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Kyristin Fuller
Mrs.Tielke
English 2
27 January 2014
Teen Pregnancy in Houston
Teen pregnancy before twenty one should be illegal because teens arent financially
ready for a child, arent aware of the responsibilities of a child and have too much to look
forward to in life.
Many young women in todays generation are becoming pregnant and being forced to
give up their lives to take care of a child. Most teens that get pregnant at a young age are not
ready to take over the responsibility that comes with a baby. Teens dont have money or a job to
make money meaning their not financially ready for a baby. That means teen age moms have to
take over the responsibility for their baby. When the teen mothers apply for welfare, city and
county attorneys are given their namesand whenever possible, those of the fathersto
prosecute ( Introduction to Teen Pregnancy and Parenting 1). Most teenagers dont have money
to support a baby so they go for the quickest thing out welfare. This is something to basically
help out teen parents and single parents. Statistics show teens that dont get pregnant while in
high school graduate with a diploma instead of a GED and go to college.
At ages fifteen, sixteen, seventeen are the high school stages this age group tends to focus
on mostly having fun with friends, going out, having a boyfriend, school etc. the last concern
would be taking care of a baby or how much it cost to have a baby. The children of teen
mothers in the U.S., on the average, have worse outcomes in a number of ways. They score
lower in school achievement tests; have a greater likelihood of repeating a grade (Strayhorn,
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Joseph M., and Jillian C. Strayhorn 1). Most teens go back to high school to get their GED while
others dont even take the responsibility of going to school and taking care of their baby.
Teens today have much more in the way of birth control options and information than te
ens of previousgenerations (Strayhorn, Joseph M., and Jillian C. Strayhorn 2) teens have so
much access with not only just technology but also with medical. There are multiple of things to
do to prevent teen pregnancy condoms, birth control etc. are all different types of ways to stop
teen pregnancy. Not only different ways but different types of birth controls that will also help
prevent pregnancy. In Houston they are not allowed to teach about sex or what happens when
you do have sex without protection. Thats why so many students today are dropping out of
school and they birth rate in Houston has increased, due to people having unprotected sex.
Being pregnant isnt a bad thing, but being a teen and still in high school is. Its not only
hard for the teen to raise their child but also the teens parents. Its a lot responsibility and takes a
lot of time. Most teens dont see how big of a responsibility it is to not only take care of a baby
but also how much money goes along with taking care of a baby.

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Work Cites
Introduction to Pregnancy: Teen Decisions." Pregnancy. Ed. William Dudley. San Diego:
Greenhaven Press, 2001. Teen Decisions. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 23 Jan.
2014.
Strayhorn, Joseph M., and Jillian C. Strayhorn. "A Correlation Exists Between Religious Faith
and Teen Pregnancy Rates." Teenage Sexuality. Ed. Aarti D. Stephens. Detroit:
Greenhaven Press, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "Religiosity and Teen Birth
Rate in the United States." Reproductive Health 6.14 (17 Sept. 2009). Opposing
Viewpoints in Context. Web. 23 Jan. 2014.
"Teen Pregnancy and Abortion." Abortion: An Eternal Social and Moral Issue. Sandra M. Alters.
2012 ed. Detroit: Gale, 2012. Information Plus Reference Series.Opposing Viewpoints in
Context. Web. 23 Jan. 2014