsellor...really a girl at 17 should NOT be trying to start a family...it just won't work.

[*annonymous.*]

Heey Ya'll.. Do any of you know someone trying to get pregnant? I do and personally I think it's stupid. She's 17 and still in school...she's already had one kid and she doesn't even have it... she couldn't afford to keep up with it... so why should she try to have another one.. it get on my nerves because all I hear from her is... I wanna get pregnant!! Her b/f is not all that great, he talks dirty to other girls (which is HER friends) and he asked her to get my number and take a pic of me because he wanted to talk to me to see what I looked like...

Is there anyone out there who know someone like this?

BTW- thanks for taking the time to read this!

Uhh... Honestly, what the hell is she going to get pregnant for? She has another kid, but can't keep up with having one, so why should she get another one when the last one didn't work out? God, I didn't know people were so damn ignorant these days.

I don't know anyone who has done this, and if they did, it's really their choice. If they've had a kid before, and it didn't work out, then I would slap them across the face. There's honestly no reason in getting another child if the other one never worked out.

P.S: That guy is a creep, stay away from him.

[multifaceted]

Thanks for mentioning parents cause that reminded me of something... She recently lost her former baby because she fell and landed on her stomach.. but before all this happened her parents kicked her out because they found out she had gotten pregnant and was still trying... and now she's living a run down motel with hardly no clothes and nothing like that.. Her b/f doesn't have a job... Doesn't she realize she can't afford a baby?

Did she not get it the first time she had a baby? Where is the first one now? Orphanage? Foster home?

She cannot even take care of herself (mutters something about a run down motel and no clothes) and thinks that she can have a baby and be able to take care of that? (then mutters something about diapers, and formula, and wipes, and clothes)

Maybe you need to knock some sense into her. Not in the head though. In the uterus.

[*Intercourse.*]

Eh I think most teen girls that are out there trying to get pregnant is pretty stupid. Because more than likely they just don't want the guy to leave them or something and do it on purpose. I think they should enjoy being a kid while they still have time, but they see it the other way around.

[multifaceted]

What is even more sad is that there are even 8 year olds trying to get pregnant! When I was 8, I didn't know about babies and where they came from, let alone what was sex and how to do it.

Yes, you are thinking

And more sad than that is Maury (the talk show) periodically does shows regarding teens who want to be pregnant. The reason why they want to get pregnant:

- I'm lonely.
- I can do whatever I want.
- I'm mature enough.

And they don't even care who the father is when there are many talk shows (you know what I'm talking about) regarding paternity tests on whose the father.

[JenxCrazii]

when i was like in fourth or fifth grade; my parents had a relative friend with children about my age tath time. the children had an uncle (my parents friends paretns's brother)
and they were like fifteen that time.. and he was going out with some girl.
they got marriedd and they wre only in highschool. i wnet to the wedding.
then like about a year later, she was pregnant. and then a few months, i went back to my relatives house to play with the cousins(;. and when everyone was at the dinner talble to eat, the "teen-married couple" were talking to me about being married at a young age and how its bad. i was like only 9 or 10 that time! why do i care!!

teen pregnancy?? << i`m going for stupid.

[princess*missy]

thanks everyone... I'm gonna talk to her about it... I'm just hoping she doesnt get all mad at me about it...

[much2muse]

Oh geez there's girls at my school who find out their pregnant and their like "OH YAY my life got BETTER!". I'm thinking.. "Gawd, you're an idiot". So i vote wanting to/trying to is stupid.

[Sammiebanks]

you cant dictate like that, its not possible to generalise everyone. I had a child at 17, and look after her with all my heart and soul, she's the best thing that ever happened to me and i couldnt imagine life without her anymore. It wasnt one of those, 'oh wow i wanna baby, now!' things, but when it happened by accident, we coped.

i do think its silly when people decide they want children and wont ever change their minds, it is quite daft, and the cases where the grandparents end up raising the baby too. its silly.

i manage having Abi, College and 3 jobs too, its possible, its just that many new young mums are too lazy and get a name for all of us young mums.

im proud of the fact that i'm a young mum, and cope fantastically in my opinion!

Sammie x

[princess*missy]

Aww... How cute.. I love babies... How old is it now? (I know I'm noisy... lol..)

But anyways back to the topic... I agree with your opinion on it... In some cases (like yours) a child turns out to be the most precious thing to ever happen to you... if you can afford one then yes, it's ok to get pregnant at a young age, but in this case (as I've stated in previous post) she knows she can't afford a baby and she's still trying to have one. That seems a little ridiculous to me... and to everyone else at our school...

[voguelove]

yes. i think its stupid.

-About 11 percent of all U.S. births in 2002 were to teens (ages 15 to 19)2. The majority of teenage births (about 67 percent) are to girls ages 18 and 19.2
-About 860,000 teenagers become pregnant each year, and about 425,000 give birth.2
-About one in three teenagers becomes pregnant before age 20.3
-The teenage birth rate is declining. Between 1991 and 2002, the rate fell by 30 percent (from 61.8 per 1,000 women to 43).2 Still, in 2002 (the most recent year for which data are available), about 4 teenage girls in 100 had a baby.
-About 17 percent of teen mothers go on to have a second baby within three years after the birth of their first baby.1
-Teen mothers are more likely than mothers over age 20 to give birth prematurely (before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy). In 2002, the 7,315 girls under age 15 who gave birth were more than twice as likely to deliver prematurely than women ages 30 to 34 (21 vs. 9 percent).2 Babies born too soon face an increased risk of newborn health problems and even death, as well as lasting disabilities.
-Teens too often have poor eating habits, neglect to take their vitamins, and may smoke, drink alcohol and take drugs, increasing the risk that their babies will be born with health problems. Studies also show that teens are less likely than older women to be of adequate pre-pregnancy weight and/or to gain an adequate amount of weight during pregnancy (25 to 35 pounds is recommended for women of normal weight). Low weight gain increases the risk of having a low-birthweight baby (less than 5½ pounds).
-Pregnant teens are more likely to smoke than pregnant women over age 25. In 2002, 13.4 percent of pregnant teens ages 15 to 17 and 18.2 percent of those ages 18 to 19 smoked, compared to 11.4 of all pregnant women.2 Smoking doubles a woman’s risk of having a low-birthweight baby, and also increases the risk of pregnancy complications, premature birth and stillbirth.
-Pregnant teens are least likely of all maternal age groups to get early and regular prenatal care. In 2002, 6.6 percent of mothers ages 15 to 19 years received late or no prenatal care (compared to 3.6 percent for all ages).2
-A teenage mother is at greater risk than women over age 20 for pregnancy complications such as premature labor, anemia and high blood pressure. These risks are even greater for teens who are under 15 years old.2 These youngest mothers also may be more than twice as likely to die of pregnancy complications than mothers ages 20 to 24.3
-Three million teens are affected by sexually transmitted diseases annually, out of a total of 12 million cases reported. These include chlamydia (which can cause sterility), syphilis (which can cause blindness, maternal death, and death of the infant) and HIV (the virus which causes AIDS, which may be fatal to the mother and infant).4
-In 2002, 9.6 percent of mothers ages 15 to 19 years had a low-birthweight baby (under 5.5 pounds), compared to 7.8 percent for mothers of all ages. The risk is higher for younger mothers: 11.3 percent of 15-year-old mothers had a low-birthweight baby in 2002 (18,703 girls this age gave birth, and 2,112 had low birthweight babies), compared to 8.9 percent of women aged 19 (168,111 births, with 14,920 of low birthweight).2
-Low-birthweight babies may have organs that are not fully developed. This can lead to lung problems such as respiratory distress syndrome, or bleeding in the brain, vision loss and serious intestinal problems.
-Low-birthweight babies are more than 20 times as likely to die in their first year of life as normal-weight babies.
-Teen mothers are more likely to drop out of high school than girls who delay childbearing. A 1997 study showed that only 41 percent of teenagers who have children before age 18 go on to graduate from high school compared to 61 percent of teens from similar social and economic backgrounds who did not give birth until ages 20 or 21.5
-With her education cut short, a teenage mother may lack job skills, making it hard for her to find and keep a job. A teenage mother may become financially dependent on her family or on public assistance. Teen mothers are more likely to live in poverty than women who delay childbearing, and over 75 percent of all unmarried teen mothers go on welfare within 5 years of the birth of their first child.5
-Teens may not have good parenting skills, or have the social support systems to help them deal with the stress of raising an infant.
-A child born to an unmarried teenage high school dropout is 10 times as likely as other children to be living in poverty at ages 8 to 12.6
-A child born to a teenage mother is 50 percent more likely to repeat a grade in school, and is more likely to perform poorly on standardized tests and drop out before finishing high school.5

http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/681_1159.asp

[animalinside]

If you're mature enough to have sex, then you're mature to have a child and vice-versa. It's that simple

[princess*missy]

yes. i think its stupid.
http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/681_1159.asp

awesome research!... maybe i should show this to her..... especially the one about the premature one.

[foreverNalways]

Some people have the wrong view on pregency. They think it'll bring them closer to their boyfriend.. I'm sorry but if anything it's going to tear you apart. I think it is dumb. Because you are still in school, you don't have a full time job with benefits. You can't support a child, let along yourself. And without benefits from a good paying job, you aren't going to get far.

[Musica.]

Im in the 9th grade..and i know atleast 2 people in my grade that has had a baby..In my high school everywhere you turn..some one has either had a baby..is going to have a baby..or just finding out that they are pregnant..

There are even girls in Junior High down there that are pregnant..

No wonder nobody wants to come to my city..it is very nasty..

[princess*missy]

Im in the 9th grade..and i know atleast 2 people in my grade that has had a baby..In my high school everywhere you turn..some one has either had a baby..is going to have a baby..or just finding out that they are pregnant..

There are even girls in Junior High down there that are pregnant..

No wonder nobody wants to come to my city..it is very nasty..

first off, welcome to Cb! and i'm in the 10th... same at my school... I betcha half of the school either is pregnant, just found out their pregnant, or already had a baby... it's so sad... and probably only 1/4 of those half still have the daddy beside them, supporting them...

[oXMuhNirvanaXo]

This, in my eyes, I think is a bad Idea. They are most likely not out of school and don't have enough money to take care of a child yet. It fucks the childs life up along with the mothers and the fathers. That is just what I think.

[GemLou]

Part of me thinks it is and part thinks not..
I know of 2 girls who couldn't take their GCSE's for being pregnant,
Trouble is in this day and society alot of teenage girls do it for the benefits they get from having a kid,
They don't do it for the love anymore..

[princess*missy]

Part of me thinks it is and part thinks not..
I know of 2 girls who couldn't take their GCSE's for being pregnant,
Trouble is in this day and society alot of teenage girls do it for the benefits they get from having a kid,
They don't do it for the love anymore..

Benefits? What type of benefits? Explain please.... The only way I can see it is they lose their education to a super hard-working life... although some are lucky and make it through high school...but none to college.

[HongKongDong]

Benefits? What type of benefits? Explain please.... The only way I can see it is they lose their education to a super hard-working life... although some are lucky and make it through high school...but none to college.

Then I guess you're not aware of the many programs out there helping teenage mothers get through school. Such as paying for their college tuitions and prive study courses.

Like GemLou mentioned, some are doing it just for the benefits, maybe because they don't have the money themselves to pay for college or to stay in school.

In my view point it's completely idiotic to want to have a baby for these reasons. Then again, I don't know what it's like to be really poor and to be desperate for that good education to have a better life. I've always taken it for granted.

It's for certain though, taking care of a child as a teenager is no easy task. $1000 a week couldn't get you through all the shiz you have to pay for the baby itself.

[x0xSilverNColdx0...]

Then I guess you're not aware of the many programs out there helping teenage mothers get through school. Such as paying for their college tuitions and prive study courses.

Like GemLou mentioned, some are doing it just for the benefits, maybe because they don't have the money themselves to pay for college or to stay in school.

In my view point it's completely idiotic to want to have a baby for these reasons. Then again, I don't know what it's like to be really poor and to be desperate for that good education to have a better life. I've always taken it for granted.

It's for certain though, taking care of a child as a teenager is no easy task. $1000 a week couldn't get you through all the shiz you have to pay for the baby itself.

Not to mention the welfare money.

Anyway, I do know a girl in my school that's trying to get pregnant. She's very white trash. Usually the guys she's doing things with are like twice her age, & she's been this way since 8th grade (we're seniors in hs now). I think she wants to have the kid for attention; she's faked pregnancies & miscarriages several times. She plans on getting an aparatment w/ her best guy friend & wants to have the kid with him or another friend. However she's unemployed, her best guy friend calls himself a "street pharmacist" & already has a kid that's on welfare, & the other guy lives in Texas! She lives in NJ. & yet she aspires to go to college & become a special ed teacher. They can't afford the apt., nevermind a child. The one time I spoke to her, she said that she would help her guy friend out with his "work", but hello! children & drug dealing do not go together. I told her that they take children away from parents that do drugs & deal, but she didn't listen to me. & I think it's sad that she'd want to do this, seeing as her mother had her as a teen, & she grew up watching her mother struggle.

As for teen pregnancy, I feel both ways. I think it's stupid if you're having unprotected sex & get pregnant; you should know better. But I understand accidents happen, condoms can break, & in cases like that, I feel bad b/c they were smart enough to take protective measures. We've had several girls in my school get pregnant. Suprisingly though, most of the fathers stayed around. It's interesting though b/c in my parenting class, we run a free preschool program, so you get to see a lot of the girls that had kids in hs come back with their children 2 or 3 years later & see how they're doing. It's nice to say though that the teen parents are doing pretty well. The one girl's parents had her senior year, & they both managed to graduate college; the father even got his masters, they both have good jobs, & they live in a nice townhouse.

[princess*missy]

Oh yeah those benefits! I've heard of them... it just didn't click right away... sorry.. well, people who do get pregnant (on purpose ONLY) just for the help of the giving, are just plain selfish, at least in my eyes.

[xBUTTMUNCHx]

i have nothing aganist it, cause i know ppo have their own reasons, but teens shouldn't jump to being a mommy THAT fast...yan'kno????

[AKAsuperconn]

Uh, so id have to say its pretty stupid
dont do it, youre only hurting the kid. especially if you dont keep it.
my mom had me when she was 14, i dont know her
or my dad.

Thats a big OOPSIES on her part