Teen “Pregnancy Pact”: The Perfect Storm?
The shocking news from the small fishing town of Gloucester, Massachusetts spread across the country and around the world: 17 girls from one high school were pregnant, part of a supposed ‘pregnancy pact’ in which the students intentionally set out to become teen mothers, with a vow to raise their babies together.
It wasn’t the first time Gloucester made international headlines. The tragic 1991 loss at sea of a Gloucester fishing boat and its crew prompted the book and the movie “The Perfect Storm.”
Now a tidal wave of finger-pointing about who or what was responsible for so many pregnancies tipped toward a “perfect storm” of outside influences.
Some blamed Gloucester’s depressed local economy and the demise of its once-thriving fishing industry. Others indicted so-called broken families and directionless youth. Gloucester High, it was suggested, had brought the predicament on itself, by providing easily accessible on-campus day care for the babies of student mothers. And Hollywood shouldered its share of responsibility—the movie “Juno” was blamed for glamorizing unwed teen motherhood, and the media’s obsession with pregnant celebs having babies as “accessories” was called out as well.
But soon cracks began to appear in the cultural blame game. A reproductive specialist noted that the pregnancy trend at Gloucester High began before “Juno” hit the theaters. Gloucester’s mayor said the pregnancy rate was a statistical “blip” and rued the lack of health education funding. And the School Superintendent stated that he’d never heard the term “pact” used by the students, only by the media.
After days of silence, one of the girls finally appeared on national television. 17-year-old Lindsey Oliver denied the existence of a pact. “There was a group of girls already pregnant that decided they were going to help each other to finish school and raise their kids together,” she said. “I think it was just a coincidence.”
Tell us what you think: Are the Gloucester teen pregnancies the result of a “perfect storm” of outside influences, or does responsibility lie elsewhere?
Add Comment Share This
Comments
from a sixteen year old ( my story)
ok so i have had sex but at times you dont think. you injoy it then but after you dont. I didnt use birth control and i am now pregnant. im 8 months to be exact or 37 weeks. but i do think that we should not have sex and be getting pregnant
half of my school is pregnant.
claire underwood | 2 weeks, 2 days ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
ok ok ok really
ok really some people dont try to get pregnant. if it happens it happens…im 15 and i had sex for the first time….now i could have the chance of being pregnant. its not what i want, well not yet at least. if i am, i am, i cant do anything about it. i dont think people should make comments about it, saying how its there fault, because it just kinda happens. I think people should be there for other people. dont judge, its already going to be hard enough having a kid at a young age, but havin to deal with people making fun of them. come on people think about what your saying.
Roro | 2 weeks, 1 day ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
hmm
i think most teens are not responsible, to hadle a baby and themselves but we can not judge every single one< some can be very capable of doing it .. s
Alicia | 1 week, 6 days ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
teen mom
I agree with you. I was also a teen mom. My Brothers and sisters told me that they learned alot from me. My daughter is a junior in college and she is a very smart girl and still a virgin. She saw all the trouble I had to go threw with her and making a go of it.
dawn chaloupka | 1 week, 5 days ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
hi
thanks for sharing such a nice article.
Gaur | 1 week, 5 days ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
teens getting pregnant!
I think teens should not be getting pregnant because it is not a good thing! let me tell from experience because my lil cousin got pregnant at the age of 11. she could not take care of him couldnt provide things that he need… and 1st of all she is pregnant again at 15.. with the second child.. but i feel where teens are coming from they think just cause their parents are not there 4 thm that they r missing that parent action there 2 discipline them that a baby is the answer they want a baby because they want someone to love them…. word of advice just because you think your parents dont love you they do.. its probably because they want 2 see u strive 4 success….. so dont take it personal getting pregnat is not the answer…… u have all your life 2 make babys and plus u r not suppose 2 have a baby until u r married… so take notes…. and do better its all good 2 have fun once in a while….. so be cool.. babys r alot of work…….. ur fun wiil be over if u have a baby so think about it!
Sincerely,
Daneesha Barbour!
Daneesha Barbour | 1 week, 4 days ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
teens getting pregnant!
Girl i agree teens should not be getting pregnant bcuz it do comes responsibility… keep telling the truth u r a good influence.
Daneesha Barbour | 1 week, 4 days ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
abortion
i strongly agree that education should come first and that teens should be using abstenance but as far as abortion i don’t agree if anything adoption should be before abortion because their are plenty of families who want children and can’t have them so i think i would over think abortion if i was a pregnant teen in that situation.
britnee | 1 week, 4 days ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
goingg through it .
Honestly reading the past comments make me feel like nobody knows whatg they are talkingg about . & obviously many of you are Virgins. For those who say “teenagers shouldn’t have sex” are far off. Im 15 & pregnant . its the scariest thing i have ever gone through. But for every bad choice there is a consequence. I chose to have unprotected sex, and now i am pregnant. Fortunately i have people in my corner that can help me. Let me tell you girls one thing, you are young right now. Be smart. DONT have unprotected sex because nothing good can come out of it right now . Save it for somebody special , like your husband. I never believed in aborting until about three weeks ago. but its true “ you live by words until youve actually gone through it . Keep that in mind ladies. Goodluck to all .
trgn. | 1 week, 3 days ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
oh & one more thing,
girls we are still kids ourselvess. my mom had me at 16 & i see her stuggle everyday . it kills me & i wouldnt want mine or anybody elses baby to suffer like that. Juss remember it doesnt affect YOU , it affects your family more than anything because we cant support ourselves. Sex is a big responsibility, make sure to be safe. USE PROTECTION! especially now.
trgn. | 1 week, 3 days ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
« First < 94 95 96 97 98 > Last » (100 pages)