Minggu, 03 Oktober 2010

Shelters for Pregnant Teens

Many pregnant teens find themselves homeless or living in dangerous situations, and for some of these teens a shelter for pregnant teens may be able to provide a safe environment and support as they strive to care for themselves and their babies.

Shelters for pregnant teens offer a place to live when teens are pregnant and find themselves homeless, in a dangerous environment, or in need of extra support and care. In addition to food and a place to live, pregnant teen shelters may offer a variety of services:

  • Medical care
  • Mental and emotional health counseling
  • Substance abuse counseling
  • Religious instruction
  • Supervision by a trained and licensed staff
  • Educational help
  • Work and life skills training
  • Parenting skills classes
  • Adoption placement or counseling
  • Education on avoiding another pregnancy during the teen years
  • Help in locating housing after leaving the shelter
  • Classes for the baby's father on life and parenting skills

Not all shelters offer all of these services, but most offer some. Most pregnant teen shelters are run by city or state governments or by non-profit groups, especially religious organizations. The services they are able to offer, as well as the rules for living at the shelter and the criteria for admission vary by shelter.

The living situation at teen shelters is usually somewhat communal. Pregnant teen shelters may offer girls their own room or require them to share. They usually have shared spaces for eating and for activities, which gives pregnant teens a chance to make friends with others who understand their situation. The staff members usually function as surrogate parents and counselors for the girls, and may be single moms themselves.

The rules at most shelters provide a lot of structure. Some shelters allow girls to leave the facility during their stay while others require them to remain on the grounds. Girls may be required to follow strict health rules, though they may have to get their own medical care. This also applies to schooling. Religious homes or shelters usually require girls to attend services. Shelters may keep their location a secret to protect pregnant teens who may be in danger from family members or the baby's father.

The level of help provided by shelters depends on the focus and the resources of the shelter. Some shelters can only offer help while a girl is pregnant, while others provide continuing shelter or support for up to the first two years of the baby's life, including ongoing counseling and education or child care.

Girls who seek pregnant teen shelters may come from a variety of backgrounds. Many of the teens who use shelters have a history of early sexual activity, and often of sexual abuse. They are almost always single. Many come from the foster care program or from low income families who cannot not or will not support them during their pregnancies. Most keep their babies rather than put them up for adoption.

Teens who go to a pregnant teen shelter may have better outcomes than those who don't thanks to the shelter's counseling, health, and education programs, and removing girls from dangerous situations.

Homes and shelters for pregnant teens used to be common, but there are now fewer of them, with perhaps only a couple in each state. With budget cuts, many state programs have been cut back even more. This means that teens who need a shelter may not have many options about which one they go to, and it may be hard to get in to a shelter.

Teens who need a shelter while they are pregnant can talk to a doctor, counselor, social worker, or religious leader to find out about pregnant teen shelters in their area. They can also search in the phone book for shelters or for teen help hotlines. Girls who need special help, like protection from someone who wants to hurt them, may be able to get help with transportation to a particular shelter by talking to a doctor, police officer, or social worker.

Prenatal Care for Pregnant Teens

Getting proper prenatal care during the first trimester of pregnancy is helpful in having a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby. If unplanned or unexpected pregnancy occurs teens are less likely to get prenatal care. Keep reading for tips on getting prenatal care for pregnant teens.

One of the biggest challenges involved with newborn health when mothers are teenagers is prenatal care. Some estimates find that 1/3 of pregnant teens do not get the prenatal care that they need. This is a problem, since inadequate prenatal care can lead to a host of problems. Babies with low birth weights can have health problems that last their whole lives. Other issues, such as not eating right or being involved in dangerous activities, can result in miscarriage or in permanent damage to the unborn baby.

While improper prenatal care doesn’t always lead to problems for the developing fetus, the chances that a baby will have problems when not properly cared for in utero are increased. And, even though some who get good prenatal care have babies born with health problems, your baby’s health stands a better chance when you get the right prenatal care.

Getting proper prenatal care for pregnant teens

The first thing that should be done once you know you are pregnant is to call a health care provider. Pregnant teens need to get in contact with a health provider and make an appointment. If you don’t know where to turn, there are a number of community services and organizations that can help you. Visit your local Health Department, Women’s Center or Planned Parenthood to help you find access to prenatal health care. Many of these organizations can also help you navigate public assistance programs like Medicaid that can help you get the care you need, even if you are low on funds.

Next, you need to stop do things that are likely to harm the fetus. If you want to increase the chances that you have a healthy baby, you need to stop some habits. Smoking, alcohol use, and drug use can all harm an unborn child. These practices can result in low birth rate, and can even cause some problems in utero, including stroke. Consider that once you are pregnant, you are no longer only affecting your body; there is a developing fetus that is affected by all that you do.

After you begin working on quitting your bad habits, you need to cultivate good health habits. Consult with your health care provider about an appropriate diet for prenatal care. You will need plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and dairy. Your health care provider can help you work out a meal plan that can result in a healthier pregnancy. Also, consider starting an exercise program, if you haven’t already. You will need to ask your health care provider which exercises are appropriate for pregnant women to do, and make sure that you are following the guidelines for prenatal physical activity.

While dieting is not always a bad thing, it is not something you can do while you are pregnant. If you want your baby to get the proper nourishment, it is vital that you eat well each day. This doesn’t mean that you go wild and eat everything. However, you do need to recognize that a healthy weight gain for most is between 15 pounds and 30 pounds over the course of a pregnancy. Make sure that check with your health care provider, and get some solid information on what is most likely to be healthy for you.

In the end, having a healthy baby depends a great deal on what you do as a mom. Prenatal care for pregnant teens is very important. Teenagers may not know what they need to do in order to take good care of an unborn child. However, if you are a smart teen, you will get in touch with a health care provider as soon as possible in order to increase the chances that fetal development will move forward in a normal and healthy manner.

Alternative Schools For Pregnant Teens

Not all public schools are equipped to handle teenage pregnancy, although some have special programs to assist pregnant teens finish their education, and even provide daycare. This article discusses alternative schools for pregnant teens such as homeschool, distance learning, and more.

Some public schools, like Sidney Lanier High School��"a public high school in San Antonio, Texas��"are prepared to deal with student pregnancy and parenting requirements. They have, for example, a program to help students find free daycare. But not every public school is prepared for this situation, and when this is the case, it may be time to find an alternative school for a pregnant teen. This article explains some basics.

What Is an Alternative School for Pregnant Teens?

Often an alternative school is thought of as any school that is not a standard college preparatory public or private school. In this case, though, an alternative school would likely be thought of as any school that had adaptations built-in not only to accommodate the needs of a pregnant student body but also to cater to the pregnant teen and specifically address her situation. This being the case, an alternative school for pregnant teens may turn out to be:

  • a homeschool
  • a distance learning opportunity
  • a charter school
  • a residential treatment center or program for pregnant teens who face issues besides pregnancy

Examples of Alternative Schools for Pregnant Teens

  • Homeschool��"Because a homeschool is set up by agreement with the state the student’s family lives in, laws differ, but it may often be possible to set up a homeschool situation for a pregnant teen if this is a desirable and effective way to address the issue of pregnancy and education. Check with your state department of education for more information about requirements and for advice about curriculum and other essentials.
  • Distance Learning��"If there is no one in the home who is equipped to or otherwise able to educate a pregnant teen, home-based education may still take place through a distance learning arrangement. There are a variety of accredited organizations that offer courses of study for teens in a variety of formats. There are correspondence courses, video instruction units, and interactive computer learning modules, as well as opportunities to meet in classes with other students via webinar.
  • Charter School��"The Polly Fox Academy in Toledo, Ohio is a charter school for pregnant and parenting teens in grades 7 through 12. It is run by the Toledo Public Schools and opened in August, 2003. The school deals with the issues its students face as students, as mothers, as girlfriends, and as sexually active individuals. A nurse and midwife visit the school weekly, and day care is available, as are online courses. Of course, this choice is only useful if there is an appropriate charter school in your area.
  • Residential Treatment Center or Program��"The National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP) lists two programs for pregnant teens in its directory:

• Florence Crittenton Center for Pregnant and Parenting Teens��"This small residential program in Helena, Montana accepts girls 12 to 20 and their babies, with only 16 slots available at any time. The program has been in existence since 1900 and accepts only teens who not only are pregnant or parenting but also have another risk factor, including chemical dependency or a mental health diagnosis.

• Youth Care��"This coeducational residential treatment center in Draper, Utah accepts children age 12 to 19 (grades 7 to 12) who live in homes in groups of 14 to 16. In this case, pregnancy is only one of the issues that are the focus, and treatment addresses physical and sexual abuse, self-injuring behavior, learning disabilities, mood disorders, substance abuse, running away, and Oppositional Defiant Disorder. The therapies include specific substance abuse therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and available Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings.

Other schools may accept a teen who is pregnant, but not necessarily with any particular program or supports in place.

Choosing an Alternative School for a Pregnant Teen

In considering any alternative school for a pregnant teen, review not only its accreditation and teacher qualifications, but also its appropriateness for the girl in question and its abilities to address her particular needs.

Teen Pregnancy Help

There are many options available in the United States for pregnant teens. This article offer tips on where to get pregnant teen help. Keep reading to learn the statistics on teen mothers and education. Learn how you can help a pregnant teen make the best choices.

We recommend finding classes in your area to help in deciding if having a child is right for you. These classes on pregnancy and parenting are held at community centers and hospitals throughout the U.S.

You will find that there are many options available to teens today. Adoption, Abortion, Transition Programs, and keeping the child are all options. We will discuss each of these in depth in this section on the site. We feel all of these need some attention, but we do not believe abortion should be considered. At PregnantTeenHelp.org we promote many other options. Abortion is included because we aim to educate people on all options, give statistics, etc.

Why do we want to help people find options? Some more information :

Teen mothers are less likely to complete high school (only one-third receive a high school diploma) and only 1.5% have a college degree by age 30. Teen mothers are more likely to end up on welfare (nearly 80 percent of unmarried teen mothers end up on welfare).

The children of teenage mothers have lower birth weights, are more likely to perform poorly in school, and are at greater risk of abuse and neglect.

The sons of teen mothers are 13 percent more likely to end up in prison while teen daughters are 22 percent more likely to become teen mothers themselves.

This information is reason enough to make us want to help the situation.

Related Article: Teen Pregnancy Options >>


TANDA KEHAMILAN

Mungkin Anda pernah merasa ragu untuk meyakinkan apakah Anda sedang hamil atau tidak.

Pada awal kehamilan, terdapat tanda dan gejala-gejala dini yang terjadi, diantaranya adalah sebagai berikut :

  • Tidak mendapat haid/ menstruasi, karena dinding rahim dipersiapkan untuk kehamilan. Sebaiknya Anda mengetahui hari pertama haid terakhir, untuk menentukan usia kehamilan dan perkiraan persalinan. Meski demikian, tidak mendapat haid juga dapat disebabkan hal lain.
  • Mual dan muntah, terjadi karena adanya perubahan hormonal. Ini biasa juga disebut sebagai "morning sickness", karena sering terjadi pada pagi hari pada bulan-bulan pertama kehamilan.
  • Sering kencing/buang air kecil. Terjadi karena kandung kencing tertekan oleh rahim yang membesar. Keluhan biasanya akan berkurang pada kehamilan setelah 12 minggu dan timbul kembali setelah kehamilan 28 minggu.
  • Mengidam. Menginginkan makanan tertentu , terjadi pada bulan-bulan pertama.
  • Tanda lainnya, seperti pembesaran payudara kencang, puting membesar, berwarna lebih gelap kadang-kadang terasa gatal dan sakit.


Gejala dan keluhan kehamilan ini bervariasi. Tidak semua wanita mengalami hal yang sama. Ada yang mengeluh luar biasa, ada pula yang tidak mempunyai keluhan. Bila gejala-gejala diatas belum terdapat pada anda, maka anda dapat memastikan dengan test lainnya, karena setiap ibu hamil mempunyai keluhan dan gejala yang berlainan.

Anda bisa melakukan tes urin untuk memastikan kehamilan. Anda bisa membelinya di apotek dan melakukan tesnya sendiri dirumah. Pada tes ini akan diukur kadar HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) yaitu hormon yang dihasilkan plasenta dan akan meningkat dalam urin dan darah selama minggu pertama setelah konsepsi. Gunakan sesuai petunjuk yang ada. Tes paling akurat dilakukan di pagi hari, ketika hormon ini meningkat jumlahnya.

Jika hasil tes menunjukkan negatif, tidak selalu berarti tidak adanya kehamilan, walaupun petunjuk pemakaian alat sudah dijalani dengan benar. Hal ini karena proses kehamilan setiap wanita berbeda satu dengan yang lainnya. Penjelasannya, proses implantasi embrio berbeda dari setiap orang,.

Biasanya implantasi embrio ke dinding rahim terjadi pada hari ke 6 sampai hari ke 12 sesudah hari pertama terlambat bulan. Pada beberapa kasus implantasi sudah terjadi pada saat satu hari setelah terlambat menstruasi . Inilah yang menyebabkan kemungkinan hasil test kehamilan negatif, meskipun sebenarnya sudah terjadi kehamilan.

Jika Anda melakukan test pada saat terlambat menstruasi 1atau2 hari dan memberi hasil negatif, sebaiknya lakukan test kehamilan ulang, bila menstruasi Anda tetap belum datang.

Berikut tips menggunakan tes kehamilan :

  • Lihat tgl/bln/thn masa berlakunya alat test kehamilan
  • Jangan memyimpan alat test kehamilan yang belum Anda gunakan di tempat yang lembab atau panas (misalnya kamar mandi)
  • Perhatikan instruksi cara penggunaan dan cara membacanya.
  • Paling baik dilakukan dengan urin/air kencing pertama di pagi hari, dimana urin terkonsentrasi.
  • Periksa dan baca hasilnya dalam waktu 5-10 menit.
  • Bila hasil negatif dan Anda tetap tidak menstruasi, coba mengulanginya satu minggu kemudian.

Jika Anda masih ragu, cobalah periksa ke dokter. Dokter akan memastikan kehamilan dengan USG (ultrasonografi), dengan ditemukan adanya gambaran janin.

TEST KEHAMILAN

Tips penggunaan test kehamilan di rumah, seperti kita ketahui saat ini test kehamilan dapat mudah ditemukan di apotik atau toko obat dan anda dapat melakukan tes kehamilan sendiri di rumah.

Test kehamilan yang dijual dipasaran ini adalah test dengan mengukur kadar HCG hormon di air seni, karena pada saat kehamilan akan terjadi peningkatan kadar hormon HCG ini yaitu hormon yang dihasilkan oleh plasenta bayi. Dibawah ini beberapa tips untuk menggunakan tes kehamilan ini dirumah dengan lebih baik

Beberapa tips dalam menggunakan tes kehamilan ini dirumah:

•Lihat masa berlakunya (kadarluarsa) dari alat itu.


• Jangan memyimpan alat test kehamilan yang belum anda gunakan di tempat yang lembab atau panas (misalnya kamar mandi) .


• Perhatikan instruksi cara penggunaan dan cara membacanya, karena ada beberapa test dengan mencelupkan, dan sebagian dengan cara diteteskan.


• Paling baik dilakukan dengan air kencing pertama waktu bangun tidur di pagi hari, dimana air kencing terkonsentrasi


• Dan periksalah dan baca hasilnya dalam waktu 5-10 menit.


• Bila hasil negatif dan anda tetap tidak menstruasi, anda dapat mencoba mengulanginya satu minggu kemudian. Atau berkonsultasilah dengan dokter anda.

TEST KEPERAWANAN

Tes Keperawanan Calon Siswa, Baru Wacana Sudah Dikritik

Jambi (ANTARA News) - Ketua Dewan Pimpinan Wilayah Partai Keadilan Provinsi Jambi Henry Mashur menilai wacana penerapan tes keperawanan bagi siswi baru SLTP dan SLTA bukan solusi yang tetap dan tidak dapat diterapkan.

"Penerapan tes keperawanan bagi siswi dalam penerimaan siswa baru (PSB) bukan solusi tepat. Yang paling penting ialah menanamkan nilai-nilai keagamaan sejak dini kepada generasi muda, program itu yang perlu diperkuat oleh pemerintah saat ini," katanya ketika diminta tanggapannya di Jambi Minggu.

Pernyataan tersebut disampaikan Henry Mansur menanggapi rekannya di DPRD Provinsi Jambi Bambang Bayu Suseno yang mewacanakan perlu tes keperawanan bagi siswa dalam PSB.

Menurut Henry, menanamkan nilai-nilai keagamaan merupakan solusi yang tepat untuk menyelamatkan pelajar dari pergaulan bebas dan perbuatan mesum, bukan tes keperawanan bagi calon siswi, cara itu bukan solusi.

"Mendapatkan pendidikan yang baik merupakan hak bagi setiap pelajar di Jambi, tanpa terkecuali," katanya.

Sementara itu, Ketua Komisi IV DPRD Provinsi Jambi Aswan Jahari mengatakan, rekrutmen lewat tes keperawan bagi siswi yang disampaikan Bambang Bayu Suseno baru sebatas wacana. Ia belum akan menyetujui keinginan Bambang untuk memasukan klausul itu dalam rancangan peraturan daerah (raperda) terkait peningkatan mutu pendidikan di Jambi.

"Itu kan baru wacana, belum mengarah ke Ranperda," kata politisi Parati Demokrat itu.

test keperawanan

Wacana tes keperawanan calon siswi baru mulai tingkat SMP, SMA, dan Perguruan Tinggi bergulir. Ketua Dewan Pimpinan Wilayah Partai Keadilan Provinsi Jambi, Henry Mashur, menilai wacana tersebut bukan solusi yang tepat dan tidak dapat diterapkan. "Penerapan tes keperawanan bagi siswi dalam penerimaan siswa baru (PSB) bukan solusi tepat. Yang paling penting ialah menanamkan nilai-nilai keagamaan sejak dini kepada generasi muda, program tersebut yang perlu diperkuat oleh pemerintah saat ini," kata Henry.

Pernyataan tersebut disampaikan Henry menanggapi wacana yang di usulkan DPRD Provinsi Jambi, Bambang Bayu Suseno, terkait dengan peningkatan mutu pendidikan di Jambi, Ahad (26/9/10). Menurut Henry, menanamkan nilai-nilai keagamaan merupakan solusi yang tepat untuk menyelamatkan pelajar dari pergaulan bebas dan perbuatan mesum, bukan tes keperawanan bagi calon siswi, cara itu bukan solusi.

"Mendapatkan pendidikan yang baik merupakan hak bagi setiap pelajar di Jambi, tanpa terkecuali," lanjutnya. Namun, menurut Ketua Komisi IV DPRD Provinsi Jambi Aswan Jahari, rekrutmen lewat tes keperawan bagi siswi PSB, baru sebatas wacana. Ia belum akan menyetujui keinginan Bambang untuk memasukan klausul itu dalam rancangan peraturan daerah (raperda) terkait peningkatan mutu pendidikan di Jambi. "Itu kan baru wacana, belum mengarah ke Raperda," ujar politisi Partai Demokrat itu.

Seperti diketahui, Anggota Komisi IV Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Daerah Provinsi Jambi melempar wacana agar dalam penerimaan siswa baru mulai dari tingkat SMP, SMA dan Perguruan Tinggi, dilakukan tes perawanan bagi siswa perempuan. Tes tersebut dilakukan dengan tujuan menangkal banyaknya hubungan seks bebas di kalangan pelajar.