Leah Messer Wants to 'Break the Cycle' of Teen Pregnancy in Her Family: 'Just Open Conversation'
The 'Teen Mom' star talked with 'Teen Vogue' about the legacy of the show 14 years later
Leah Messer wants to break the cycle of teen pregnancy in her family.
The Teen Mom star, 31, recently spoke with Teen Vogue about breaking her family's generational trauma. While discussing what she would tell her younger self, Messer revealed that she would teach her teenage self more about sex education.
Although she can't go back in time, she said she can teach her daughters. "No shame or guilt," she said, noting that she has regular safe-sex talks with her kids. "Just open conversation. When asked a question by them, I answer honestly."
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According to a study by the BioMed Central Pregnancy and Childbirth, teenage pregnancy can be linked to many factors, including a family history of teenage pregnancy. Messer, her mother, and her grandmother both had teenage pregnancies, but Messer doesn't think the pattern will continue with her daughters.
"It's the little things, like booking their first gynecologist appointments together next year and having these open conversations about them...that I think will be enough to break the cycle," the reality TV star said. "I love them no matter what their journey may be, but I do want more for them and I always will."
Messer shares Adalynn Faith, 10, with ex-husband Jeremy Calvert from 2012 to 2015. She also shares twin daughters Aliannah Hope and Aleeah Grace, 13, with her ex-husband Corey Simms.
The mom of three recently reflected on the girls growing up as the twins celebrated their 13th birthday in December.
"Happy 13th Birthday to the two sweetest souls that first called me Mama. Now it's Mama, Ma, Bruh, Bro, duuuude and I wasn't prepared 😂," Messer joked in the caption of the fairground photos she took with her girls last year. "I hope you guys have the best day today. I love you so much! 💖"
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