What Statistics of Teenage Pregnancies Reveals About Our Society
To be able to determine just how society affects the younger generation, it is important to analyze the statistics related to common teen issues. One such important and controversial topic is the rise in teen pregnancy. In 2006, the Guttmacher Institute has conducted a study which includes the statistics of teenage pregnancies.
To be able to determine just how society affects the younger generation, it is important to analyze the statistics related to common teen issues. One such important and controversial topic is the rise in teen pregnancy. In 2006, the Guttmacher Institute has conducted a study which includes the statistics of teenage pregnancies.
What the Numbers Say
One in ten births that occur in the United States actually involve a teen mother. Three out of four million teens aged 15 to 19 years old become pregnant every year. This collectively results in 11% of the total number of births in the whole country.
Black teens are the most likely to get pregnant when compared to those of a Hispanic descent and non-Hispanic white females.
Overall, the statistics of teenage pregnancies in the US has twice the number of teen pregnancies when compared to Canada, England or Wales. It is eight times higher when compared to Japan or the Netherlands.
Complications and Abortion
Because of the nature of the teen mothers, the statistics of teenage pregnancies related to medical issues are different from those based on older pregnant females. Considering teen pregnancies as a whole, 57% of these end in birth. Due to the quality of health care received during this critical period, 14% of the pregnancies result in a miscarriage.
Because of it being unplanned, nearly one third (29%) of these teens resort to abortion.
Education for the Teen Mother
In the past, teens are less likely to finish high school once they become pregnant. With the help of government programs and organizations, more teen mothers are able to attend high school or earn a GED at present, however, they are still less likely to get a college diploma than those who do not get pregnant, opting to work or take care of their child instead.
Posted on June 9, 2010 by admin