Teenage Pregnancy
Week 18
Sociology of Human Reproduction
Recap
• Considered the social construction of
motherhood and the family
• Considered the concept of ‘good
motherhood’
• Looked at the issue of ARTS
Outline
• Understanding teenage pregnancy
• Consider if it is a problem
• Explore the impact of stigma
Outline
• Understanding teenage pregnancy
• Consider if it is a problem
• Explore the impact of stigma
How many “teenage” mothers?
• What does the term teenage mother mean
to you? How old do you think they usually
are?
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Under 14
14
15
16
17
18
19
Birth Statistics
• In 2007, children born to teenage mothers
accounted for 6% of all live births. (44,805
out of a total of 690,013).
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•
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Under 14
24 births (0.05% of all teenage births)
14
15
16
17
18
19
187 births (0.4% of all teenage births)
928 births (2% of all teenage births)
3,381 births (7.5% of all teenage births)
8,188 births (18.3% of all teenage births)
13,206 births (29.5% of all teenage births)
18,891 births (42% of all teenage births)
(Office for National Statistics. 2008. Birth Statistics. London, ONS: p. 10)
Teenage mothers
• That teenage mothers under 16 are a
minority of the group.
• The majority of “teenage” mothers are
actually 18 or 19.
Government concerns?
• Successive governments have condemned
teenage pregnancy claiming that they are:
– Irresponsible
– Aided by benefits
– A Cause of anti-social behaviour (poor parenting)
• Teenage Pregnancy Strategy developed in
1999 to:
– Halve the number of teenage pregnancies
– Get 60% of teenage mothers into education,
employment or training.
Why a social problem?
Campion (1995) outlines eight assumptions that lie
behind society’s disapproval of teenage
motherhood:
1. Teenagers are only children so cannot take
care of children themselves.
2. Babies should be planned.
3. Teenagers should not be having sex
4. Teenage mothers are likely to be single so they
are depriving the child of a father.
Why a social problem?
5. Teenage mothers are unable to be economically self
reliant so they are inflicting poverty on their children and
becoming a burden to the state.
6. Teenage mothers are less competent at parenting than
older mothers; if they waited until they were over 19 they
would make better mothers.
7. Having a baby while in your teens spells long-term
disaster for the child and for the mother.
8. Teenage mothers are all the same.
• What do you think of these assumptions?
Do you recognise them?
Becoming a teenage mother
• Young women are most likely to become a
teenage mother if:
– Live in a deprived areas
– limited labour market opportunities
– low educational attainment.
• So poorer outcomes of teenage mothers
can be cause because they are they are
poor rather than because they are parents
Becoming a teenage mother
• Mixture of planned and unplanned
pregnancies
• Young women report feelings of strength
and empowerment
• Can be more motivated to succeed in
education and/or employment
Assumptions of others?
• British Social Attitude Survey 2000:
• 81 % agreed “People in Britain are far too tolerant of teenage
pregnancies”.
• 56% agreed “One of the main causes of teenage pregnancy is the
lack of morals in young people”.
• 71% agreed, “Teenage girls who want to get on in life don’t usually
become teenage mothers”.
• 55% agreed, “All too often, Britain’s welfare system rewards teenage
mothers”.
• What impact do you think the negative
attitude towards teenage pregnancy will
have on younger mothers?
Stigma
• Studies have shown that teenage mothers
regularly experience stigma
– Negative comments from general public,
media and service providers
• The stigma is related to the stereotype of
being irresponsible and being unable to
parent properly
Stigma
• Stigma can deter younger mothers from
service providers
– Believe they will be treated badly
– Want to avoid ‘pointed figures’
– Concerns that they will lose their children
• Consequently stigma can increase the
chances of negative outcomes
Summary
• Looked at the age of ‘teenage mothers’
• Considered why teenage motherhood is
seen as a social problem
• Considered the impact of stigma