IntroductionTeenage pregnancy can be heard and seen practically anywhere nowadays. There are even TV shows that display teen parents and their lives. What are these saying about teenage pregnancy? This is an issue that has been around for a while now in the United States, and since more than two decades ago, the rates of teenage pregnancy and birth have hit an all time low. However, recently it was brought to attention that teenage pregnancy is still a prevailing problem that plagues the lives of young girls. United States has the highest teenage pregnancy rate among the developed countries: its rate is almost twice that of United Kingdom’s which has the next highest teenage pregnancy rate. So then questions are asked: Why does United States have a high teenage pregnancy rate? What are the causes of contribution to this statistic?
BackgroundIn the United States, teenage pregnancy is quite common. Statistics show that roughly 25% of the girls in the country will become pregnant before reaching adulthood and about 20% of them will become pregnant again before turning 20. Moreover, there are significant disparities amongst the racial and ethnic groups and rural and urban areas. Minority groups like African American and Hispanics tend to a have higher teenage pregnancy rates compared to other races, and teenage pregnancy in a rural area is about 30% higher than in urban or suburban areas of the United States. In addition, situations in which girls grow up in and the current living environment play critical roles in contributing to the teenage pregnancy rate because these disadvantages alter young girls’ lives and behaviors. Girls who come from disadvantaged situations need support from parents, school, and government as they have been proven to be effective in order to prevent and reduce the overall teenage pregnancy rate.
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