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Unintended pregnancy remains all too common in this country. It has a great impact on the unborn child, the parents, and society in general. Getting married and having a child are often thought to be the highlight in a young woman’s life. However, this is not always the case. Many teen mothers find themselves pregnant with no one to help, and they feel all alone. Their parents may be angry, confused, and hurt by their actions. Whether the parents of the teen are supportive or not; there are medical, economic, and social impacts on the pregnancy. It tends to be a great deal for a young lady to handle, especially the younger they are. Statistics Show Teen Pregnancy Is Commonplace Three out of every ten girls will have a baby before they are 21 in the United States. When there is no father in the picture, the girl may be faced to handle the burden alone. Thirty-five percent of women will have a child before the age of 20. If a woman begins having children as a teenager, they will typically have two to three more children than those who delay having a child till their twenties or thirties. Most cases of teen pregnancy are accidental and a result of poor education and or no access to preventative measures. The teen that is having unprotected sexual relations is also at risk for sexually transmitted diseases. In fact, each year there are more than 20 million cases of these diseases reported each year. The Risks Of An Underage Mother There are many risks associated with childbearing, and some of them can be life-threatening to the mother and child. Teen mothers under the age of 17 have an increased risk of maternal mortality, as their bodies are not fully mature enough to bear children. Because many of these women don’t recognize the symptoms of pregnancy, they may delay getting the prenatal care they need. This will endanger both the health of the child and the mother. Economic Importance and Education Teen pregnancy often occurs where there are low levels of education. These girls don’t have the motivation to regulate their fertility and it results in a higher incidence of pregnancies. Some women are forced to leave school early to deal with their pregnancy and then the birth of their child. It can be a great setback to those who had a full future planned complete with college and a career. Unless the teen has a strong support system, they may find that taking care of a child, working, and going to school is a massive task. Statistic shows that 50 percent of all teen moms drop out of school and never graduate or continue their education. The Choices Available To Teen Moms Due to the fact that a teenage mom has not fully matured, they may not know how to take care of a child. There are numerous responsibilities in child rearing. Children need vaccinations, doctors’ appointments, 24×7 care and require a great commitment of time, money and energy. Because a teen is not mature enough to handle these tasks, often the children suffer. Infant adoption has become popular among the teen group because of all of the insurmountable challenges that comes along with being a teen mom. Even when there is a strong support system, it still requires a great deal of focus and dedication to finish their education and also keep up with the demands of motherhood. Someone will have to support them financially, as most teen moms aren’t financially secure. Parents of pregnant teenagers need to know the options available to their child. All thoughts should be in the best interest of the mom and the unborn baby. There are many choices that need to be made, but the most important could be if the teen mom can actually handle being a mom at this stage in their life.