• Skip to content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Shop ModernMom
  • Become An Insider

ModernMom

The premiere destination for moms

  • Parenting
    • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Kids
    • Tweens and Teens
    • ModernMom Monday Videos
  • Cooking
  • Living Healthy
    • Breast Cancer
    • Health & Fitness
    • Body after Baby
    • Beauty
    • Relationships
    • Love
  • Lifestyle
    • Crafts
    • At Home
    • Education
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Decorate
    • Money
    • Brooke Burke
  • Celebrate
    • Holidays
      • Easter
      • Valentine’s Day
      • New Year’s
      • Christmas
      • Hanukah
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
    • Birthdays
    • Parties
  • Must Have
  • Contests
  • Entertainment

Peer Pressure in Teenage Pregnancy

December 10, 2010 by ds_65371 Leave a Comment

Although teen pregnancy rates have fallen in the past several decades, the problem still wreaks havoc on the lives of teens. One factor that leads teen girls to become pregnant is peer pressure. Many teens sexualize themselves or engage in behavior for which they are not yet ready because they want to fit in or be popular. If your child is approaching her teenage years, consider the impact that peer pressure could have on her decisions, and the potential ramifications of this impact.

Prevalence of Teen Sex

While most parents rest easier at night, thinking that their teens are not having sex, studies disprove this thought. As WebMD reports, approximately 1 in 3 children between the ages of 14 and 15 report having sex at least once. Perhaps even more disturbingly, in a study of sexually active teens, 30 percent report not using birth control the last time they had sex.

Sexual Pressure and Gender

When it comes to feeling the pressure to have sex, gender does make a difference. The “Psychology Today” website reports that 30 percent of boys report that they felt pressure from their peers to engage in sexual activity. Among girls, 23 percent reported feeling the same pressure. As girls are the gender most directly impacted by teen pregnancy, this finding indicates that peer pressure is not as directly responsible for pregnancy resulting from experimentation as some may think.

Natural Drive to Conform

Peer pressure has long been a hot-button topic. One of the reasons that peer pressure is so able to drive teens to things, like becoming pregnant, is that teens are programmed to conform, reports WebMD. During adolescence, children develop their sense of self. Part of this development involves aping others, making teens ideal candidates for giving in to the norm and going with the flow. This natural drive presents even more of a challenge to parents who wish to steer their children in the right direction.

The Teen Pregnancy Fad

Some argue that teen pregnancy is being glamorized in contemporary society, giving teens a false sense of what it means to be a teen parent. Shows like MTV’s “16 and Pregnant” and “Teen Mom” follow the exploits of pregnant teens and teen mothers. While both shows purportedly aim to teach teens the ills of teen pregnancy, and contain messages and information about pregnancy prevention, many argue that the programs actually make being a teen parent seem exciting. In addition, some clothing stores aimed directly at teens, like Forever 21, have started selling maternity clothes. While these stores argue that they are simply meeting customer demand, others contend that they are making being a young mom appear a fashionable thing to do.

Preventing the Pressure

While getting your voice heard is challenging, it can be done, reports WebMD. To get your anti-pregnancy message heard, focus on listening to your child and not immediately jumping to punishments if she tells you about something she has done wrong. If, for example, she tells you that she tried cigarettes with some friends, and you immediately ground her, she certainly won’t come to you when she has her first sexual relationship. If you notice that your teen’s friends appear to be engaging in risky behavior, or if one of them becomes pregnant, it is wise to put even more emphasis on teaching your teen the ills of teen pregnancy.

Comments

comments

Filed Under: Parenting

About ds_65371

Erin Schreiner is a freelance writer and teacher who holds a bachelor's degree from Bowling Green State University. She has been actively freelancing since 2008. Schreiner previously worked for a London-based freelance firm. Her work appears on eHow, Trails.com and RedEnvelope. She currently teaches writing to middle school students in Ohio and works on her writing craft regularly.

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Search

Tell a friend

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
ModernMom Boutique

ModernMom TV

Featured

How to Save Your Kid from Drowning

The lifeguard moving quickly past Lindsey’s chair seemed to … [Read More...] about How to Save Your Kid from Drowning

Must Have

STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

April has arrived which means it’s time to pull out the food … [Read More...] about STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

Did you know?

How to Even Out a Spray Tan That Left White Spots

How to Even Out a Spray Tan That Left White Spots

average breast size of a woman

The Average Breast Size of a Woman

How to Cook Beef Round Cubes in a Pan

what type of vitamins help fertility

What Type of Vitamins Help Fertility?

Quick Ways to Cook a Round Steak

Quick Ways to Cook a Round Steak

How Long to Bake a Pre-Cooked Frozen Casserole?

Academic Parental Pressure on Kids

The Effects of Academic Parental Pressure on Kids

Footer

  • About Us
  • Contact ModernMom
  • Advertise With Us
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contributors

Copyright © 2022 Modern Mom. All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of this website only at the express permission of Mom, Inc.

The information provided on ModernMom is for educational use only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.