Deconstructing the Teenage Pregnancy "Epidemic:" An Informed Approach to Caring for Marginalized Adolescents While Respecting Reproductive Autonomy

Teenage childbearing is considered a societal ill, despite the evidence failing to demonstrate a causative link between teenage childbearing and negative consequences for teens or their children. This thesis argues that the strongly held assertion that teenage childbearing is detrimental to teens and society is rooted in racist eugenics theories and histories of reproductive coercion. Today, social scientists, health care providers, and public health professionals develop and celebrate programs that reduce rates of teen pregnancy, particularly programs that provide Long Acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARCs) to teens in marginalized communities. While these efforts are well-intentioned, they fail to recognize their perpetuation of histories of reproductive coercion of young women of color. This paper recommends ways in which the medical community can be better informed and respect reproductive autonomy in caring for teens from marginalized communities.

Grantor dc:publisher

Temple University. Libraries

Year dc:date.issued

2017

Author dc:creator

• Baurer, Danielle

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Jones, Nora L.

Committee member dc:contributor.committeemember

• Rocco, Providenza Loera

• Medical ethics
• Women's studies
• Public health
• IUD
• LARC
• Long acting reversible contraception
• Teenage pregnancy
• Urban bioethics

Statement dc:rights

• IN COPYRIGHT- This Rights Statement can be used for an Item that is in copyright. Using this statement implies that the organization making this Item available has determined that the Item is in copyright and either is the rights-holder, has obtained permission from the rights-holder(s) to make their Work(s) available, or makes the Item available under an exception or limitation to copyright (including Fair Use) that entitles it to make the Item available.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12613/760

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarshare.temple.edu:20.500.12613/760