Teenage pregnancy is a pregnancy that occurs in women under the age of 20. Being pregnant at a young age is one of the most difficult situations and also has greater health risks for both the teen mom and the baby. Most teen pregnancies are unplanned or accidental (1✔).
Key Facts on Teenage Pregnancy
- The United States has the highest teen pregnancy rates in the western industrialized world (2✔).
- The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that every year, 21 million females between the ages of 15 and 19 become pregnant, and approximately 12 million of them give birth (1✔).
- Teenage pregnancy could affect the education of the mothers. Only about half of teen mothers complete high school by the age of 22, whereas approximately 90% of women who do not have children during adolescence complete high school (2✔).
- About a quarter of teen mothers have their second child within 2 years of their first baby in the US.
- Teenage pregnancy is commonly associated with social issues such as isolation, poverty, lack of education, and unemployment (3✔).
- Babies born to teenage mothers are at greater risk for developmental problems like lower birth weight, bleeding in the brain, respiratory distress syndrome, intestinal problems, and nutrition deficiency (4✔).
- Adolescent women have a significantly lower risk of caesarean or instrumental delivery (3✔).
- Teenage mothers are at great risk for pregnancy complications, depression, and other stress related health problems (4✔).
- The mortality rate for babies of teenage mothers is higher than for those of older mothers (5✔).
- Teenage pregnancy can be avoided by abstaining from early sexual contact or by practicing safe sex and using contraceptives. Adequate education for teenagers on the hazards of teen pregnancy also helps spread awareness (6✔).
