Print Version
Email this story
Comment
Teen pregnancy rate falls
 |
| H&N photo by Todd E. Swenson Fatima Pinedo, 18, had her three-year-old daughter Anani between her freshman and sophomore years at Klamath Union. Pinedo made it her priority to do well in school so she could provide for her daughter. |
July 28, 2007
Fatima Pinedo wanted to quit school.
She was 15 and pregnant. Her boyfriend left her. Her peers didn’t understand, and she didn’t know how to juggle an infant with schoolwork.
But instead, the young mother realized that, more than ever, she needed to graduate and go to college.
That was three years ago.
Today, Pinedo is 18 and mother of a 3-year-old girl. She will attend Oregon Institute of Technology this fall with the help of scholarships and financial aid.
“I want to go to college so she never has to struggle for anything,” she said.
Pinedo graduated from high school last month. “I want to give her what she needs,” she said of her daughter.
Uncommon outcome
She knows her story isn’t common among young teens who get pregnant before they get their diplomas.
Pinedo is among a number of Klamath Basin girls who give birth in their teen years and struggle to finish school and support their children. Many don’t make it to their high school graduations.
Klamath County’s teen pregnancy rate has declined dramatically in the past 15 years. In 1992, the annual rate hovered at around 60 pregnancies per 1,000 girls ages 10 to 17. Today it is 11 per 1,000, according the Oregon Center for Health Statistics.
“It really does look like we’re seeing continuing improvement,” said Marilynn Sutherland, the health department’s director.
Officials credit the decline to an increased education and awareness about contraception, sexually transmitted diseases and abstinence.
“There’s been a lot of effort in the community of education about abstinence and prevention,” Sutherland said.
Yet Pinedo says many teens, including herself, are naïve and don’t use contraception because they don’t think they will become pregnant.
“I think most students don’t think it can happen to them until it does,” she said.
Denial
It was this denial that kept Pinedo from a doctor’s office.
Sexually active with her boyfriend, she didn’t use protection. She was young, naïve and didn’t think she could get pregnant. She also thought she would be with her boyfriend forever.
A few months into her pregnancy, she could no longer hide her growing belly under her clothes. Her mother, who suspected a baby, told her she needed to see a doctor.
At first, her boyfriend was emotionally supportive. But her friends and peers, who knew she was expecting, didn’t understand. At school, Pinedo wore loose clothing and jackets.
A comfort to Pinedo was the support of her parents. Her mother was a single mom when she was young and understood her ordeal, she said. This motivated Pinedo to not give up even when her boyfriend left her.
Pinedo gave birth to her daughter, Anani, now 3, the summer after her freshman year at Klamath Union High School. Pinedo got a summer job to earn money to support the baby. That fall, her parents told her to quit the job and focus on school.
During the school years, her mother watched Anani until Pinedo returned home and watched her while working on homework.
School became important. She didn’t want to support her daughter with a minimum wage job, and she studied hard to get into college and earn scholarships.
She graduated from Klamath Union High School with a 3.65 grade-point-average and will attend the Oregon Institute of Technology this fall, paying her own way, along with funds from scholarships and financial aid.
Dora Hoffmeister, a member of the Hispanic Advisory Board, which gave Pinedo the “Miss Cinco De Mayo” scholarship, said Pinedo’s success is a testament to her character and her parents’ support.
“To me, she’s a role model for many teens and teen moms,” Hoffmeister said. “It’s not just, ‘Oh, you have a baby, you don’t go school.’ She wants to do something with her life.”
Pinedo said used her pregnancy to become a goal-oriented person. She plans to study forensic science while receiving help from friends and childcare programs during college.
“I think it will be a lot harder,” she said of being a student mom. “But I’ll make it.”
“If you take it as just being hard, you’re not going to make it,” she added. “But if you take it as being hard with rewards, then it’ll be a lot better for you.”
- By Laura McVicker
Fatima Pinedo wanted to quit school.
She was 15 and pregnant. Her boyfriend left her. Her peers didn’t understand, and she didn’t know how to juggle an infant with schoolwork.
But instead, the young mother realized that, more than ever, she needed to graduate and go to college.
That was three years ago.
Today, Pinedo is 18 and mother of a 3-year-old girl. She will attend Oregon Institute of Technology this fall with the help of scholarships and financial aid.
“I want to go to college so she never has to struggle for anything,” she said.
Pinedo graduated from high school last month. “I want to give her what she needs,” she said of her daughter.
Uncommon outcome
She knows her story isn’t common among young teens who get pregnant before they get their diplomas.
Pinedo is among a number of Klamath Basin girls who give birth in their teen years and struggle to finish school and support their children. Many don’t make it to their high school graduations.
Klamath County’s teen pregnancy rate has declined dramatically in the past 15 years. In 1992, the annual rate hovered at around 60 pregnancies per 1,000 girls ages 10 to 17. Today it is 11 per 1,000, according the Oregon Center for Health Statistics.
“It really does look like we’re seeing continuing improvement,” said Marilynn Sutherland, the health department’s director.
Officials credit the decline to an increased education and awareness about contraception, sexually transmitted diseases and abstinence.
“There’s been a lot of effort in the community of education about abstinence and prevention,” Sutherland said.
Yet Pinedo says many teens, including herself, are naïve and don’t use contraception because they don’t think they will become pregnant.
“I think most students don’t think it can happen to them until it does,” she said.
Denial
It was this denial that kept Pinedo from a doctor’s office.
Sexually active with her boyfriend, she didn’t use protection. She was young, naïve and didn’t think she could get pregnant. She also thought she would be with her boyfriend forever.
A few months into her pregnancy, she could no longer hide her growing belly under her clothes. Her mother, who suspected a baby, told her she needed to see a doctor.
At first, her boyfriend was emotionally supportive. But her friends and peers, who knew she was expecting, didn’t understand. At school, Pinedo wore loose clothing and jackets.
A comfort to Pinedo was the support of her parents. Her mother was a single mom when she was young and understood her ordeal, she said. This motivated Pinedo to not give up even when her boyfriend left her.
Pinedo gave birth to her daughter, Anani, now 3, the summer after her freshman year at Klamath Union High School. Pinedo got a summer job to earn money to support the baby. That fall, her parents told her to quit the job and focus on school.
During the school years, her mother watched Anani until Pinedo returned home and watched her while working on homework.
School became important. She didn’t want to support her daughter with a minimum wage job, and she studied hard to get into college and earn scholarships.
She graduated from Klamath Union High School with a 3.65 grade-point-average and will attend the Oregon Institute of Technology this fall, paying her own way, along with funds from scholarships and financial aid.
Dora Hoffmeister, a member of the Hispanic Advisory Board, which gave Pinedo the “Miss Cinco De Mayo” scholarship, said Pinedo’s success is a testament to her character and her parents’ support.
“To me, she’s a role model for many teens and teen moms,” Hoffmeister said. “It’s not just, ‘Oh, you have a baby, you don’t go school.’ She wants to do something with her life.”
Pinedo said used her pregnancy to become a goal-oriented person. She plans to study forensic science while receiving help from friends and childcare programs during college.
“I think it will be a lot harder,” she said of being a student mom. “But I’ll make it.”
“If you take it as just being hard, you’re not going to make it,” she added. “But if you take it as being hard with rewards, then it’ll be a lot better for you.”
- By Laura McVicker
 |
 |
|
| News update | Woman sues former trooper |
Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of HeraldAndNews.com. Comment Disclaimer: The editors of heraldandnews.com reserve the right to refuse publication of any comment posted for consideration. We may refuse for any reason, including use of profanity, disparaging comments, libelous comments, etc. Any reader who notices a comment they believe is particularly offensive, should notify us at webmaster@heraldandnews.com.
leesa wrote on Jan 23, 2009 12:37 PM:
" these things should never happened in this world. the world should be safe. "
samantha r. wrote on Sep 23, 2008 12:12 PM:
" this article is So true when your a teen girl and your pregnant It seems to feel like your life is over and there is no way you can fix it but that's not true if your young and your going to have a child then stay focused in school your child wants you to succeed in life so he/she can succeed in life my name is Samantha R. I'm 14 years old i live in Klamath falls and i might be pregnant :] If so I'm determined to make sure my child has a better life then i did :] "
Babe wrote on Jan 23, 2008 6:54 PM:
" I think that chiloquin people do need help and not just the teens but i have also seen places that are alot worse i moved from L.A to chiloquin and ive been back there since and trust me chiloquin is nothing. I also think that crime and drugs etc. are noticed more because it is so small compared to other places and there is no form of disaplin at all "
Tony P. wrote on Jan 19, 2008 7:55 PM:
" I remember the night the plane went down.. My mother crying and my dad in tears.. his dad searched for him for years...
"
"
RSS
Jane D. wrote on Apr 10, 2009 12:00 AM:
I Love You Bobby
May your soul Rest In Peace
-Deems "