The Damaging Impact of Teenage Pregnancy on Academic Success

Abstract

Instructor’s Name Teenage pregnancy is a detrimental period in an adolescent’s life. It occurs in children aged 13-19 years. Due to the prevalence of this menace, it has become a subject of discussion for many researchers and scholars. What are the real causes of teenage pregnancy? Furthermore, how does it deter academic performance? The results can be narrowed down to factors such as lack of primary education on sexual and reproductive issues, sexual abuse and violence, early and forced marriages, the disintegration of families, lack of access to contraceptives, and pressure to prove fertility and family lineage. Most teenage pregnancies are unplanned, yet their risks are enormous. Children born to teenagers are most likely of low birth weight and risk of complications, and high mortality rates. Teenage pregnancy links to poverty, especially in marginalized communities and poor households, making it a burden due to the adverse social and economic effects on families. Teenage pregnancy emanates rejection, stigmatization, and susceptibility to violence and abuse. One of the most challenging attributes is when girls fail to continue their education. Education prepares teenagers for a successful life and a new world. According to (Greydanus et al., 2002), as students continue to their natural course of development in school, maturity and sexual experimentation become inevitable. The aftermath of experimentation is the detriments of their life. Teenagers enter a circle of sexually transmitted diseases, HIV Aids, Emotional entanglements, and teenage pregnancies. Pregnancy has sparked attention due to its alarming rate. Unfortunately, teenagers achieve good grades in school and excel academically but significantly deteriorate massively after getting pregnant. This discussion will focus on teenage pregnancy and its effects on the academic performance of students around the globe. Teenage pregnancy can bring a complete shutdown to progress in education and achieving education goals since most teenage mothers refrain from pursuing a university or college education. The girl child is very vulnerable during their teenage life, and her choices can be detrimental to their school life. According to (Sedgh et al., 2015), teenage pregnancy teenagers become sexually active at an early age due to the high fertility rates. Teenagers are often clueless about premature sex. The whole issue of teenage pregnancy is screwed since it has a root cause. Most children raised by single parents are likely to succumb to teenage pregnancy (Domenico, 2007). The education systems in society today magnify sexual misinformation in adversity. Teenagers today are linked to social media. Due to a lack of close supervision, they inherit a pervasive culture that heightens sexual intercourse and sexual fiction, preventing them from concentrating on academics and focusing on detrimental social behavior. The totality of media glorification of sexual relationships and flawed couple goals is teenage pregnancies. The pervasive culture encourages teenage pregnancy without considering the notable factors and responsibilities of premature sex. Teenage mothers are unlikely to complete high school education. The lack of adequate education puts them in a position where they cannot compete with the other teenage population. Low academic performance also results from absenteeism in school due to attending to baby needs, making them miss out on most opportunities in school. The burden of a child can be overwhelming, increasing the chances of dropping out of school and they cannot complete a high school education. In school, teenage mothers decline in concentration. They cannot give their best in academics because they have huge responsibilities and emotional burdens associated with children. Society has set standards associated with responsibilities limiting them to socially, economically, and emotionally prepared individuals. Coming from poor backgrounds makes it difficult, especially in third-world countries and poor minority groups in first-world countries. Poverty deters teenage mothers from doing their best at school. It is draining and overwhelming, and the aftermath is poor academic performance. Teenage pregnancy breeds discrimination, rejection, and alienation. Some parents are very intolerant and push their daughters to the wall to get pregnant. Intolerant parents ridicule and rebuke them associating them with bringing shame to the family and the community. Some parents deny them essential commodities that support their well-being—having a child while in high school sounds awkward to most students. Society has raised its people to believe that children are born in marriage and at an ideal age. High school students look down upon teenage mothers as a shame to society. They will likely be shunned and alienated in peer groups, and they cannot peacefully associate and interact with their peers. Continued bullying and alienation escalate problems, and victims can likely engage in risky behavior such as substance abuse. Teenage pregnancy pushes the girl child to lack self-acceptance, and academics and academic life becomes difficult to manage. The life of a teenage mother is detrimental in school, especially when it is accompanied by bullying and social class. Pregnancy signifies careless sexual behaviors. Teachers will emphasize the detriments of teenage pregnancy, citing examples that will leave teenage mothers questioning their eligibility and worthiness. Bullying, isolation, and discrimination build self-esteem issues. Destruction of self-esteem is the worst form of abuse to a teenager. It deters self-expression, and it cripples one from giving their best. A loss of self-esteem is a loss of potential. Teenage mothers cannot harness...