Transcript Teen Pregnancy - Miami University

Teen Pregnancy
Approximately 97 per 1000 women
aged 15-19 become pregnant each
year
Teen Pregnancy is a Serious Issue
in the United States
Despite the recently declining teen
pregnancy rates, 34% of teenage girls
get pregnant at least once before they
reach age
 The United States has the highest teen
pregnancy rate of any developed
country

Predicting Factors in Teen
Pregnancy

Teen pregnancy
may be more likely if
an adolescent has
experienced….
 Depression
 Physical, Emotional,
or Sexual Abuse
 Having a battered
mother

Parental separation
or divorce
 Growing up with a
substance abusing,
mentally ill, or
criminal household
member
Experiences Linked with
Involvement in Teen Pregnancy
Young age at first intercourse
 Having more sexual partners
 Having had an STD
 Alcohol use
 Use of illicit drugs

Realities of Teen Pregnancy
Ninety-four percent of teens believe that
if they were pregnant they would stay in
school; in reality, 70 percent eventually
complete high school.
 Fifty-one percent of teens believe that if
they were involved in a pregnancy they
would marry the baby’s mother or
father; in reality, 81 percent of teenage
births are to unmarried teens.

Realities of Teen Pregnancy,
continued
Twenty-six percent of teens believe that
they would need welfare to support a
child; in reality, 56 percent receive
public assistance to cover the cost of
delivery and 5 percent receive public
assistance by their early 20s.
 http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/
programs/teenpregnancy/

Realities of Repeat Teen
Pregnancy
Repeat teen pregnancies tend to be
high
 30% become pregnant again within the
first postpartum year and another 25%
to 50% become pregnant in the second
postpartum year

Risk to Teen Mothers

Future prospects for teenagers decline
significantly if they have a baby
•
Less likely to complete school and more likely to become single parents
Only 1/3 of teens who become parents by age 18 complete high school
•

There are serious health risks for
adolescents who have babies
•
Poor weight gain, pregnancy-induced hypertension, anemia, and
sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are common
Risks to Teen Mothers, continued

Teen pregnancy is closely linked to
poverty and single parenthood
•
Almost one-half of all teenage mothers and over three-quarters of
unmarried teen mothers began receiving welfare within five years of the
birth of their first child
Out-of-wedlock childbearing (as opposed to divorce) is currently the
driving force behind the growth in the number of single parents, and
half of first out-of-wedlock births are to teens
•
Risks to Children born to Teen
Mothers
Low birth weight that can cause
cognitive problems for the child later in
life
 Children of teens often have insufficient
health care.
 Children of teen mothers often receive
inadequate parenting.

Statistics for teen pregnancy rates
in Butler County, Ohio

Total Number of Births in the County
4,887

Total Number of Births to teens in the County
529

Percent of Total Birth to Teens in the County
10.8%

Rank
212 out of 459
Strategies to Reduce Teen
Pregnancy
Provide medically accurate sexual
education
 Increased use of and easy access to
contraception
 Confidentiality associated with sexual
health care and contraception

Strategies to Reduce Teen
Pregnancy, continued
Media coverage aimed at reducing teen
pregnancy
 Pregnancy prevention programs
addressed to the role of young men
 Change in Attitudes about Sexuality

Teacher Strategies
Be able to provide students with
accurate information
 Ensure confidentiality
 If students confide in you that they are
pregnant, do not offer your own
criticisms or opinions- Provide a list of
resources where they can obtain help

Helpful Websites to Prevent Teen
Pregnancy
The National Campaign to Prevent Teen
Pregnancy
http://www.teenpregnancy.org
 Planned Pregnancy
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/LIBRA
RY/TEEN-PREGNANCY/reducing.html

Bibliography
http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/
programs/teenpregnancy/
 http://www.teenpregnancy.org/whycare/
sowhat.asp

Bibliography, continued
Anda, R., Chapman, D., Felitti, V.J., Edwards, V., Williamson, D., Croft,
J., & Giles, W.H. (2002). Adverse Childhood Experiences and Risk of
Paternity in Teen Pregnancy. Obstretics and Gynecology, 100(1), 37-45.
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Chandra, P.C., Schiavello, H.J., Ravi, B., Weinstein, A.G., & Hook, F.B. (2002).
Pregnancy outcomes in urban teenagers. International Journal of
Gynecology & Obstetrics. 79, 117-122.
Nicoletti, A. (2003). The Depressed Teen and Contraception. Journal of
Pediatric &Adolescent Gynecology, 16, 331-332.
Nicoletti, A. (2004). Teen Pregnancy Prevention Issues. Journal of Pediatric &
Adolescent & Gynecology, 17, 155-156.
Bibliography, continued
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Pfitzner, M., Hoff C., & McElligot, K. (2003). Predictors of Repeat Pregnancy in
a Program for Pregnant Teens. Journal of Pediatric & Adolescent
Gynecology, 16(2), 77-81.
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Sunner, J., Nakamura, S., & Caulfield, R. (2003) Kids Having Kids: Models of
Intervention. Early Childhood Education Journal, 31(1), 71-74.
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Tonelli, M. (2004). The Continuing Challenge of Teen Pregnancy. Journal of
Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecology, 17, 69-70.
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