As I began my research on the growing issue in Memphis, Tennessee, my topic slowly, but began to change. I’d mention before that infant mortality was also an issue when it came to teen pregnancy, yet I did not realize how big of an issue it really was. The majority of teen pregnancies occur in the poorest zip codes of Memphis, which makes it a struggle for the baby to make it to its’ first birthday. Slowly, but surely, my topic changed from Are teen moms ignorant to the facts about sex and becoming teen mothers, to Teen pregnancy and infant mortality rates in poverty.
I found a great DVD documentary that had a lot of good information on the subject that was filmed right here in Memphis, Beyond Babyland. I heard about it through a co-worker and thought I should watch it before I decided to start other research on teen pregnancy. After watching the documentary, I was in tears over how teen pregnancy occurred in poverty, and how it was almost a never ending cycle.
I never realized how hard it was to get through the pregnancy and also how hard it was for the infant to make it to its’ first birthday. I already knew that teen pregnancy was a growing issue throughout all classes (lower class, middle class, and high class), but never did I realize how bad of a problem it was in poverty. The assumptions that people make about them are not always right, and most teens in poverty simply just do not know any better.
I was so touched by that documentary, that I felt compelled to tell their (teens in poverty) side of the story.
The second to last point that you made is right. People are always judging teens who have babies when they do not know their stories. They could have been raped by a member in their family or something. There are alot of teens that are getting pregnant now too i think we are on our way to another baby boom. No, but seriously I did not know that there was a problem in memphis and i did not know that the babies would not make it to their first birthday. it is sad that there are young mothers who have lost their child due to the fact that are in poverty. are there any health clinics or a place where people teach teens mothers how to provide for their child. I had a friend who thought that she was pregnant and she went to this birth right place (i think thats the name of the place) they told her that if she did not have any support that she could come back to that place if she needed any cribs, bottles, or other baby stuff. there was no catch, she did not have to pay anything they was going to make sure that her and her baby could live a healthy normal life, but she was not pregnant so she did not need them. If she did need help she told me that this place whould be the first place that she would go to. i think they should have places like that in memphis and in other parts of the united states if they do not have it.
ReplyDeleteThey do have a few programs that they have created, but the city, nor the state will give these programs enough money to fund them, so eventually the programs fade away and the girls are left looking for another program to help them out, but I agree that there might possibly be another baby boom if teen pregnancy continues to grown in the way that it has over the past ten years. Thank yoy for your comment!
DeleteI agree with the struggle of teen pregnancy, but they should have known better. first of all, I am not judging them but i judge their moral value. i would have blame their parents to make them that way, but i can understand what a parents have to go through. I am not against abortion, its their own choice if they cannot take care of the baby, I would not blame them for it. God will punish me for saying this, but its true. however, the young mother can give it up for adoption, give the baby to people who can really take care of. I was adopted myself, i am grateful that i live until to this day. my adopted mom said that i almost die when i was a baby. i was only born 4 pound, i dont know if that premature. I am still grateful for my biological mother to gave me up. if i can meet her in person, i would say Thank you. i know she wants a better life for me, and i did have a better life. you can look up abortion in teen pregnancy, adoption, or anything that would help you.. i hope this comment help you in any kind of way. i hope i didnt offend anybody. just opinion. have a good day!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your opinion, but from the research that I've done shows that these girls are apart a generational cycle that has been going on for many, many, many years. Yes, they should know right from wrong, but if they see everyone in their environment having children at a very, very young age, they're going to assume that that is the norm in a way. You are who you hang around, and you are you're environment. They are not well educated and all they know are what they see around them and follow what their parents did. Most do not have the money to afford to get an abortion even if they did have the money. But, I can understand your opinion though. Thank you for your comment!
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