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Pregnancy among teenagers is a problem that has bothered this country for quite some time. Several techniques have been integrated into public policy to curb the spread of teen pregnancy, some with more success than others.

One of the many disadvantages of teen pregnancy is economic. Becoming pregnant as a teenager usually prevents the mother from attending and finishing college. Those without college degrees earn significantly less, on average, than those who do hold college degrees. Generally, the father of the child is not involved in the baby's life in situations of teen pregnancy. Nevertheless, modern DNA technology causes it to become incredibly easier to determine the identity of the father, if that is in question, often teen mothers do not choose to make use of this technology. Of course, in most cases the father of the child makes an effort to take responsibility for looking after the child along with the mother. In those cases, it is a battle for both parents to successfully complete high school and college.

The financial hardships of teen mothers cannot be overstated. A good number of teen mothers eventually do make efforts in order to complete their college degree, but this is not a simple task. Besides securing childcare during class time, teen mothers will have to compensate for the lost income brought on by the many hours of college classes and homework. On the other hand, college students who are not also single parents will not have the same financial obligations, and are better able to handle arduous class schedules. It should be noted, however, that quite a few teenager mothers overcome these difficulties and do complete their degrees. Some government assistance is open to teen mothers, but that comes with strings attached and is anyhow limited in scope.

Another disadvantage of teen pregnancy comes in the forms of missed opportunities. While several high school and college students encounter a period of freedom and excitement, teenage mothers spend this period negotiating parenting and academic duties, in addition to financial responsibilities. Even teenagers who are able to make it to college should avoid opportunities that interfere with their parenting responsibilities. Some examples are overseas work-study opportunities and internships in distant cities, but in addition recreational and extracurricular clubs and activities that are simply too time consuming. Of course, a dedicated teen mother can still complete a college education -- but nowhere near as easily as the typical college student.