Daily Iowan

Issue date: 12/11/07 Section: Metro

Media Credit: Sarah O'Brien/The Daily Iowan

Sophia Grace Mellecker is 26 days old today, and her mother, 15-year-old Meghan Mellecker, is "cherishing every moment."

Mellecker became pregnant when she was a freshman at Iowa City West High, and she is one of the millions of teenagers each year who become pregnant in the United States. In 2006, the birthrate among those 15 through 19 rose by 3 percent, the first increase in 14 years, according to a recent report issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics.

"When I found out I was pregnant, I was half scared to death and really excited," Mellecker said. "Sometimes, I didn't know what I was going to do."

This birthrate increase has sparked debate about abstinence-only sexual-education programs and if they are contributing to the problem. The Bush administration spends $176 million a year on abstinence-only programs.

UI sophomore Elizabeth Mooney said other factors, aside from sexual education, contribute to a teenager's decision to have sex.

"I think it's more of a personal choice," she said. "There are other ways to learn about sex than through school. Parents, friends, and the media all play a role."

Mellecker's mother, Melody Mellecker, said abstinence-only classes should offer options for those who choose to have sex despite the warnings, but she stressed that the increase in teenage pregnancy had to do with issues affecting society.

"Sex has lost its sacredness among kids," she said. "I think there are a lot of social factors that have to do with the decisions they make and the way they relate to each other. Sex has gotten so disordered for some of these kids, and as a parent, it's frightening."

Meghan Mellecker has been involved with local teen-parent programs, such as United Action for Youth and the Nest, a program for high-risk parents that offers classes once a week on safety, nutrition, and early childhood development.

"You can never be fully prepared for when a baby comes," said Abbey Muhlenbruch, a pregnant freshman at Kirkwood Community College. "It's not about me now, there's someone else who comes before I do."

This lesson has already applied to Meghan Mellecker's life. Last week, a close friend committed suicide, but she couldn't immerse herself in the grieving process because "being a mom never stops," she said.

"I couldn't just sit in my room and look at all the old pictures," she said. "I didn't have that luxury."

Although being a teen parent forces her to take on responsibilities she didn't have before, she said, she thinks of her baby as a blessing.

"I know people who would give anything not to be a parent, but I could never give that up," Mellecker said. "When she wakes up, it does something to me. She knows me from everyone else. It makes me feel needed and that's a great feeling."

Mellecker plans to graduate from West and attend to the UI to study either education or social service.

"The hardest part is not looking back and asking the what ifs," she said.

E-mail DI reporter Briana Byrd at:

briana-byrd@uiowa.edu

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools