Opportunities for Healthy Development
Not all pregnant and parenting adolescents are
doomed to suffer the negative outcomes outlined
above. Indeed, parenthood may provide positive
opportunities for some older adolescents, including:21
• The role and functions of motherhood may provide
opportunities to develop new skills and competencies.
Successful fulfillment of these tasks may help
young mothers to gain competency in other areas
such as school and work. The need to support a child
may also increase determination to succeed in
school, employment, and relationships.
• The role of mother may provide an adolescent with
a positive identity that is associated with membership
into adulthood or womanhood, especially in
communities where childbearing is greatly valued.
• Because adolescent pregnancy is often viewed as a
crisis, multiple resources may be made available to
the adolescent mother that were unavailable to her
before she became pregnant. Family and community
members, as well as health and social service
providers, may provide support that may not be as
readily available to adult mothers or nonpregnant
youth.