Teenage Pregnancy

Teenage pregnancy is pregnancy in human

females under the age of 20 at the time that
the pregnancy ends. A pregnancy can take
place in a pubertal female before menarche
(the first menstrual period), which signals the
possibility of fertility, but usually occurs after
menarche.
According to the 2014 Young Adult Fertility and
Sexuality (YAFS) study, around 14 percent of
Filipino girls aged 15 to 19 are either pregnant for
the first time or are already mothersmore than
twice the rate recorded in 2002
Among six major economies in the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations, the Philippines has the
highest rate of teenage pregnancies and is the
only country where the rate is increasing, per the
United Nations Population Fund.
Developed Countries
In developed countries, teenage pregnancies
are often associated with social issues,
including lower educational levels, higher
rates of poverty, and other poorer life
outcomes in children of teenage mothers.
Teenage pregnancy in developed countries is
usually outside of marriage, and carries
a social stigma in many communities and
cultures.
Developing Countries
teenage parents in developing countries are
often married, and their pregnancies
welcomed by family and society. However, in
these societies, early pregnancy may combine
with malnutrition and poor health care to
cause medical problems.
Causes
lack of education on safe sex
peer pressure as a factor in encouraging both girls and
boys to have sex.

Inhibition-reducing drugs and alcohol may possibly
encourage unintended sexual activity
Adolescents may lack knowledge of, or access to,
conventional methods of preventing pregnancy, as they
may be too embarrassed or frightened to seek such
information.
Sexual abuse
Social economic problems
Causes
Women exposed to abuse, domestic violence,
and family strife in childhood are more likely to
become pregnant as teenagers, and the risk of
becoming pregnant as a teenager increases with
the number of adverse childhood experiences
Media
According to Time, "teens exposed to the most
sexual content on TV are twice as likely as teens
watching less of this material to become
pregnant before they reach age 20".
Effects
Teen mothers are more likely to drop out of
high school.
Less than one third of teenage mothers
receive any form of child support, vastly
increasing the likelihood of turning to the
government for assistance.
reduces career opportunities for many young
women.
Effects
can affect the psychosocial development of
the infant.
more likely to be born prematurely with a low
birth weight, predisposing them to many
other lifelong conditions.
A son born to a young woman in her teens is
three times more likely to serve time in prison
Prevention
Sex Education
Contraceptives
Parents