Thu. Apr 23, 2009 | 3:15 PM
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Teen pregnancy epidemic.

In day 2 of our 2 part series, the "Tyra Show" focuses on why the birth rate for teen girls 15 to 19-years-old is higher than it's been in 10 years. Meet teens who share their personal stories of being pregnant. One guest discovered she was pregnant just weeks ago and reveals why she is struggling with the decision to give her baby up for adoption. Then, a former teen guest who said she was trying to get pregnant tells Tyra how she changed her life.


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Ok. I was a teen mother, I am now 36. The father and I are no longer together. My son is now 19 and in the military. It is VERY difficult! I graduated high school and am barely finishing college with a BA in History. I have never had a steady job and I am going on 11 yrs with my 2nd husband, my son's dad was my first husband. The relationship between my son and I is getting better but it has mostly been very strained. I was not equipped to be an understanding mother. I am the last person to say its impossible to accomplish your goals, even being a teenage mom, but my son is the one who has had to deal with the repricutions of my mistakes, along with my other children, while I grew up. How can that be justified because teenagers don't want to use protection? PLEASE THINK BEFORE YOU HAVE UNSAFE SEX, FOR THE SAKE OF YOURSELF AND YOUR FUTURE CHILDREN!!
Posted by an adult who went through it!! 11/06/09 12:16 PM
 
I was kinda disappointed with this show. Tyra made it seem like you can't be successful because you had a baby young and that it ruins your life. But what about the teen moms who work hard and go to school and work to make a better life for their kids? Yes I agree that every girl should wait to have a baby because it is ALOT of work, money, and you can't be a teen you have to grow up really fast. I was 18 when I had my baby girl but I went to school and worked really hard to make a better life for my little girl. It just seemed to me they didn't ap. the young moms that work hard for their kids. Age doesn't define how good of a mother you are. You can be 30 or 18 as long as your there for your child, go to school and work you can be a successful parent.
Posted by Arielle 08/28/09 9:18 PM
 
hey, i have been wanting a baby latley but im only 13 and i want those thoughts out of my head, i mean sure i want a baby but im to young i would want my baby to have a good life HELP ME !!??
Posted by cheryl 08/26/09 6:08 PM
 
Hi iM BRENDA N I WANTED TO TELL U A LIL BOUT ME...WELL WHEN I WAS FIRST PREGNANT I WAS 14 YEA I KNOW PRETTY YOUNG..U KNOW IT CAME OUT THE BLUE MY MOM WOULD ALWAYS ASK ME IF I WAS BUT I WAS ALWAYS TELLING MYSELF I WASNT EVEN THOUGH I WAS UNTIL I JUS GOT USE TO IT BUT A FEW MONTHES LATER I HAD A MISCARRIGE ON JULY 4TH...N I GOT PREGNANT THAT SAME YEAR IN SEPTEMBER I HAD TURNED 15 N WAS PREGNANT MY WHOLE 15 YEAR N HAD MY LIL BABY BOY THIS YEAR JULY 18 AT THE AGE OF 16 MY BIRTHDATE IS MAY 12...I KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO BE A TEENAGE MOM I DNT REGRET IT BECUZ HES THE LOVE OF MY LIFE I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT IS NOT THAT ALL GIRLS A BUNCH OF HOES BECUZ IM NOT IM STILL WITH THE FATHER OF MY SON N ITS TRUE ALOT OF MY FRIENDS ARE TEENAGE PARENTS OR SOON TO BE PARENTS I JUST HOPE OTHERS CAN UNDERSTAND JUST TO LIVE UR PARTY YEARS WITHOUT THINKING UR A BAD PARENT LIVE LIFE WITH FUNNESS
Posted by BRENDA ROMERO 08/23/09 10:14 PM
 
Hi Tyra, Okay so I just want to put my two cents in about the whole teen prego thing. And I think the media is giving *TOO* much publicty on it. Okay so I think it's really encouraging girl to get those "baby bumps" and really I feel so sorry for their kids. I know what they are going to go through because my Mother was a teen prego and from what I have heard about that was that she was loving the attention. And then when I was born and the paying for the baby was forced on her she left me. And now I know most people being raised not by their mothers or fathers (who were teen prego) but they are being raised by their aunts, uncles, and grandparents. And no one cares to think about in the end who is really taking care of the child. I know it from being the daughter of the teenmother.
Posted by Victoria 08/22/09 8:55 PM
 
i'm 17, got pregnant at 16 and yes i know it was not a good choice, but it happened. i don't consider my 2 month old daughter to be a mistake, she is the best thing that has ever happen to me. i been with her daddy for 3 years now, and he's been there to support me through it all. i admit it gets hard at times, but we manage. i advice other teens to protect themselves though, a baby needs love and plenty of time. as for me, i'm ready to graduate and take care of her full time.
Posted by alma 08/19/09 2:54 PM
 
Hey Tyra. I have very strong views on teen pregnancy. It's irresponsible and easily avoided. Im going to be 17 next month, and my boyfriend of 3 years is 18 in december. We see pregnant girls walk around our school daily, and most of them are complete airheads. Unlike us, they've been with the father barely even a few months and don't know the first thing about love. I feel bad for the kid theyre going to have. We've always been protected, and I'm on birth control now. It bugs me when pregnant teens whine about their life, because it's their fault they're in this mess. If the condom breaks, ok, atleast u tried, but if you didn't even think about protection, that's your stupidity biting you in the butt. I've heard a few times girls saying it's too awkward to get condoms or birth control. Which is true, but it's even more awkward when people are staring at your baby bump. My aunt is the secretary at my doctors office, and I still sucked it up and got on the pill. So i think it's fantastic that you are bringing up safe sex and girls' options. Some schools don't educate teen's enough, and maybe if teen mothers knew the facts before hand, they wouldn't be changing diapers before they can even drive. Protection is common sense, unprotected sex=baby. Kudos to the girls that think before they act.
Posted by Emily 08/16/09 1:41 PM
 
hey tyra, let me start by saying im 17 going on 18, i have a little boy who is 1 year old. i think that the matter of teen pregnancyy should bee moree aware of showed on tv and juss talked about a little more, i go to a school where they have a cal safe programa and teen moms and soon to bes plus fathers are joined in a classroom and taught about the lifestyles, and even a free daycaree to bring your child too. i think tht with all tht is going on teen preg, should beee told about more, considering then umber ofteen having kids.
Posted by alyssa 08/12/09 1:43 PM
 
Hello Tyra, well let me start off by saying I'm 16 and currently 6 months pregnant. I never expected for this to happen and at first i was really mad at myself and worried about what everyone was going to say because im still in school and barely going to be a Sophmore, but i got over myself and now im excited for my baby boy on the way :D! I'm still going to continue high school and do my best, i know many people at school didn't expect this from me since im an honors student but it just comes to show that it happens! I'm living with my boyfriend and both of our parents are supportive so that makes things easier. The thing is i feel bad for my family and how im not with them anymore and how they gave me trust and they did talk to me about sex and this still happened. I guess talking to kids about sex may work or it may not. It's a new age and tv, music, and our entertainment has a big influence. If people really have a problem with there kids getting pregnant at a young age they should consider revising what their children watch and listen to or whom they hang out with because it really does have a big influence on ourselves.
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Posted by Gldrxtyi 06/26/09 4:57 PM
 
im 17 years old and 2months pregnant its so hard you always think that those kingd of things wont happen to you but well it happend to me. Im happy with my soon to be "husben" yet scared and simply just triying to be strong my family supports me so much well my parents and my moms family yet my dads family doesnt they dont like my boyfriend becouse they say he comes from a poor family i feel like im living the sad story of Romeo and Juliet in a weard way. Well thats my story just wanted to say i admire you very much Tyra i watch your show every day and thank you for being an inspiration to young girls and simply being difrent to all those famouse people that just want to get money and use their fame in things that arnt good but you help poeple and you dont let the fame get to your head thank you you have inspired me to try to succeed in life and be a grate mom.
Posted by Anonymous 06/22/09 4:27 PM
 
Hey, ok so i was reading the comments i cannot believe that girls had babies at 13 and 14 thank god we havent heard about 12 yearolds havin babies. But with the way things are going im sure it will happen. Im 16 and i have thought about getting pregnant but its hard i babysat for 3 months of my summer and newborn well not a newborn but probably about like 4 month old baby adn trust me it aint easy.kids love me they do but that doesnt mean that im going to go out and get pregnant and trust me im not. i love my life the way it is. i was 16 when i started dateing my boyfriend who was 20 and i really liked him alot and my mom found out and we were planning on haveing kids together when i turned 18 just dont do it...
Posted by ????? 06/15/09 4:44 AM



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