POSTED: Monday, November 19, 2012 - 11:15pm
UPDATED: Wednesday, April 24, 2013 - 3:47pm
Tyler, TX — More and more teens are becoming moms. It's the scariest thing a teen could be faced with.
We all want to know why it's becoming more common. How do they cope?
And why are teen pregnancy rates so high in Texas?
KETK spoke to women who were teen moms about teen pregnancy, and what was going through their minds.
KETK also spoke with the Pregnancy Resource Center in Tyler about how common teen pregnancy is.
Alleyshouse.org reports:
96% of teen mothers keep their babies.
In Texas, a baby is born to a teen mother every 10 minutes.
Texas is #3 in teen births.
Family and faith is an important factor in this life changing experience.
Doreen Hague, Director of Pregnancy Resource Center, in Tyler helps pregnant teens every day, as young as 12 years old.
"A history of Bible, Bible, we're in the Bible belt here in TX, there's still a conviction that abortion is wrong. The many girls that we see… after talking with them, even just for a short time they'll change their mind even if they were thinking about having an abortion, they know it's wrong in their hearts," Doreen Hague, Director, Pregnancy Resource Center.
Rachel sees many girls come in to the center, not knowing how everything works, when their period starts, when they can become pregnant.
"Being raised in the bible belt, very much of a Christian community, people say let's go to church, let's be raised in a church, people know that when they are pregnant that's it's a life and that life begins at conception," says Rachel Baber, Volunteer, Pregnancy Resource Center.
"It does break my heart, to see these girls that want to be loved and the cool thing is…at the PRC, is you know people are going to fail us in life, we're not going to feel appreciated and loved, feel respected but here at the PRC, we bring back that Jesus Christ is there, that he will always be there for you, he's never going to let you down," says Rachel Baber, Volunteer, Pregnancy Resource Center.
According to the Pregnancy Resource Center, about 30 pregnant teens a month come in to the Pregnancy Resource Center.
Some teens leave it up to their faith to guide them in the right path, and abortion not being an option.
Is it lack of sex education, curiosity, or the need of filling loneliness?
"I think a lot if the times…Parents are afraid to talk about sex to their children, but I think the big, the pressure comes from school mates, from friends, and they believe everybody is doing it, every body is having sex, so it's ok," says Doreen Hague, Director, Pregnancy Resource Center.
"They need to focus on their school, studies, get involved…keep busy, don't be side tracked by sex, don't be side tracked by the guy who is going to charm you in to his arms," says Doreen Hague, Director, Pregnancy Resource Center."
"They need to focus on their school, studies, get involved…keep busy, don't be side tracked by se, don't be side tracked by the guy who is going to charm you in to his arms."
In the end, our teens need love, family support, and education on taking care of themselves.