Researching materials
To create my
script for my documentary I will collect primary and secondary research based
on teen pregnancy within the UK. I will be collecting primary research by
making a questionnaire on survey monkey and having at least 5 or more people answer
the questions. The questions asked will be both open and closed allowing me to
collect the data I will be needing and additional information from others.
Research:
·
The
target was to halve the under-18 conception rate by 2010 (from 46.6 per 1,000
in 1998) and to bring about a decline in the rate of conceptions to under-16s.
·
The
aim was also to increase the participation of teenage parents in education,
employment or training to reduce their long-term risk of social exclusion.
·
Further
guidance aimed to support more effective local implementation of the strategy (7,
8) and in 2010 the Government reviewed the achievements and set out further
proposals (9).
·
Between
1998 and 2008 the teenage conception rate fell by 13.3 per cent in under-18s
and by 11.7 per cent in under-16s.
Under 18s
conception in England
|
Year
|
Number of conceptions
|
Conception rate
|
Percentage of legal abortions
|
|
2008
|
38,750
|
40.5
|
49.7
|
|
2006
|
39,170
|
40.6
|
48.8
|
|
2005
|
39,804
|
41.3
|
46.8
|
|
2002
|
39,350
|
42.7
|
45.8
|
|
1998
|
41,089
|
46.6
|
42.4
|
This
research helps me to have a better understanding on how the percentage of legal
abortions had risen as the conception rate decreased from 1998-2008. It also
allows me to add factual information on my documentary and create it as a
hypothesis within my area and test if the results I collected relate to the
people I am interviewing or not.
Problems
with Teen Pregnancy
One of the
many reasons that teen pregnancy is not a good idea is the issues that arise,
including the above-mentioned lack of prenatal care. The reason for the lack of
prenatal care is usually delayed pregnancy testing, denial or even fear of
telling others about the pregnancy. Most states have a health department or
university clinic where prenatal care is free or low cost and patient
confidentiality is very important, meaning no one can tell the teen mother's
family.
Because the
body of a teen is still growing she will need more nutritional support to meet
both her needs and that of her baby. Nutritional counselling can be a large
portion of prenatal care, usually done by a doctor or a midwife, sometimes a
nutritionist. This counselling will usually include information about prenatal
vitamins, folic acid, and the dos and don'ts of eating and drinking.
Lack of
proper nutrition can lead to problems like anaemia (low iron), low weight gain,
etc.
Another
problem facing teen mothers is the use of drugs and alcohol, including
cigarette smoking. No amount of any of these substances is safe for use in
pregnancy. In fact, their use can complicate pregnancy even further increasing
the likelihood of premature birth and other complications.
Premature
birth and low birth weight create a wealth of their own problems, including
brain damage, physical disabilities and more. The potentially lengthy hospital
stay and increased risk of health problems for these babies often leads to more
stress on the teen mother.
While facing
the grim realities of teen pregnancy is not pleasant, this is not the picture
that has to be painted. Teen mothers are perfectly capable of having a healthy
pregnancy and a healthy baby. With the proper nutrition, early prenatal care
and good screening for potential problems the majority of these potential
problems will not come to light. While some tend to think that you can't teach
a teen mother anything about her body or baby, it's really a ridiculous notion.
Many of the teen mothers who take active roles in their care do go on to have
healthy babies, despite the other hardships that they will face in their lives.
Support from the families and communities is a must for the young, new family
to be successful.
Many teens
worry about what their families will say when they find out that they are
pregnant. So they avoid telling their parents or someone else who might be able
to help them find support. This delays their prenatal care, making the
pregnancy even more risky for themselves and their baby.
Problems for
Pregnant and Parenting Teen Mothers
There are
many programs in place to help teen parents learn parenting skills, complete
their education, particularly high school, and find meaningful employment or
further training and education with the idea of obtaining a better job. The
truth is a teen parent will need more support and perhaps time to complete
these tasks. Having good childcare that empowers the teen parent rather than
forces the teen to abdicate to the paid care provider is a must. Only about
half of the females who become pregnant will complete their high school
education by the time that they are twenty-two, compared to about ninety
percent of the females in that age group who do not become pregnant.
There is
also the worry that after one pregnancy, another may follow. Discussing teen
pregnancy can be really important, particularly in terms of subsequent
pregnancies. That said, being open and accepting of teens who talk to you in
the most important thing you can do.
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