The document discusses the risk factors contributing to adolescent pregnancy, including lack of parental guidance, peer pressure, and exploitation. It highlights the success of community programs in reducing teen pregnancy rates through education and access to contraceptives, while also noting the ongoing challenges and societal costs associated with adolescent motherhood. Despite a decrease in rates, the U.S. still has higher adolescent pregnancy rates compared to other countries, emphasizing the need for continued support and resources for at-risk youth.

1. Risk factors
Comment 1
There are several predisposing factors to adolescent pregnancy.
They include a lack of parental guidance. Adolescent sexual
behaviour which is promiscuous in nature. Exploitation by older
men who lure young girls with money and other material things.
Sexual abuse or rape and socio-economic. Inadequate
knowledge about protected sexual intercourse. Peer pressure and
teenage drinking which impairs the ability to make wise
decisions.
Community resources
Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program
- The design focuses on the promotion of safe sexual and
reproductive health practices so that there is reduction of
unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections
among adolescents through the provision of community
outreach, health education and positive youth development
Parenting Teen Program
It focuses on the provision of mothers at risk with the
opportunity to get training and guidance on job, parenting and
life skills. It also dwells on social, academic and independent
living skill development among these mothers.
Pregnancy rates
There has been a steep fall in the teen pregnancy rate. By the
year 2011 according to the data that is available, the rate was 62
pregnancies per 1,000 teen girls (age 15-19); some 5,270 teen

2. pregnancies. Therefore the teen pregnancy rate has reduced by
57% since 1988. Since 2008, the teen pregnancy rate has
changed by -10%
Commentary on rate
There has been a reduction in the teen pregnancy rate. One of
the possible reasons that can be attributed to this reduction is
that there is increased utilization of contraception in is Nevada.
Research has demonstrated an increase in the contraceptive
prevalence rate. This has been achieved through the public
health campaigns that raise awareness about teenage
pregnancies. There has been provision of free barrier
contraceptives to the sexually active demographic.
Comment 2
Adolescent pregnancy is a very risky for both the adolescent
and the baby. The body of an adolescent has not fully matured
enough to provide and support a growing child, let alone the
adolescent as well. The adolescent age is very important and is
considered the stage where children learn to explore their
sexuality while peer pressure influences their thoughts,
behavior, likes and dislikes. The media also influences how
adolescents perceive themselves as well as others around them.
Girls are more sensitive to social media and lack of parental
support, proper education on dangers of drugs, sex and violence
can lead to poor health habits that are hard to break as they
grow into adults. Based on Center of Disease and Control
(CDC) the rate of adolescent pregnancy had decreased by 9%
from 2013 to 2014. In California, the rate of adolescent
pregnancy ages 15- 19 years of age has decreased to 25.7 % out
of every 1,000 females in the past 10 years according to the
California Department of Public health. The decrease in
adolescent/ teen birth rates is said to be contributed to social
media depiction of teen pregnancy and the hardship of teen

3. pregnancy, along with the increased sexual education programs
in school and family planning along with the range of
contraceptives available. However, the rate of adolescent
pregnancy is still higher in US than other countries. In 2014
about 249,078 babies were given birth to by women ages 15 to
19 years old ("About teen pregnancy", 2015).
Adolescent pregnancy affects the career aspiration and
choices for the adolescent for it is costly to care for a baby.
Also the cost for the society increases for welfare and medical
cost for both the adolescent mother and the baby. Often
adolescent mothers achieve education only up to high school for
many pregnant adolescents drop out in order to provide for their
child and often from pressure from peers and society. Based on
CDC About 50% of teen/adolescent mothers receive a high
school diploma by the age of 22 and children of adolescent
mothers were less likely to have high achievements in school ("
Social Determinants and Eliminating Disparities in Teen
Pregnancy", 2016).
There are many community and state resources that aim to
prevent adolescent pregnancy. One community based program
aimed at adolescent/teen pregnancy called Generation Her, a
non-profit organization that aims to enlighten, strengthen and
encourage teen mothers by providing mentors, local resources
for childcare, teaching life goals and encouraging continuation
of education ("Generation Her"). One state resource for
adolescent mothers called California’s Adolescent Sibling
Pregnancy Prevention Program. The program was developed in
1996 to provide services for pregnant and parenting adolescents
and teen in schools, county- health departments, and other
community based resources. The organization provides
academic guidance, enhances self-esteem, provides job
placement, teaches decision-making skills and provides
information about safe sex-abstinence and contraception ("

4. California's Adolescent Sibling Pregnancy Prevention
Program.", 2008).