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?
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boys&girls; club mentor
i would love to learn on how i can receive free information on teen pregnancy and possible pamplets for my groups ages 8-17 years of age dealing with the boys and girls club.
carlotta grimes | 4 months ago
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boys&girls; club mentor coordinator
i’ve had some of my teenagers to tell me how they are afraid of talking to their parents because they are afraid of what they will do or think of them. i just believe we need to listen more to our children through their hearts.
carlotta grimes | 4 months ago
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wow
wow.. That is crazy, but i can imagine that happening, Now days tons of teenage girls are having baby’s and there isnt realy anything you can do about it, the school make the kids watch videos and tell them how difficult it is to raise a baby and go to school . But kids now days dont realy worry about stuff like that until after they find out they are pregnant. Raising a baby and being a teenager is very difficult , but i think that if the teen thinks she can provide for the baby and can still be a teenager at the same time then good for her… Teens also dont realy worry about getting pregnant, because they see all there friends having sex and they think that its realy cool, but they dont understand the consiquences.. I should know i’m a teenager, i know the pressure of everyone having sex and they tell you that its cool and you should do it too and that you dont have to worry about anything .. But there is tons of stuff to worry about , not only getting pregnant but also the diseases you can get from having sex… I NOW think that if u are with a guy you realy LOVE and you know it for sure then wait at least 2 years then you can have sex.. Because there is alot of stuff to worry about…
kelcie | 4 months ago
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im a mom
i believe that pregnancy is an amazing expierence and becoming a mother is even more amazing but very difficult
miranda bercier | 4 months ago
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WHY DO THEY DO IT?
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I’M A TEENAGER MYSELF AND TO ME TEENAGERS REALLY DO IT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO EXPERIENCE WHAT A LIFE AS A MOTHER IS LIKE OR MAYBE THEY DID NOT INTENDED TO HAVE SEX IT,S JUST THAT WHEN A CHILD BECOMES MATURE THEY HAVE A FEELING FOR SEX THAT SOME OF THESE TEENAGE GIRLS CAN’T CONTROL.
DANIELLE DONALDS | 3 months, 4 weeks ago
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i am pregnant
and i hope for all of the teens good luck its not fun
Cassandra Ann Harris | 3 months, 4 weeks ago
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Teen Pregnancy
I think teens who have sex and get pregnant should take responsibility and take care of their baby even if they don’t want it or just give it up for adoption, it was their choice to have unprotected sex.
Jlyn Tillman | 3 months, 4 weeks ago
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YAAA
I’m a 14 year old freshman and I already want a kid just because I thank I’m a good mom to my brothers and cousins cause I’m the only girl so I understand there stuff
MacKinzey Nicole Funderburk | 3 months, 4 weeks ago
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oh my
how are they going to porvid for them all i know that is i git pergnet with twins at 12 years old and its going to be hard on all of them girls i know it was for me and now i am 20 and they are 8!!!!!!!!
chrisiey | 3 months, 4 weeks ago
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young
i thank that it is not any bodys bedsnes about ther lifes they should not be having sex but if they do then that is ther problume not ours. just stay safe if u wont to have sex us a condom,pellsor dont tave sex at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
lucy esmeralda solis | 3 months, 4 weeks ago
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