In February, 13-year old Alfie Patten made headlines as Britain’s youngest father, having  conceived a child with his friend Chantelle Steadman, 15, when he was only 12. Problem is, he’s not the dad.

It wasn’t long after the story flooded the internet and tabloid papers that other boys came forward, suggested that they, too, could be the baby’s father because they had a sexual relationship with the girl at the same time she became pregnant. A publicist, Max Clifford, who represents Alfie and his family, said at the time, “It is inevitable there are going to be doubts, particularly with the number of boys who’ve come forward claiming to have had sex with Chantelle. There is one boy in particular who does seem to have a stronger resemblance to the child.”

That could have been Richard Goodsell, 16. The teen said he had a sexual relationship with Chantelle for three months. “I know I could be the father. Everyone thinks I am. My friends all tell me that baby has my eyes– even my mum thinks so.” Tyler Barker, 14, who lives down the street was not so cavalier. In fact, he was terrified. “I slept with Chantelle in her bed about nine months ago and I’m really worried I could be the father, he said.

Clearly, a paternity test was in order. A DNA test first confirmed that Patten was not the daddy. Subsequent tests revealed that the “winner” was Tyler Barker.

Considering all of the negative media stories about teen pregnancy, sexuality and innocence lost, you’d think that the boy and his own parents would be relieved. Leading politicians got on their soapboxes about the moral condition of modern society. But no. “Alfie is distraught and upset about everything.” Apparently, he and his mother both thought the other boys were lying. Chantelle did say at the time that Alfie was the only boy she had ever slept with. Alfie had no suspicion that she had not been faithful to him.

When Maisie Roxanne was born on February 9, 2009, Alfie said he didn’t know how he’d support the baby, but insisted he’d be a good dad. Since then, observers say he clearly adores the baby and is distressed that he is not her father.

At the time, I thought this story was sad. I guess I still do. The world descended on Alfie Patten who responded as maturely as a 13-year old can be expected to. He steps up, admits responsibility and prepares to do what he can to love and care for a little one. And now that it’s over, where does that leave him? And what about Tyler Barker. If he doesn’t want to be a dad, can they all just let Alfie fill the shoes? Considering Chantelle didn’t even own up to sleeping with these other boys, it seem like she must want Alfie to be the dad, too.

I hope there is a happy ending here. But I can’t see it yet.

It had to happen. A bidding war erupted for the first pictures of Bristol Palin’s baby. The latest Internet reports indicate that she made an agreement with a magazine to put out the first pictures of the newborn. The deal is said to have been finalized at $300,000, after bidding started at $100,000.

Little Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston became the center of attention when his grandmother, Alaska governor Sarah Palin announced that her teenage daughter, 18-year old Bristol was pregnant. This was just three days after John McCain named her as his running mate.

Sarah Palin herself has become something of a fixture in pop culture, thanks in part to being repeatedly spoofed on Saturday Night Live. I suppose media interest in the newborn will continue for some time, especially since his grandmother’s future political aspirations are still unknown. Tripp’s father, apprentice electrician Levi Johnston may have to prepare himself for celebrity style media scrutiny.

At any rate, Bristol Palin has joined a pretty elite group which includes Brad and Angelina, although their offer would be nowhere near those of mainstream celebrities. So what’s next for Sarah Palin’s daughter, and indeed the governor herself? Can they shine the spotlight on the issue of teenage pregnancy in a way that has never been done before?

Or is it, as the family claimed during the campaign, a private issue that they have to deal with on their own? There are so many sides to this argument. Some may say that as long as the baby is being born into a supportive home then it’s not big a deal. An unwed teenage mother who is jobless and finds herself pregnant might be looked at a bit differently. Undoubtedly she would place a burden on taxpayers, and that is just one aspect of this often debated issue.

Anyway this represents a good head start for little Tripp’s future, financially I mean. Hopefully at some point the interest will die down and he will be allowed to have a normal life. After all, his mom is not the celebrity in the family. That honor belongs to grandma, who will no doubt be able to share interesting campaign stories in the future.

Yesterday, Republican Vice-President candidate Sarah Palin announced that her unwed 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, is five months pregnant.

Palin says that her daughter is planning to marry the baby’s father, and says “we’re proud of Bristol’s decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents.”

Political analysts speculate that the choice of Sarah Palin as a running mate for John McCain in this November elections is for her strong pro-life, anti-abortion views.

Sarah has five children. Her youngest, Trig, born in April, has Down Syndrome. The family knew about Trig’s condition while she was pregnant.

The news was released partly because of internet rumors that baby Trig is actually Bristol’s son, and Sarah is raising him as her own to avoid a scandal. If Bristol is five months pregnant, and Trig was born in April, that’s all but impossible.

Conservatives are divided on whether the news is good or bad for the Republicans. Those against sex before marriage are criticizing Sarah and her family, while other praising Bristol’s decision to keep her baby and marry her partner.

Whatever you believe about abortion, Sarah and her family clearly stand behind their pro-life views.

Do you think that the news that Sarah Palin’s daughter is pregnant is bad news for the Republicans? Do you think that her daughter having sex before marriage sets a bad example, or is it no big deal in 2008?

Well, it’s finally happened. I’ve stumbled upon my very first same-age friend to become a grandma, and I’m not quite sure what I think about it.

In other words, there is a woman the same age as me who has a grandchild.

Now I know I’m no spring chicken, but I didn’t have my babies too incredibly late in life. I haven’t even reached the point of AMA (Advanced Maternal Age), yet here is my friend from high school who is a grandmother. Granted, she had some special circumstances. She had her first baby when she was sixteen, and then her daughter turned around and had a baby at eighteen and viola! A grandmother at age 34. Yikes.

I haven’t worked up the nerve to ask her what it’s like to know that her daughter followed a similar pattern, and if this is something she had hoped to avoid. I bet she wonders how I can stand chasing two little kids around while her children are on their way out of the house. We’re of the same age, but we’re not living in the same world, essentially.

I’m glad I waited to have kids. I’m glad that by the time my kids even think about having their own children I’ll probably have given up trying to hide gray hairs. Then again, I wonder if my friend is glad she had children so young so now she can go out and start a whole new life…as a grandmother.

A 17-year-old California girl secretly gave birth at home last week, then walked to the hospital with her baby still attached by its umbilical cord.

Xochitl Parra said she said she was nervous when the labor began, as she held 8-pound, 3-ounce son, Alejandro at St. Mary Medical Center.

Doctors at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit said that the little boy was normal and “eating like a champ.”

The teen said she was home alone and taking a shower at around 5:30 in the morning last Wednesday, getting ready for school, when the contractions started.

“I felt his head coming, so I sit down and pushed so he could come out,” she said.

Her home phone had been disconnected so she was unable to call 911, and she did not want to wake the neighbors at such an early hour. Instead, she wrapped up the baby, dressed and walked the four blocks to the hospital, baby and placenta still attached.

Parra, currently a sophomore at Long Beach Poly High, had kept her pregnancy a secret because she said she was afraid that her mother would kick her out of the house. News reports now say that her mother has since accepted the situation and plans to help the girl take care of her baby so she can stay in school.

Juno is a critically-acclaimed dark comedy on teenage pregnancy. Juno, the heroine, finds herself pregnant at age 16 (just like Jamie Lynn, yes) and deals with her pregnancy in a ‘cool’ and brave way.

The movie has gotten many nominations from different award-giving bodies (four in the Oscars) and I could understand why because heaven help me, I really enjoyed the movie. I would even go out on a limb here and say it was perfectly cast. Ellen Page (Juno) was just so natural, Juno’s parents were so cool and supportive and Vanessa (played by Jennifer Garner) was so heartbreakingly endearing.

But I won’t go into details lest I spoil it for everyone else.

This much I will say though. The movie again is a good movie to watch: entertaining, enlightening and inspiring. But I cannot help but feel that it failed somehow in getting across the stigma and serious implications of teenage pregnancy. The heroine always came off as cool. She may have done a brave, right thing for her child, but I still worry about what teenagers will take away from the movie. Will they be inspired to abstain? Will they practice safer sex practices instead? Or will they at least practice safe sex? And for those in a similar plight, would they choose to get an abortion, maybe even without a parent knowing? Or would they brave the nine months to give the baby up to adults who actually want to have kids?

See, not all parents will be supportive. Not every teenager who gets pregnant will have supportive friends. Not every teenager know where else to get support and help to come up with decisions they can live with.

But I’d still encourage parents to watch the movie with their kids. What the movie fails to accomplish, the parents can supplement.

Christina Page had an interesting article today on The Tucson Citizen Web site.

Citing Jamie Lynn Spears’ pregnancy as a high-profile example of a national trend. Page discusses how in the 90’s, teen pregnancy rates were on the decline and teens that were having sex were more likely to use protection. These trends are changing as teenage pregnancy rates rise and Page blames the national implementation of abstinence only programs. Page has data to back up her theories, so I ask the parents out there – is abstinence only programs a bust? What would you prefer schools taught – safe sex or no sex? Combination of both?