| HISTORY: Although the rates of adolescent pregnancy and births in the United States are declining, (Guttmacher, 2004) they continue to be among the highest in western industrialized nations. About one million teenagers become pregnant each year, and almost half of these will give birth and become parents. Teenage pregnancy and childbearing represents a serious community health problem that has an impact on adolescents, their families, and society. Childbearing during adolescence has been associated with decreased likelihood of completing school, advancing education, and being employed and increased dependence on public assistance (Williams & Sadler, 2001). In addition 30-50 % of all adolescent mothers have a second pregnancy and about 25 % have a repeat birth within two years of the first. Historically, alternative education programs have been available for pregnant teens to address the complex issues of motherhood and school attendance, but often teenage mothers remain in their local high school. Parenting adolescents should have modifications to their educational program to meet their specific or individual needs. DESCRIPTION OF ISSUE: Approximately 35% of adolescent girls in the United States become pregnant at least once before age 20 (National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, 2003a). Evidence shows that 14% of high school- aged males report causing at least one pregnancy (National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, 2004). Preventive efforts to minimize risk factors for early parenthood and to promote positive parenting of children born to teen parents are important (Blum & Rinehart, 1997; Casserly, Carpenter & Halcon, 2001). Strong evidence suggests that many of the problems associated with pregnancy and parenting can be diminished by social support and school based programs that provide health care and education about child development to young parents (Williams & Sadler, 2001). The well-being of pregnant and parenting adolescents influences the physical, cognitive, behavioral, and emotional status of their children. Further, teen parents are at risk for dropping out of school and more likely to have additional teen pregnancies impacting their current and future socio-economic level. The adolescent parent’s developmental, social, and economic concerns need to be considered when programming education and connecting them with community resources. Comprehensive programs including school-based infant and child care and effective parenting practices, can promote high school completion rates and enhance the health of the adolescent parents and offspring. Exemplary programs should include multi-modality techniques such as: adult modeling, case management, group discussion, lectures, peer counseling and instruction, public service announcements, role playing, and the use of videos (Hoyt & Broom, 2002). Students who maintain a connection to teachers, counselors and school nurses through school programs and health education are more likely to complete high school and delay a second teen pregnancy (Williams & Sadler 2001). By developing a supportive relationship with a teen parent, the school nurse can affect the future of the student by encouraging a postpartum adolescent to return to school. The role of the school nurse with pregnant and parenting students is complex and ranges from assistance in pregnancy identification to participation on the multidisciplinary team that plans and supports accommodations for pregnant students. RATIONALE: School nurses play a vital role in helping adolescents understand their sexuality and making responsible choices that will affect their future. School nurses, as trusted confidants, provide care during a teen’s early pregnancy and offer guidance for decision making, medical care, and community resources. They collaborate with the student, family, school staff, and medical provider to plan for the care and academic success of the student during pregnancy. School nurses provide support and interventions to the child-bearing adolescent as her pregnancy progresses and recommend modifications necessary for the safety and well-being of the student in the school setting. The school nurse can help teen fathers accept the responsibilities of fatherhood through providing educational programs and resources for financial and legal assistance in the community. National and local programs aimed at pregnancy prevention and fostering parenting skills for those adolescents with children have steadily increased over the last two decades. In attempting to disrupt the intergenerational cycle of adolescent parenthood, school nurses can promote positive parenting practices and support responsible parenthood through programming and connecting them with school and community resources. School nurses can be instrumental in helping adolescent parents plan for their long-term future. CONCLUSION: The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) believes that the school nurse is in a prime position to have a significant effect in reducing teen pregnancy and helping young parents establish positive parenting practices through educational programs at school and in the community. Because teen sexuality and pregnancy prevention are complex issues facing school nurses, it is the position of NASN that school nurses have a vital role in the development of evidenced-based policies, procedures, and educational programs and materials for students and their parents relating to pregnancy prevention and teen parenting. School nurses do this by following pregnancy rates to identify trends, reviewing the school’s curriculum on sex education, assisting in the selection of high-quality educational materials and programs that are based on the age, culture, and level of risk of the target population, and by evaluating the short-term and long-term outcomes of the school’s programs. NASN supports the establishment of school-based programs for the prevention of teen pregnancy as well as programs that support parenting teens. School nurses provide counseling and research-based information regarding pregnancy and parenting to teens and their families. In addition, NASN acknowledges the important role that adolescents play in identifying and establishing solutions to meet their needs and encourages their active participation in the development of pregnancy prevention and teen parenting programs. References/Resources: Alan Guttmacher Institute. (2004) US teenage pregnancy statistics. Retrieved March 2, 2004 from www.agi-usa.org Blum, R., & Rinehart, P. (1997). Reducing the risk: Connections that make a difference in the lives of youth. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health. Casserly, K.S., Carpenter, A. S., Halcon, L. (2001). Adolescent parenting: Relationship to school attendance and achievement. Journal of School Nursing, 17(6), 329-335. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2001). Youth risk behavior surveillance survey. Atlanta, Georgia: Author. Hoyt, H. H., & Broom, B. L. (2002). School-based teen pregnancy prevention programs: A review of the literature. Journal of School Nursing, 18(1), 11-16. Minnesota Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention and Parenting. (2004). Take action, building the Minnesota state plan. Retrieved May 10, 2004 from www.moappp.org National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. (2004). Fact sheet: Why the education community cares about teen pregnancy. Washington DC: Author. National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, (2003a) Fact sheet: Why the educational community cares about preventing teen pregnancy. Washington, DC: Author. National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. (2003b). Talking back: What teens want adults to know about teen pregnancy. Washington DC: Author. National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. (2003c). Teen sexual activity, contraceptive use, pregnancy and childbearing: General facts and stats. Washington, DC: Author. National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. (2003d). U.S. birth rates for teens. Retrieved April 21, 2004 from www.teenpregnancy.org Singh, S., & Darroch, J. E. (2000). Adolescent pregnancy and childbearing: Levels and trends in developed countries. Family Planning Perspectives, 32(1), 14-23. U.S. Department of Education. (1999). Archived school-based and school-linked programs for pregnant and parenting teens and their children, recommendations. Washington DC: Author. Williams, E. G., & Sadler, L. S. (2001). Effects of an urban high school based child–care center on self-selected adolescent parents and their children. Journal of School Health, 71(2), 47-53. Originally a resolution: School Age Parents
Adopted: 1971 Revised: June 1982
January 1997
July 2004 |