What Route Would You Take In An Unplanned Pregnancy?

As we learned in the article "To Parent or Relinquish" there are plus' and minus' to any route in choosing what to do in the situation of a unplanned pregnancy. There are definitely patterns in what people do, or how they make their decision in the situation. For example, in the article it can be seen how the typically girls that chose to give their baby up for adoption came from a home with a mother that was educated. This could be because the mother knows what her daughter needs to do in order to be successful as she is, it takes a lot of work and time that a young mother does not have. Mothers that gave their child up for adoption were way more likely to go onto and finish vocational schools and get a job that pays better.
There was also the fact that women that kept their baby were happier with their decision than were the women that gave theirs up for adoption. This was not surprising to me, it reminded me of the show "16 and Pregnant" it really shows how hard of a decision and situation it is for a mother to have the child they have been carrying for 9 months taken away from them and reared by someone else. I think that no matter what the route abortion, adoption, or keeping your baby it is going to be an equally as tough decision that affects your life forever. There is such a stigma on abortion that I think this would prevent many couples from even considering abortion. No matter what the route it is going to be a difficult transition. No matter what I think that it is hard to determine what is best for all young mothers, they are all coming from different places and different situation and that makes a huge difference in what a girl should do.
What do you think you would do in the situation?
What would you take into consideration if you came into this situation?
-Erin Richeson
Source"To Parent or Relinquish: Consequences for Adolescent Mothers" by: Steven D. McLaughlin, Susan E. Pearce, Diane L. Manninen, and Linda D. Wings

Do you think that it is time for the government to stop funding Planned Parenthood?

Recently, it has been a big debate over whether or not the government should keep funding Planned Parenthood. The government gives Planned Parenthood about $349.6 million. Many people do not like the fact that their tax money is going to a place that funds abortions, so they want the government to stop funding Planned Parenthood. On the opposing side, they feel we need Planned Parenthood, and honestly, I agree. 

What people fail to realize is that Planned Parenthood is more than just about abortions. They offer breast exams, STD and STI screenings, Pap smears, birth control, condoms, and other reproductive health concerns for both men and women.  Planned Parenthood also operates on a sliding scale, which means that they charge people based on the person’s income and what they can afford. If it was not for this factor of Planned Parent many people would not be able to get the services listed above. It also seems that Planned Parenthood is conveniently located for most people. There is usually a Planned Parenthood close to where a person lives, especially in rural and urban areas, which are areas that have a number of people without health insurance.  According to Planned Parenthood’s website, they have touched the lives of 1 in 5 women.

I understand the concern of the people who are pro-life; however we have to look at what else Planned Parenthood does. If they have more positive aspects then negative, then people should want the government to continue to fund them. What do you think will happen if the government stops funding Planned Parenthood? Will everybody all of a sudden become abstinence? Of course not, and the STD and STI rates may increase, because the people who do not have health insurance will not be able to get treated and will continue to spread the diseases. In addition to the increase of STDs, there may be an increase in home abortions, which can be extremely dangerous. I wonder have the government taken these types of consequences into consideration.

Please visit the Planned Parenthood website to find out more, and I believe they are starting to start a petition.

Sources:

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/newsroom/press-releases/two-new-public-polls-nbc-wsj-quinnipiac-show-majority-support-planned-parenthood-36392.htm

http://www.lifenews.com/2010/12/16/planned-parenthood-gets-363m-in-tax-money-abortions-rise/

-        -  Brittaney Vaughn

Parental Influence

As teenagers, parents opinions gave a big role in our lives, sometimes too big. Parents should be ope to sharing their opinion on many subjects: who you date, what you wear, what classes you should take, etc... But should their influence determine a teen's decision on what to do if they get pregnant. As we have previously talked about in class, teens very often make this decision based on what their parents think. In my opinion, parents should definitely have an opinion or a say in the matter, but should not be the deciding factor. This is a huge decision that will greatly impact ones life and you do not want to make that decision simply "because my parents said so...". Parents will not always be around to make decisions for you, so teens need to learn to be independent and make their own decisions. Especially because in the end it is your life, not your parents, and this will have an impact on the rest of your life. Therefore, I think teens that become pregnant should look into all of their options and make a decision that will be best for them and their life in the long run. Not only for them, but for their child as well. In conclusion, although these girls and boys are still young they should be able to make this big of a decision on their own.

Do you agree that parents sometimes play too big of a role in big decisions like what to do if their child gets pregnant? What other thoughts do you have on the subject?

-Alex Antoniou

The Missing Parent: The Absense of Teen Fathers

Teen fathers are often portrayed as the missing parent in 16 and pregnant as well as society in general. Why is this?? Everyone knows that it takes two to make a baby and the teen mother is not the only one who has responsibility for this child that they both created. Teen fathers, I think, are portrayed as the missing/ absent parent because they aren’t expected to raise a child and if they do stay around to raise this child they are seen as heroes who should be rewarded for their generous behavior. This is a double standard if the teen mother decided that she didn’t want to have anything to do with her child she is looked down upon and ashamed, but the young man is not. To me this standard has to change, if you are old enough to get a girl pregnant then you are more than old enough to stay with the girl and help her raise the child. This doesn’t mean that they have to get married or even be a couple but it does mean that the man has the responsibility of being there for his child and the mother of his child in any way that they can. I can speak from experience that often times the woman doesn’t really need the father to provide for them but they do need that support from the father to know that they are not alone in this experience and that they have someone who is willing to be their support.

            Of course there is no sure way of getting the father to participate in the life of his child but if men are taught from childhood that it is their responsibility to help raise children then maybe when they grow up they will have that sense of fatherhood already engrained in them, much like young women are taught to be mothers from a young age.

            Do you guys think that it is a good idea to have young men taught from childhood to raise a child? And if so what impact does this have on teenage mothers? And what obstacles do we as a society face when making changes in the male/female dichotomy? 

-Ana Gutierrez-Gamez