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Health Promotion Plan: Teenage pregnancy

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Health Promotion Plan: Teenage pregnancy

Introduction

Teenage pregnancy has significant health effects on the lives of the children and at a later

life. It is therefore significant to be able to mitigate the effects by ensuring that the cases are kept

at the minimum rate possible or eradicated if possible. The parents need to help the children

understand the impacts that teenage pregnancies have on their lives. However, this is the full

responsibility of the society and the larger community since the effects are felt by everyone in

the society (Hornberger et al., 2017). Pregnancy is considered to be one of the most difficult

experiences in a teenager's life. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the experience of the child

and how it can be used to advance their long-term goals in life (Brindis, 2017). Teenage

pregnancy can be a crisis in the life of the parent as well as that of the child and the larger family.

Most of the common reactions include guilt, anger, and in most cases the result of denial

(Maravilla et al., 2017). Teenagers also experience cases of anxiety, shock as well as depression

(Ladner, 2020). Parents need to understand such outcomes to be able to help the teenagers to

mitigate the effects at hand (Vargas, Borus & Charlton, 2017). Teenagers require the love and

affection from their immediate parents or guardians to be able to deal with the situation and feel

that they have the appropriate support that they require.

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Discussing the options

Teenagers have a problem in a way that they do not have the required capacity to make

the appropriate decision in cases where they get pregnant. It is therefore crucial for the persons

close to them to be able to define the options they have to ensure that they do not fall into

depression or other side effects (Hornberger et al., 2017). Multiple choices can be taken it
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ensures that a teenage pregnancy goes well and that the child does not get traumatized by the

experience.

One strategy is convincing the teenagers to keep the baby and show them that there I a

life ahead of them after the pregnancy. In such cases, there should be first an emotional support

session on the teenager and ensure that they accept the option that is being provided to them

(Brindis, 2017). In such a case, completion of school can be hard due to the emotional drawbacks

associated with the pregnancy (Hornberger et al., 2017). Through good help, they can understand

that it is achievable and be able to realize their future dreams (Maravilla et al., 2017). It is also

important to ensure that the teenagers are made aware that there are challenges and

responsibilities which they will be expected to achieve in the long run.

Another option is convincing the teenager that they should take an adoption plan to take

care of the child. This allows them to be able to recognize that there are options and therefore

avoid cases of depression as well as anxiety (Ladner, 2020). When the teen is convinced that

they should take an adoption plan, there is a need to take them through the available options to

make sure that all the decisions made do not affect them later in their lives (Maravilla et al.,

2017). It is further crucial to explain to them that there are significant emotional setbacks for all

the people involved with the baby.

The last option is the choice of termination of the pregnancy. This decision can be made

entirely by the teen and should not be forced on them. In the event where the teen is elective on

eliminating the pregnancy, there is also a need to discuss the impacts of the terms such as the

risks as well as emotional impacts (Vargas, Borus & Charlton, 2017). However, this should be

discussed based on the region since some regions prohibit the termination of pregnancy under

legal statutes.
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Promotion of proper prenatal care

During teenage pregnancies, the teenagers are at a high risk of getting such disorders as

blood pressure as well as low birth weight in babies. They also tend to have an experience of

postpartum depression. Therefore, it is crucial to have an appropriate health plan for teens. First,

it is crucial to have prenatal care during their pregnancy. This helps the health care provider to

have constant monitoring of the teenager and the health of the baby (Ladner, 2020). In some

cases, there is a need to have specialized care which helps improve their health. There is also a

need to be tested on sexually transmitted infections. Also, there is a need to have a healthy diet

on the side of the pregnant teenager and define any supplements that they might require (Brindis,

2017). There is further a need for guidance of them to remain physically active which assists in

reducing the discomforts and further boosts the energy levels of the teenager. The sessions

further help the child to avoid cases of substance abuse which can be rampant due to depression

and anxiety. If such measures cannot be introduced, there is a need to find a counselor or a social

worker who can help them to work through the situation they are experiencing.

Conclusion

Teenage pregnancy is a significant societal problem and requires many interventions to

ensure that it is appropriately mitigated. The pregnancy can have many impacts on the life of the

mother as well as that of the larger family. It is thus crucial to mitigate the impacts it has on the

life of the mother as well as that of the unborn baby. Discussing potential problems is important

and giving appropriate advice to pregnant teenagers helps steer them in the right direction in life.
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References

Brindis, C. D. (2017). Advancing the field of teenage pregnancy prevention through community-

wide pregnancy prevention initiatives. Journal of Adolescent Health, 60(3), S1-S2.

Hornberger, L. L., Breuner, C. C., Alderman, E. M., Garofalo, R., Grubb, L. K., Powers, M.

E., ... & Wallace, S. B. (2017). Options counseling for the pregnant adolescent

patient. Pediatrics, 140(3).

Ladner, J. A. (2020). Teenage pregnancy: The implication for black Americans. In The state of

black America 1986 (pp. 65-84). Routledge.

Maravilla, J. C., Betts, K. S., e Cruz, C. C., & Alati, R. (2017). Factors influencing repeated

teenage pregnancy: a review and meta-analysis. American Journal of Obstetrics and

Gynecology, 217(5), 527-545.

Vargas, G., Borus, J., & Charlton, B. M. (2017). Teenage pregnancy prevention: the role of

young men. Current opinion in pediatrics, 29(4), 393.