Abstract
Adolescent pregnancy is often described as a major concern in public health and is associated with negative outcomes for educational and career attainment. Our objective was to compare the future aspirations of pregnant and parenting adolescents and identify social or structural barriers that they experience in their daily lives using journal entries from pregnant and parenting adolescents. The journals, which served as primary data sources, were completed by 52 multi-ethnic pregnant and parenting adolescents aged 15 to 19 in Indiana. Both pregnant and parenting adolescents aspired to provide a “better life” for their children that included finishing school and obtaining a career. An emergent theme is that the experience of pregnancy and parenting is transformative and may invoke a positive refocusing of life aspirations for educational and career attainment. However, social stigma and barriers exist that make achieving educational and employment opportunities difficult. The study findings indicate that pregnant and parenting adolescents need strong social support networks and practical tools to help harness their motivation and transcend social and material barriers to achieve their goals and aspirations.
Highlights
The rate of adolescent pregnancy has declined from 61.8 per 1,000 women in 1991 to 29.4 in 2012, the United States still has one of the highest rates of adolescent pregnancy of any high-income country (Hamilton, Martin, & Ventura, 2013)
Because the literature reports both negative and positive effects related to pregnancy and motherhood, and distinguishes between pre- and post-birth women, our objective was to contrast the aspirations of pregnant adolescents with those of parenting adolescents and to identify the structural and social barriers that both groups of young women view as obstacles to achieving their aspirations
To address adolescent pregnancy on a local level in the state of Indiana, the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Division of the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) created the Pregnant and Parenting Adolescent Support Services (PPASS) program to promote the development of integrated systems of support services for pregnant and parenting adolescents and their families
Summary
The rate of adolescent pregnancy has declined from 61.8 per 1,000 women in 1991 to 29.4 in 2012, the United States still has one of the highest rates of adolescent pregnancy of any high-income country (Hamilton, Martin, & Ventura, 2013). Adolescent pregnancy has been associated with a number of negative social, psychological, developmental, and health outcomes for both the mothers and their children (CDC, 2014). One of the negative outcomes for mothers is a reduced likelihood of completing a high school diploma or a university degree, which limits their future employment potential (Escamilla & Santhiveeran, 2005; Perper, Peterson, & Manlove, 2010). Adults with advanced degrees earn 4 times more than those with less than a high school diploma (“Educational Attainment in the United States,” 2012). Escamilla and Santhiveeran’s (2005) longitudinal study pointed to longterm disadvantages for women who gave birth before the age of 20, including lower levels of educational attainment and employment in addition to higher rates of poverty and use of public assistance. Adults with advanced degrees earn 4 times more than those with less than a high school diploma (“Educational Attainment in the United States,” 2012). Escamilla and Santhiveeran’s (2005) longitudinal study pointed to longterm disadvantages for women who gave birth before the age of 20, including lower levels of educational attainment and employment in addition to higher rates of poverty and use of public assistance. Furstenberg’s (2003) research asserted that young parenting affects work resulting in less time employed, lower paying positions, increased likelihood to be supported through public assistance, and difficulties with balancing parenting with work
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