TEEN+PREGNANCY

=//**Teen Pregnancy**//=

Teen pregnancy is one of the most difficult experiences a young person might ever face when it interrupts school or other plans. It can create an emotional crisis resulting in feelings of shame and fear, and it may appear that you will crumble under pressures in your environment. The stress of how you are going to break this news to your parents might be even greater, and finding help may seem an impossible task. You might think no one can help you, or you might be too embarrassed to search for help. However, denying the pregnancy or ignoring it can only make things worse for you and your baby. Denial will not take the pregnancy away; instead, you will lose the time you could have invested in prenatal care and counseling. You have options, and making a choice may be simple or difficult, depending on your situation. Check resources carefully and try to give yourself the opportunity to make the best informed decision possible.

**Your Options **

 * Your options may seem limited, but they are definitely available. They can help you determine the destiny of your baby and the type of atmosphere he/she grows up in. The following are your two main options: **

==== Parenting: If you choose this option, not only will you be able to watch your child grow up, you will be preparing yourself for one of the greatest and most rewarding experiences ever. However, a lot of responsibilities come with parenting, which you must realize now and accept. Parenting is a lifelong commitment to your child, promising him or her the best care possible, undying ove, financial, physical, emotional, and spiritual support. Your main question right now should be whether or not you are prepared to take on this kind of responsibility at this point in your life. Will you have the needed support from loved ones necessary to carry you through this? If parenting your child is not possible, adoption may be your best choise. Even if you have any doubt in your mind right now, or your answer is "no" to the above question, take a look at your second option.====

Adoption ** : ** If this is your choice, you will still have to go through your pregnancy. During this process, the placement of your child with another family will occur. You can even help in determining which home might be best for your child, and choose to have ongoing contact after the placement. You need to be comfortable knowing your child is in good hands, and who better to determine that than you?

==== Shelters: Many pregnant teens find themselves homeless or living in dangerous situations, and for some of these teens a shelter for pregnant teens may be able to provide a safe environment and support as they strive to care for themselves and their babies. ====

Shelters for pregnant teens offer a place to live when teens are pregnant and find themselves homeless, in a dangerous environment, or in need of extra support and care. In addition to food and a place to live, pregnant teen shelters may offer a variety of services:


 * Medical care
 * Mental and emotional health counseling
 * Substance abuse counseling
 * Religious instruction
 * Supervision by a trained and licensed staff
 * Educational help
 * Work and life skills training
 * Parenting skills classes
 * Adoption placement or counseling
 * Education on avoiding another pregnancy during the teen years
 * Help in locating housing after leaving the shelter
 * Classes for the baby's father on life and parenting skills

Not all shelters offer all of these services, but most offer some. Most pregnant teen shelters are run by city or state governments or by non-profit groups, especially religious organizations. The services they are able to offer, as well as the rules for living at the shelter and the criteria for admission vary by shelter.

The living situation at teen shelters is usually somewhat communal. Pregnant teen shelters may offer girls their own room or require them to share. They usually have shared spaces for eating and for activities, which gives pregnant teens a chance to make friends with others who understand their situation. The staff members usually function as surrogate parents and counselors for the girls, and may be single moms themselves.

The rules at most shelters provide a lot of structure. Some shelters allow girls to leave the facility during their stay while others require them to remain on the grounds. Girls may be required to follow strict health rules, though they may have to get their own medical care. This also applies to schooling. Religious homes or shelters usually require girls to attend services. Shelters may keep their location a secret to protect pregnant teens who may be in danger from family members or the baby's father.

The level of help provided by shelters depends on the focus and the resources of the shelter. Some shelters can only offer help while a girl is pregnant, while others provide continuing shelter or support for up to the first two years of the baby's life, including ongoing counseling and education or child care.

 Overview The United States has the highest teen pregnancy rate in the industrialized world. The Center for Disease control says that one-third of girls get pregnant before the age of 20. Teenpregnancy.org, a site managed by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, states that there are "750,000 teen pregnancies annually. Eight in ten of these pregnancies are unintended and 81 percent are to unmarried teens."

 Educating teenagers about contraception makes them more likely to use contraception when they begin having sex, but it doesn't lower the age at first intercourse. Why? Probably because the decision where and with whom to become sexually active is a very complicated one, and may be rooted in family, peers, religion, the media and individual personality factors.

==Facts on Teen Pregnancy: ==

**• Teenage mothers are more likely to drop out of high school • Be and remain single parents • Score lower in math and reading into adolescence**

==Prevention ==

**If you are a teen thinking about having sex, the best way to prevent an unwanted pregnancy is to educate yourself about different forms of contraceptive. The Public Health Agency of Canada states that 25 percent of young women who have intercourse without using a method of birth control will become pregnant within one month. If you are a parent, it is important to talk to your teen about sex .**

==Treatment ==

If you or your teen becomes pregnant there are several resources that can help. Make sure you see your physician if you have any questions about pregnancy or contraceptives.
==Planned Parenthood ==

**1-800-230-PLAN - 24 hour hotline will direct you to the clinic nearest to you.**

==National Office of Post Abortion Trauma ==

**1-800-593-2273**

==National Abortion Federation ==

**1-800-772-9100 National Adoption Center 1-800-862-3678 - dedicated to expanding adoption opportunities in the U.S. The Independent Adoption Center 1-800-877-6736**

**//Helping Hands//** 40356 Oak Park Way, Suite B      Oakhurst, CA 93644 (559) 642-2229             **24 Hour Hotline: 1-800-395-help (4357)**

[|Teen Pregnancy Info] [|Adoption Facts] [|Teen Pregnancy video] [|Mary's Pregnant Teen Shelter]