8 Facts About Teen Pregnancy

• The United States has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the world.
• 3 in 10 teenage girls will get pregnant at least once before they are 20.
• Becoming a parent is the leading reason why girls drop out of school.
• 50% of teens who are pregnant will not graduate high school.
• There are about 25% of teen moms that will have a 2nd child within 24 months of their first child.
• 8 out of 10 teen dads will not marry the mother of their child.
• Roughly 18% of teens in the US will have an abortion.
• Teens in child welfare systems are at higher risk of teen pregnancy and birth than other groups. [1]

Teen Pregnancy and Parenthood

Having a child at a young age cannot only be hard on the mother, but the child as well. There is a chance in all pregnancies that the child could not develop the way they should. One of the main reasons is because the mother’s body is not ready for the pregnancy. The complications are higher for teens who are pregnant, such as premature birth and stillbirth.

Teens who become parents often have one foot in childhood and the other in adulthood. Anger, stress, and resentment set in because they realize that the days of being carefree, like going to the beach or mall, are over. The realization that this child is now their life and it’s a full time job becomes a reality all too real.

That period between conception and birth will bring tough decisions and mixed emotions. It has been reported that there are areas in the world where teen mothers do not have a safe way to prevent unwanted pregnancies. In countries where abortion is prohibited or highly restricted, teens typically resort to unsafe abortions. It is reported that 3.9 million unsafe abortions occur each year to girls 15-19 in developing regions.

Feeling Unwanted and Unsafe

Teen pregnancy can have a negative effect on girls. For example, friends don’t want to hang out with them anymore. Their family and community make them feel like they did something wrong.

A teen under the age of 18 going through these stigmas and rejections alone are also more likely to experience violence in a relationship. Also, there are many teen mothers that are raising their child on their own because the father didn’t help and/or the parents kicked them out because they wanted to keep their child.

Teens, Don’t be Afraid to Ask For Help

If you are a teen mom and have decided to raise the child yourself, then don’t be afraid to ask for help. There are many places out there that will and can help you.

But remember, you are not alone. There are communities out there that will help you. Learn your options by calling the American Pregnancy Helpline, 1-866-942-6466. The best thing you can do for yourself is educating yourself and learning all you can about how you can be an effective parent.

Parents

Parents, if your child does become pregnant, and wants to keep the baby, don’t make them feel unwanted or dirty. [5] Mistakes happen; maybe they did use protection.

And I say they, because it’s not just the girl’s responsibility to provide protection. If you have a son and you think they are becoming sexually active, please educate them properly on sex and the responsibility of it. [5]

Article written by Jessica Christian, blogger for Safe Harbor International Ministries

References:
[1] https://www.cdc.gov/teenpregnancy/about/index.htm
[2] https://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/adolescent-development/reproductive-health-and-teen-pregnancy/teen-pregnancy-and-childbearing/trends/index.html
[3] https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/fact-sheet/sexual-health-of-adolescents-and-young-adults-in-the-united-states/
[4] https://standupgirl.com/
[5] https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/tell-parents.html