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Teenage pregnancy is a huge issue that both teens and parents need to be educated on. It changes a lot of things in a young person's life once it happens and in many instances, puts the life of the young mother and the child at risk.
Here are a few fast facts on teenage pregnancy statistics according to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention):
- There were a total of 409,840 infants born to young women aged 15-19 years old in 2009.
- The live birthrate for young women aged 15-19 years old is 39.1 per 1,000.
- Nearly two-thirds of the number mentioned above are age younger than 18.
- More than half of the pregnancies of young women aged 18-19 are unintended.
- The number of teenage pregnancy, birth, and cases of STDs in the US is substancially higher than other wester industrialized nations.
- Teenage pregnancy is the highest contributor to high school dropout rates among young women. Over 50% of young women who got pregnant are unable to finish high school education.
- Teenage mothers are more likely to have health problems early in life.
- Children of teenage mothers are also more likely to have health problems early in life.
- Children of teenage mothers are more likely to also drop out from school.
- Children of teenage mothers are more likely to get in trouble with the law and get incarcerated during their teenage years.
- Teenage pregnancies cost U.S. taxpayers about $9 billion per year in health care, foster care, and more.
- The most number of teenage pregnancies come from adolescents that are socioeconomically disadvantaged, regardless of race or ethnicity.
- Black and Hispanic youth make up 60% of US teen births according to the latest data of 2009.
According to studies, several factors act as deterrents to teenage pregnancy, such as the following:
- Talking to parents and other adults about sex and subjects pertaining to it.
- One's personal values regarding abstaining from sex.
- Avoiding places and situations that could lead to sex.
- One's willingness to use condoms.
- One's willingness to abstain from sex or limit number of sexual partners.
- Perception of one's peers about sex.
- Perception of HIV exposure or risk.
- Knowledgability on important sexual issues such as risk of HIV, pregnancy, and other STDs.
- Knowledge on preventing sexual risks such as HIV, other STDs, and pregnancy.
It's very important to increase young people's awareness about the consequences of unsafe sex. School initiatives to educate young people about the risks they are taking can help them understand the serious repercussions of risky sexual behavior.
The adolescent stage is an age of experimentation. It also is crucial for young people to have a positive adult role model to talk to about sex and other issues.
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