For a teen to get pregnant is a setback, both emotionally and physically. With the teen in the family carrying a baby, the whole family experiences a traumatic situation. While the teen goes through the phases of depression, embarrassment, helplessness, and flashes of guilt and anger, the parents of the teen also suffer a lot. Most parents counsel their teens for abortion. This creates a negative impact on the already troubled teen.
1.The Challenge
The issue of teen pregnancy becomes a challenge when the teen is not supported by her family. She badly needs the support of her parents at this time. The thought of having her parents beside her for support can ensure a healthier and emotionally stable pregnancy. Parents should not compel the girl for an abortion – the teen should never be counseled into a decision which she would regret for the rest of her life. It is obvious that the life of the teen would never be the same with the child, nevertheless, there are other alternatives to abortion.
The initial challenge starts with the parents and the teen unable to accept the situation and thus they react negatively. While the teen feels embarrassed, the parents feel a sense of guilt, holding themselves responsible of not protecting their child properly. They get worried about their teen’s future and thus they react in a confused, worried, and negative state of mind.
When the family adjusts with the situation and decides to cancel the plan of abortion, the next challenge is about the prenatal care of the teen. Teen pregnancy has special health issues attached to it. The body of a young girl is underdeveloped and is not in a position to bear the baby. Thus, proper care of the teen, with the knowledge related to pregnancy is required to lead a teen to healthier pregnancy.
Another challenging task is to help the teen adjust to the life and think how things are going to be without forcing the teen into an act
of marriage or abortion. It is indeed difficult for a teen for which life’s worries were limited to clothing and hanging out with friends, to adjust to a regular session of prenatal classes and medical examinations.
2. The Solution
a. Go beyond initial feelings
Agreed, that the parents have to go through an emotional upheaval but in order to help the teen, but they need to go beyond these initial feelings. The parents of the teen need to deal with the flood of emotions swiftly and accept the bitter fact. More than brooding on what’s been done the need is to go to find a solution and cope with the reality. The teen might find it encouraging to realize that she is not alone and has the support of her family.
b. Open communication
It is most important to communicate when the feelings are at an all time high. By opening the channel of communication, the parents would help the teen through the uphill experience. A teen might hide pregnancy fearing the anger of parents. And this is where communications plays a positive role. When a teen gets pregnant, the parents are the only source who can help explain the teen how to go about the whole process. It is of utmost importance not to force the teen into anything. The teen should be encouraged to move past the negative feelings and think of her future.
c. Proper medical care
Administering proper medical care is extremely critical for the girl. If proper medical care is not given, the teenage pregnancy can result in fatal death of the teen or complications during pregnancy. Initial guidance by parents and later health care provider can help to achieve a healthier pregnancy. A health care provider can also help the teen to prepare for the bigger role and the upcoming baby. Immediately after discovering the pregnancy, the teen should be taken for prenatal care and also thoroughly checked for sexually transmitted diseases.
d. Preparing for the new life
The parents play a major role in preparing the teen for her future life as a mother. Parents need to communicate to the teen that bringing up a child is not an easy task. They need to make the teen realize that her life would now revolve around her child in case she is planning to take care of the child. A discussion needs to be initiated to let the teen explore the other options of giving the child for adoption to caring parents or think about marriage if in a mature relationship. If the teen agrees to carry on with her education to have a good future for her child and herself, she needs to opt for child care.
