There is an issue that effects every single one of you in this classroom. It surrounds us, especially in the school setting. Ladies and gentlemen, this issue is teenage pregnancy. Teenage pregnancy effects everyone. Teenage pregnancy is defined as an underage girl becoming pregnant. Today I will discuss the health, psychological, and societal impacts of teenage pregnancy, and how to avoid them. First I will discuss the impact on health that teenage pregnancies have. Just because you are old enough to conceive a baby, does not mean you are healthy enough. According to the national campaign to end teenage pregnancy, the worldwide incidence of premature birth and low birth weight is higher among adolescent mothers. The organization also notes that teenage mothers are less likely to to receive prenatal care, and if so wait until the third trimester. The younger the mother, the more complications for the mother and child. The Guttmacher institute reports that one third of pregnant teens receive inadequete prenatal care and their children are more likely to suffer from health issues in childhood or be hospitilized than those born to older women. Alos, the mother can suffer from nutritional deficincies due to poor eating habits. Poor eating habits are common among adoescents according to dr. Gutierrez and dr. king in an article titled nutrition during teenage pregnancy, published in 1993. The doctors also note that habits among adolescents such as attempts to lose weight, skipping meals, food faddism, snacking, and consumption of fast food can lead to complications for both the mother and child. Teenage pregnancy can be very deadly to the mother as well. According to the world health organization an estimated 70,000 teenage mothers die each year in the developing world due to complications during pregnancy. The report continues by stating that the risk of death following pregnancy is twice as great for women between the ages of 15 and 19 than those between the ages of 20 and 24. The mortality rate spikes for pregnancies during years of 10 and 14. In this age range mortality can be up to 5 times greater than those in the age range of 15 and 19. An underdeveloped pelvis can create a lot of complications as well. If you become pregnate at this stage, your baby must be deliverd through a cesarian section to preventinfant and maternal mortality. Teenage pregnancy is a deadly issue that can kill both the mother and child. If physical complications aren't enough, psychological and socioeconomic factors can also damage both the mother and child. Being a teenage mother can effect your education. According to the national campaign to prevent teenage pregnancy, teen mothers are more likely to drop out of high school. A study conducted by family planning perspectives concluded that women who gave birth during their teens completed secondary level schooling, 10-12% as often and pursued as post secondary education, 14-29% as often as women who waited until age 30. Having a child during your teenage years can effecy employment. You have to find day care, and still make enough money to support your child. Study after study suggest that teenage mothers have a hard time finding employment, and usually seek government assistance. Also, teenage pregnancy can effect the pyschological development of the child. --reillyhartigan