I couldn't believe my ears!!!!

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I work in a pediatric office with a female pediatrician that sees a large number of adolescent females. Well, today, we had a 17 year old come in with a problem that had resolved, however, she said she wanted to talk to the MD to ask some questions. I asked her if she was comfortable sharing so I could document in her chart.

She said, "I'm trying to get pregnant and I want to make sure there is nothing wrong with me down there." :eek: OMG!!!!!

I very delicately asked her why she wanted to have a baby at 17. She just kind of hemmed and hawed and said she didn't know!

My pediatrician, the one I work for, I mean, and I have discussed getting those Baby Simulators, but I think it goes without saying, insurance won't cover it! They are very expensive also, and I truly doubt the clinic will spend the money either.

Scary, huh?!?

Specializes in Infectious Disease.
What these girls also need to understand, is their motives for having a baby are very selfish! They aren't thinking about the child, only about their needs for personal gratification, which is, very short lived!

I have teased my husband at times telling him I would be a great surrogate! I loved being pregnant, and I loved my deliveries, but I DON'T want another child to raise. I love my three with all my heart, but man oh man, they can certainly keep me hopping!

And, as you said, they certainly don't look beyond the baby.

While I don't advocate teenage pregnancy, I do believe the decision to bring any child into the world is a selfish one. We bring a child into the world because we, the parents, wanted it. The problem comes in the ability to be unselfish while raising these children. Which, I think requires a certain amount of maturity and responsibility. Sadly, I have seen very few teenagers who have the levels of either that would make them good parents. If they did, they would honestly think twice about having sex, let alone a baby. Honestly, I only know one teenage mother who was successful at parenting her children. That is my mother-in-law. She was truly a great mother, who raised great kids, and is an exceptional grandmother. Thankfully, she had a wonderful support system.

the thing that strikes me most about this whole topic is the fact that this girl is 17, and she is still seen by a pediatrician. that says it all right there. if you are still being seen by a pediatrician, your parents are still footing the bill for your healthcare costs, and you are living under their roof-you have no business bringing a life into the world. i just feel so strongly about this one. has she graduated from high school? how will she handle raising a child and going on to further her education? does she have a stable job? how will she pay for basic needs for this child? diapers, formula, clothes, medical care, vaccines, dentist visits, daycare, preschool, school supplies.....the list goes on and on. if these are questions she has no answers to, then absolutely she needs to wait. a child is a blessing from a higher power, i agree. however, when you make a conscious choice to receive that blessing knowing full well that you are not ready to take on the responsibility, that is just selfish. a child deserves every opportunity we can give them in life. to raise a child requires currency of all forms, emotional, financial, spiritual. this 17 year old is not ready to have a child, she is obviously still a child herself.

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