Teen Pregnancy

Is having a baby when you're 17 a good idea? Of course not, but you can make it work, and you do have choices. Mind you, I'm not advocating for youth pregnancy in any way; in fact I work in an industry that attempts to do just the opposite. However, if you are a teen, and you do find yourself pregnant, there are resources for you, and additionally, don't let anyone put you down, make you feel inadequate, or stupid, or try to control your decision. Show them how smart you really are by sharing these stats with them........and know you are indestructible.

1. Are teens really the source of all unplanned pregnancies? Come on.......

-While the majority of pregnancies to teens are unplanned, teens do not account for the majority of unplanned pregnancies, and they do not have the highest rates of unplanned
pregnancy.

2. Are we talking about kids under 18 having babies when we say unplanned pregnancies? No.

-Women in their 20s account for 1.6 million unplanned pregnancies—54% of all
unplanned pregnancies.

3. So what percentage of unplanned pregnancies are actually to teens? Take that....

-Unplanned pregnancy is clearly not just a teen issue. In fact, less than one quarter
of all unplanned pregnancies are to teen girls.

4. And the rest? Hmmm......

-Nearly 900,000 unplanned pregnancies
occur to married women (30% of all unplanned pregnancies)

5. So, teens are just dumb right?

-Nearly one half, or more than 1.1 million
unplanned pregnancies occur to women with at least some college education.

Source: Finer, LB and Henshaw, SK (2006). Disparities in Rates of Unintended Pregnancy in the United States, 1994
and 2001. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 38 (2):90-96. Accessed 9/2009 from The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. DCR Report.