Statistics on Teen Pregnancy

07 Jul

Posted by Admin as Female health

Teen pregnancy is a concern to many people throughout the world. Many efforts have been made to educate youth about sexual activity and birth control. The slowly falling teen pregnancy rates in the western industrialized world have shown that these efforts have been of some use, although the numbers are far from perfect. Even though the United States is among those countries with a falling teen pregnancy rate, it still has by far the highest rate of teen pregnancy throughout the western industrialized world.

Pregnant Teen Help is presented for adults and teens. We offer information on teen pregnancy statistics, pregnancy facts, and teen pregnancy prevention. Our articles and research papers were compiled to educate the public about teenage pregnancy, the warning signs, and options available. We have obtained information from various surveys and sources including the National Institutes of Health, SAMHSA, the White House,FDA and more.

Teen Pregnancy Statistics

The average age of menarche (first menstrual period) in the United States is 12.5, though this figure varies by ethnicity[1] and weight, and first ovulation occurs only irregularly until after this. The average age of menarche has been declining and is continuing to do so. Whether fertility leads to early pregnancy depends on a number of factors, both societal and personal. Worldwide, rates of teenage pregnancy range from 143 per 1000 in some sub-Saharan African countries to 2.9 per 1000 in South Korea.

Pregnant teenagers face many of the same obstetrics issues as women in their 20s and 30s. However, there are additional medical concerns for younger mothers, particularly those under 15 and those living in developing countries. For mothers between 15 and 19, age in itself is not a risk factor, but additional risks may be associated with socioeconomic factors.

Nationally, nearly one million young women under age 20 become pregnant each year. That means close to 2800 teens get pregnant each day.( Facts in Brief: Teen Sex and Pregnancy, The Alan Guttmacher Institute, New York, 1996).

Approximately 4 in 10 young women in the U.S. become pregnant at least once before turning 20 years old.( Facts in Brief: Teen Sex and Pregnancy, The Alan Guttmacher Institute, New York, 1996).

Teen childbearing alone costs U.S. taxpayers nearly $7 billion annually for social services and lost tax revenues. (Kids Having Kids: Economic Costs and Social Consequences of Teen Pregnancy, Prebecca Maynard (ed.), The Urban Institute, Washington, DC, 1997).