Pregnancy in Minors
Teen pregnancy has been declining in the U.S. over the last few years but continues to be a concern. One out of every ten women aged 15-19 becomes pregnant each year. There will be nearly 900,000 pregnant teens this year.
Most teenage girls don’t plan to get pregnant, but many do. Teen pregnancies carry extra health risks to the mother and the baby. Often, teens don’t get prenatal care soon enough, which can lead to problems later on. They have a higher risk for pregnancy-related high blood pressure and its complications. Risks for the baby include premature birth and a low birth weight.
The prevalence of teenage pregnancy is higher among:
- Teens in foster care, who have a prevalence more than two times higher than those not in foster care.
- American Indian/Alaska Native, Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander females, who have a prevalence more than two times higher than the rate for non-Hispanic whites.
- Teens from low-income families than teens from high-income families.
- Teens from families with low educational attainment than teens from families with high educational attainment.
- Teens living in rural areas than teens living in urban areas.