On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Some teenagers are beginning to worry about their future on whether or not they would have to choose to follow through with a pregnancy. Teens also worry that they may not be able to consent to a pregnancy, if they can afford a baby or if they have the support to do so. Some teen parents may not be strong and healthy enough to survive to term. Potential parents should be able to choose whether or not to follow through with a pregnancy.

Having teenagers go through with a pregnancy can be very expensive in America. Many can’t afford to have a baby and support them while balancing school life or continuing their future careers. Without the proper support, many parents or more likely, single parents, find themselves living in a constant struggle to stay alive.

Pregnancy isn’t a simple case of having a baby and potentially putting it up for adoption if a parent is unable to support a child. There can be various postpartum issues, and not only that, but the risk of dying while giving birth and the risks of disorders such as postpartum depression can be high for teenagers. There’s a threat over a mother’s personal health that should be a basic right to everyone. One’s personal health has always been left for one to decide on their own.

Not all mothers had the choice to consent to sex either. As a lot of unconsented sex can lead to pregnancies, teenagers shouldn’t have to be worried about the challenges of having a baby. Teenagers aren’t allowed to adopt at this age, so what difference is there in being mature enough to have a baby but not to adopt. 

The choice of having children should be of one’s own free will. Many can be prepared and want to go into early parenthood but no one should be stripped of that choice and their future, and especially not forced into it.