Juno (the movie) Analysis and Review
Bearing a child and raising one involves maturity, full responsibility and the capability to be a provider. There is a gnawing concern if the child-bearer is also a young person. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 16 million women from age 15 to 19 give birth each year which accounts for 11% of total pregnancy worldwide (Maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health). In 2014, there is a drop of 11% in the birth rate among women 15 to 17 years old and a drop by 7% among women aged 18 to 19 but teen pregnancy in U.S. is still higher than other developed western countries (About teen pregnancy, 2016). The decline in the statistics of adolescent pregnancy is a good indicator that the youth of today are exercising more caution and they have more access to information which gives them better options.
In the movie Juno, the lead character shows a strong mindset for a sixteen year old. Her response to her pregnancy is admirable as she opted to continue the pregnancy and pursue her studies while facing ridicule at school. Given her tender age, she made a choice to give her baby for adoption to secure a better future for both of them. She was able to express motherly concern for her baby as she gauged the capacity of the adoptive parents to bring up a child. There was an incident when the adoptive father confessed to Juno that he is planning to leave his wife. Juno pleaded he must not leave his wife and even implored to him on how was it possible that he no longer loved his wife. Juno does not want to have her baby suffer a broken family. She left the adoptive parents in the middle of their argument but decided to still pursue with the adoption and this time, just with the adoptive mother upon seeing from her that she will still be a good mother in spite of being a solo parent. Despite the good motive of the lead character, the thought of giving away your child still leaves a bad taste in the mouth. There was an agreement of closed adoption in the movie wherein the biological mother will not get any updates about her child and it was the lead character who imposed the condition. She treated the baby as a huge burden and you can feel the urgency of her need to give away her baby. Getting pregnant out of curiosity for sex was a huge mistake and the baby was like a huge mistake that needs to be corrected immediately. Her best option was adoption. The movie ends showing the major characters being satisfied with their decision.
Teenage pregnancy is a delicate matter because it creates a huge toll on the physical, mental and psychological health of the mother and the child. The risk of dying from childbirth is high as the body of a young girl …
