16 and Pregnant: Episode 308, Kianna

Our Take on Episode 308
This episode features Kianna, a 17 year old who lives with her mom in Ft. Worth, Texas. Her boyfriend Zak is 15, plays football at a different school. This makes it difficult for them to see each other often, since Zak doesn’t have his license or a job, and relies on him mom for rides.

Shock and AHH!

Kianna and Zak are both in denial when they find out she is pregnant. Kianna had been taking birth control pills, but had skipped them for three days in a row. As she points out, “Who knew that in those three days your life changes forever?”
It’s important to remember that oral contraceptives are most effective when used correctly. This means taking the pill as directed, every day at the same time. When used correctly, less than 1 out of 100 women will get pregnant a year if they take the pill correctly every day. When pills are not taken every day as directed, 9 out of 100 women a year will become pregnant. If you have missed pills, it’s important to use a back-up method (like male or female condoms or emergency contraception) every time you have vaginal intercourse. If you have questions about pills you have missed, it is best to keep taking one pill a day, using a back-up method, and talking to your health care provider as soon as possible.

Differences of opinion

At first Kianna hopes to place her baby up for adoption. She really wants to finish high school and go to college to become a veterinary technician, and knows how difficult it will be to do all these things while taking care of a newborn. However, Zak is completely opposed to the idea. He wants to keep the baby and be a good father like the one he never had. He doesn’t really seem to understand how much work a baby will be though, and is reluctant to give up football practice and free time. She puts off making a decision, but finally they sit down to talk. They agree to keep the baby as long as Zak is willing to do his share of the work in caring for him. He agrees, and promises things will be fine, even though neither one has a job yet.

Kianna’s communication with her mom is not great either. First she tells her she is considering adoption, but puts off having to tell her they have decided to keep the baby. Mom is surprised, and warns them that they need to start planning and saving, since having a baby “is going to take a lot

Did you know?

 Kianna is diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, a common pregnancy-related medical condition. It can occur pre- or post pregnancy and is associated with high blood pressure and a large amount of protein in the urine. This is why Kianna has to carry around the huge jug of pee for the hospital to test. Pre-eclampsia can be dangerous for both mother and baby. There is no cure for pre-eclampsia, other than delivery, and no widely agreed-upon ways to prevent it.

New arrival

After emergency C-section, Kianna gives birth 3 weeks early to a healthy boy, Kay’den. Since everyone is unprepared, Zak and Kianna’s mom scramble to assemble a crib and buy essentials like formula and diapers before Kianna and baby come home. When they finally get to leave the hospital, Kianna is nervous to be alone with her son for the first time. As the weeks go by, Kianna get more comfortable taking care of Kay’den, but realizes just how hard it is going to be balancing her life and baby. It is even harder since Zak still relies on his mom for rides, so he is only able to help out on Sundays. Despite these difficulties, Kianna still holds on to her dreams for the future and wants to build a stable family with Zak.