Teenage pregnancy

Teenage pregnancy is a social issue of teenage girls getting pregnant. The perceived problem with teenage pregnancies is that teenagers are not ready, emotionally and financially, to raise children, even if they are physiologically able to.

Teenage pregnancy rates vary widely between countries and ethnic groups within countries. Some recent statistics for the pregnancy rate per 1000 females 15 to 19 years of age were. In developing countries teenage pregnancy is quite usual since many women are expected to be married and with children before they are 20.

The United States has the highest teen pregnancy rate of any industrialized country. Although the overall rate of teen pregnancy has been declining since 1991, the rates have remained high for teens who are most vulnerable, such as younger unmarried teens. The national Unmarried Teen birth rate steadily decreased from 62 in 1991 to 54 births per 1,000 females in 1996--a 12% decline. The teen birth rate decreased among all races.


In 1996, the teen birth rate was 63 births per 1000 females. Although the teen (ages 15-19) birth rate in California has also decreased among all races since 1991, Hispanic teens showed the smallest decrease, from 122 in 1991 to 104 births per 1,000 females in 1996--a 15% decline. This is compared to a 23% decrease in African Americans and a 24% decrease in Non-Hispanic Whites.

Variations in teenage pregnancy appear to have a multitude of possible causes ranging from social mores, family background and education, to economic and social conditions. No consensus exists about the principal causes in variation in teenage pregnancy rates.