Wealth, Health and Social Stigma: Are Teen Mothers Screwed?
September 19, 2007 by kate baggott
Filed under Finances, Mental Health
Teenage motherhood is stressful for the mother and the grandparents, worrisome to society and, according to some people a growing problem. And yet, through the wonder of Facebook, I have recently been in contact with some of the women I know who became mothers in high schood. They seem to be fine. Not perfect, but functioning at least as well as I am.
They have jobs and computers and lives.
So this new study came as a surprise when I saw the press release in my inbox: Apparently, women who have their first child before age 20 are at a higher risk of chronic diseases and death when they reach middle age, a new study shows.
The study in the September issue of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior says that women who are single when they have their first child are 1.42 times more likely to die early. They also have higher rates of heart disease and cancer.
The results are probably as a result not being married and the drop in income associated with being a single mother.
“Being unmarried at the time of first birth is associated with lower midlife income and a lower probability of being married in midlife,” said study author Dr. John Herettna. “It’s not so much the characteristic of being unmarried at first birth that’s important; it’s what being unmarried at first birth tells us about the midlife status of these women.”
Henretta used information from the Health and Retirement Study that included interviews with 4,335 American-born women between the ages of 51 to 61 who were followed for ten years. They were asked about their health, their level of education, their marital status, their incomes and wealth, how many children they had and the ages of their children.
I am not sure that these findings can be applied to the teen mothers I grew up with or teenage girls who may find themselves parenting today. The women in the study, all of whom were born between 1931 and 1941, may have been forced to give their children up for adoption, may have parented under severe social stigma and probably had no opportunities to further their education.
Education and opportunities to earn help to protect all women’s health. If you need to learn more about how to obtain this help, see the comments on this post at Solomother.
Thanks Kate! I hope we can make these statistics a thing of the past.
The difference between a successful teen parent and an unsuccessful teen parent is in my experience support. Which actually varies little from all parents. I think teen parents get way too much slack and it’s rude. I used to work with homeless teen parents and I just loved them. The potential is huge but many people treat them like crap. If people treat you badly all the time guess how you act — badly.
If people and communities offer support than it’s a whole other story. I’ve seen horrible middle aged parents and excellent 17 year old parents. I’ve also seen that dynamic flipped. When it comes to parenting our world as a whole needs to embrace the old village theory — that is honestly the only way to make sure that all parents and kids get the support they need.
Finally an article that makes sense! I also always wonder where research like that gets their statistics from, since having had my son at 17 two years ago, I tend to know quite a few women like myself…And most of them completely don’t fit any of those pretty depressing may I say studies…
It really does make you wonder where they get their results from. I don’t remember anyone involving me or anyone else in a study, and I know quite a few.
I got pregnant at the age of 16 and had my son at the age of 17. I was the type of girl that nobody expected would end up pregnant in high school but it happened. I played volleyball, basketball, ran track,ran cross-country, and did powerlifting and tennis. I didnt find out i was pregnant until i was about to be 5 months into my pregnancy so i was still running and lifting weights in athletics up until then. I told all of my friends as a group when i found out i didnt want to hear whispers and rumors i wanted them to hear it from me. There were tears of mixed emotions but all seemed to be supportive and throughout my pregnancy there wasnt a day at school that someone didnt touch my belly or talk to “Caysen” my baby. My boyfriend was awesome and supportive as well. Everyone said that things happen for a reason and i didnt quite understand until 6 months into my pregnancy my father had a accident at work and he was involved in an explosion and was burnt on 36% of his upper torso. he spent about two months in a burn unit fighting for his life and i had faith he would make it and get to meet his grandson but unfortuantley i lost my daddy and what kept me strong was my baby. off and on they told us he only has 2 more days till he dies or 1 more week but he seemed to keep fighting death. i knew my daddy was strong but god knows why he does things it broke my heart but i had to keep it together for my little angel.
Today i am in college studying business management and am a Mary Kay beauty consultant and my boyfriend and i are engaged and will marry when we finish college. both grandmas are spoiling our baby and his one grampa as well. i know my daddy is watching over him as well. i am 19 now and my son fixing to be 2 and we are proud parents and dont regret a thing sure its hard but we just grew up and matured a little quicker than other teeenagers.