Adolescent Health

Teen Pregnancy

Despite a recent decline in the teen birth rate, teen pregnancy remains a significant problem in this country. Most teen pregnancies are unintended. Each year, about 200,000 teens aged 17 and younger has children. Their babies are often low birth weight and have disproportionately high infant mortality rates. They are also far more likely to be poor. About 80 percent of the children born to unmarried teenagers who dropped out of high school are poor. In contrast, just 8 percent of children born to married high school graduates aged 20 or older are poor.

Many organizations offer information on this area; their views on pregnancy and reproductive health issues vary. You may want to check your local telephone book for nearby agencies, like Birthright or Planned Parenthood. Many university and college health centers have accessible reproductive health departments.

You can also talk to your health care provider about how to prevent teen pregnancies using birth control. It is best to start a discussion about pregnancy with your adolescent early. Let them know the risks and the chances of getting pregnant, as well as the risks of contracting STDs and AIDs. Open communication, combined with quality information, can help your adolescent make better choices for their reproductive health.