2. Teen Pregnancy:
Pregnancy can be a time of great joy and excitement
for married couples who want a child and plan for it.
But, unfortunately, it seldom happens that way for a
young, unmarried couple.
For the girl who is not married, pregnancy can be the
most scary and lonely time of her life.
For the unmarried male having little rights and
paying child support for 18 years.
Suddenly, everything changes (friendships, dating,
college plans, etc.). Hopes and dreams for the
future can fade quickly.
3. Stats from CDC.gov:
Number of live births to 15-19 year olds: 305,388
Birth rate for 15-19 year olds: 29.4 live births per
1,000 population
$9.4 billion spent on teen childbearing
The United States has the highest rates of teen
pregnancy, birth, and abortion in the industrialized
world.
(2014, February 25). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved June 1, 2014, from
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/teen-births.htm
4. Stats from stayteen.com
Parenthood is the leading reason why teen girls drop out of
school; after all, it’s really difficult to juggle homework and a
baby. Less than half of teen mothers ever graduate from
high school and fewer than 2% earn a college degree by age
30.
Children of teen mothers do worse in school than those born
to older parents—they are 50% more likely to repeat a grade,
are less likely to complete high school than the children of
older mothers, and have lower performance on standardized
tests.
About one-fourth of teen moms have a second child within 24
months of the first birth—which can further delay their ability
to finish school or keep a job.
Know the Facts. (n.d.). Stay Teen. Retrieved June 1, 2014, from http://stayteen.org/teen-
pregnancy
5. Difficult decisions facing a pregnant
teen:
Remaining single and parenting the child is the
most popular choice today.
Getting married
Adoption
Abortion
