Changing The Outlook On Youth Pregnancy And Parenthood - Forbes

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Changing The Outlook On Youth Pregnancy And Parenthood - Forbes Posted: 21 Jun 2019 03:35 PM PDT When I wrote Shaking the Table via an Intersectional Approach I posed the question: How might we create a world where all women and girls' voices are included? I'm aiming to do just that through "Shaking the Table." With this series, I'll invite other women and girls in my community to the Forbes table to amplify their voices and share their stories. And instead of just asking "why don't more people sitting at the table, pull up a chair for others?" I'm taking action by making room for others and scooting over to make more space for more women and girls. I know that if I truly want to create a more united state of women, I must continue to embrace and recognize that there's enough room for all of us to work together. In this installment of the series, Rosemary D. Oglesby-Henry talks about teen-pregnancy awareness, how her company supports teen parents and families, and the legacy she's leaving behind. Forever shaking tables, Desiré Bennett, Ambassador, USOW Cincinnati Three minutes. Three minutes is approximately the time it takes to get the results of a home pregnancy test and change a child's life forever. In those same three minutes, a teen's life flashes before their eyes. They envision giving up a scholarship to a Big 10 college, dropping out of high school to work a minimum wage job, and putting their future on hold to become parents. Presumptions, A Real Problem. One shouldn't be able to predict their economic future solely based on race or zip code, nor the age at which they become parents. However, for minorities and girls of color who become teen moms, statistics suggest that, if their parents were teen parents, they are more likely to become teen parents, too. In this way, teenage pregnancy and poverty become cycles that repeat from generation to generation. It means that they are at a higher risk of repeating the cycle of teenage pregnancy and poverty in their families—living their lives in income-based housing, being dependent on government benefits, inadequate healthcare, and working low-income jobs to care for their babies. At 16, I did not want to become a stereotype and I recall those feelings and emotions intimately. A one-time choice changed my entire life. I remember weighing my options: abortion, adoption, or becoming a teen mother. In 1996—a time when teen pregnancy was at its peak—people lacked empathy for me. I recall so many people saying, "She is loose. She should have kept her legs closed." Unlike today, there was no research that suggested the correlation between teenage pregnancy and trauma. Recent research shows that Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) are large contributors to adolescent pregnancy. Even worse, the trauma that comes with choosing to parent at such a young age is the first adult decision a child makes. New statistical evidence shows the mental health risks that result from adolescent pregnancy and a lack of social support. There are insurmountable pressures of being a teen parent and the stigma can be devastating for young parents. Teens are left feeling abandoned, hopeless, and that, by having a child, they have been sentenced to a life of poverty.   Fortunately, I was able to overcome my obstacles as a teen mother; my experience forced me to be more resilient and self-empowered. Two decades later when I launched Rosemary's Babies Company, a non-profit 501(c)3 that supports teen parents and families, I found others were not as fortunate. The barriers for adolescent parents are far greater now. Inflation has increased household expenses like childcare, transportation, and housing, making it unaffordable for these families to live their daily lives. The impact of the disproportionate socio-economic effects faced by youth parents, especially young women and parents of color, continues to be an enigma with no viable, long-term solution. Rosemary's Babies Company advocates for teen parent rights while providing a network of support and resources for families in Greater Cincinnati to ensure they leave a legacy. The Plan: Advocacy & Education.   So how do we change the outlook for teenage parents while continuing to reduce unintended pregnancies? Albert Einstein wrote: "Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results." This quote speaks truth to how we tackle teenage pregnancy and how we support the almost 200,000 teens who become parents yearly. As teen pregnancy prevention programs lose funding, women's health initiatives are attacked, birth control is no longer covered by medical insurance, and disproportionate socio-economic determinants surge our child poverty rate. We must fight for equal protections for our youth to have quality education and resources to help them to prevent unintended pregnancies. Advocating for young parents will eliminate alienation and barriers that prevent teens from seeking services to help them become successful. Our government proposes that we cycle back to abstinence-only educational programming which has proven ineffective in postponing sexual activity. I suggest a movement that educates youth and advocates for parenting youth named Youth Pregnancy & Parenthood Awareness. On May 7, 2019 (May is National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month), a partnership between Rosemary's Babies Company and the Office of Cincinnati City Councilwoman Tamaya Dennard worked to proclaim a day to highlight the importance of advocating for teen parents. Youth Pregnancy & Parenthood Awareness Day will be recognized annually after Mother's Day, making it the first day of its kind to locally focus on youth parents. This proclamation comes as Greater Cincinnati works to provide better resources for young families and the more than 2,000 teen parents yearly who contribute to the increased child poverty rate. Nationally, a campaign for Youth Pregnancy & Parenthood Awareness would include: • Comprehensive sex education (K-12) that focuses on health risk as well as the mental, social, behavioral, and emotional effects that come with having a sexual relationship too early; • Resources that describe the socio-economic impact on teen parent families and the community if we fail to eliminate barriers that lead to generational pregnancy and poverty; • Provide school administrators tools and education to identify students who show signs of risky sexual behaviors, trauma, or have discussed adverse childhood experiences that would encourage an early sexual relationship; and • Community conversations to propose and implement initiatives to support young families.    Three minutes is the amount of time it takes to get the results of a home pregnancy test and change a child's life but we can do more to change the outcomes and their outlook by effectively implementing a dual approach to activism and sexual education. Take action now to talk with your children about youth pregnancy and parenthood. Contact local, government and school officials to advocate for a campaign in your city. Visit our website www.rosemarysbabies.co  to donate to support these young families or to get involved call (513) 813-TEEN.

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