How Does Peer Pressure Influence Teen Pregnancy?

Now that your dear little daughter is thirteen, you often worry about her health and safety as you flick through magazines and read about teen pregnancy. Peer pressure and teenage pregnancy is a common problem and studies reveal that about 7, 50, 000 teens in the US suffer from such cases every year. So, today we talk about major causes of teenage pregnancy: peer pressure.

4 Causes Of Teen Pregnancy Due To Peer Pressure:

Even though teen pregnancy rates have become low in the last few decades, peer pressure continues to influence teens to involve in a relationship or sexual activity. Here, we list some prominent reasons of teen pregnancy caused by peer pressure.

1. Influence Of Peers To Have Sex:

During teenage, your teen may often suffer the pressure to make more friends and become one similar to their peers. Several times you will find that a teen may let her friends in the group influence her decision to involve in the sexual activity even though she lacks understanding of the consequences of the act. Often, teens have sex just to project that they are cool and sophisticated and end up with unintended teenage pregnancy. As a result, many teens become involved in a sexual relationship under peer pressure even though they are not ready for one (1).

[ Read: Facts About teenage pregnancy ]

2. Teenage Drinking:

Often, peer pressure pushes your teens to try and continue drinking alcohol. Teen drinking is another prominent cause that can lead to unexpected pregnancy in teens. Lots of teenagers love to experiment with alcohol and drugs, either on their own or under peer pressure, that reduces teen’s ability to regulate her impulses. So, studies reveal that nearly 75% of teen pregnancies occur due to teenage drinking habits (2).

[ Read: Teenage Binge Drinking ]

3. Unhealthy Relationship:

Peer pressure may also push your teen into a wrong, unhealthy sexual relationship. Your teen may get involve in sexual activity with a wrong partner carelessly and without any knowledge, just because others in their friends group are into a relationship. Also, your teen may not be aware of history, family background, and other details of her partner, and get into a relationship with an inappropriate guy under peer pressure. Careless involvement in sex with a wrong partner can lead to unintended pregnancy in teens (3).

4. Sexual Abuse:

Influence of peers can also make your teen visit inappropriate, unsafe places, such as unauthorized pubs and bars. Your teen may suffer from sexual abuse, such as molestation and rape, due to drug abuse or company of wrong people at such unsafe places. Sexual abuse like rape can lead to teenage pregnancy (4).

[ Read: how can teenage pregnancy affect your life ]

Other Causes Of Teenage Pregnancy:

Besides peer pressure, certain factors lead to teenage pregnancy. Other causes of teen pregnancy include:

1. Self Esteem:

Another prominent cause of teenage pregnancy is self-esteem. Self-esteem attributes to the personal requirement of teens to satisfy the sense of belonging, whether in their social circles or among friends of their age groups. When your teenager experiences a lack of sense of belonging, there is an increased risk that she will associate with individuals that will expose her to unprotected sex. The teen may find the sense of belonging and identification due to such association. Also, low education expectations also project teens towards questionable individuals or groups in the society that expose them to unprotected sex. So, take care your teen doesn’t lack the sense of belonging (5).

[ Read: Health Risks of Teenage Pregnancy ]

2. Absence Of Parental Guidance:

Teen girls are more vulnerable to pregnancy if they have no or limited guidance from their parents. Today, lots of parents are busy managing their work life and busy schedules, so they find it difficult to spend with their teen daughters. As a result, your teen daughter won’t feel free to talk to you about her decisions and consequences of involving in a relationship. And, she is more likely to rely on her friends for the decision and end up getting misguidance from them. So, make sure you spend quality family time and open up talking about various teenage issues with your teen daughter (6).

[ Read: How to Teach Your Daughter to Use a Tampon ]

Did you talk to your teen daughter about causes of pregnancy due to peer pressure? How did it help her? Share your experience with fellow moms here. Leave a comment below.

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