NEA HIN Commemorates National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month
Teen birth rates are declining in the US. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 329,797 babies were born to teen girls aged 15–19 years in 2011, which is an 8% drop from 2010. Birth rates also fell 11% for teens aged 15-17 and 7% for ages 18-19. Although this decline has been steady over the past two decades, teens are still engaging in sexual activity and teen girls are still getting pregnant.
Teen pregnancy has a tremendous impact on the educational, social, and economic lives of young people. Early parenting reduces the likelihood that a young woman will complete high school and pursues the necessary postsecondary education needed to compete in today’s economy. According to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, only 38% of teen girls who have a child before age 18 get a high school diploma by age 22 and 30% of teen girls who have dropped out of high school cite pregnancy or parenthood as a reason.
This month marks the annual observance of National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month. Although birth rates among teen girls are declining, in order to substantially continue to decrease the rate of teen pregnancy in the U.S., coordinated strategies that equip youth with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to protect themselves against unwanted pregnancy , and provide them access to reproductive healthcare are needed. These approaches should be evidence-based and geared towards meeting the needs of all children.
For more information on teen pregnancy prevention, please visit:
Posted by JeNeen M. Anderson
on May 19, 2014