Dear Tiffany,

On some level everyone is affected. Most importantly the baby itself is affected not only by the health choices that its pregnant mother makes, but also the teen parents’ ability to provide adequate care after the child is born. The families of the mother and father are also affected. Additional emotional, financial, and childcare support is often needed. This can be challenging for many families, causing increased tension and conflict.

Teen pregnancy also affects the parents’ friendships. Becoming a teen parent demands a tremendous amount of time as a result of increased responsibilities. Often the parent (particularly the mother) is unable to hang out with friends as she once did and may lose contact with others as a result.

The teen parents’ educational future is also affected. More than two-thirds of all teenagers who have a baby don’t graduate from high school.

Ultimately, we are all affected because billions of tax dollars are spent taking care of teenage mothers and their children, because they are more likely to be in the poverty bracket and require government assistance.

There are certainly exceptions to the rule: teen parents who are able to provide for themselves and their children with support from friends and family. Unfortunately, for most teen parents that’s not the case.