Teen pregnancy encompasses a range of complex issues, including the significant drop in the number of teens opting for adoption and the various adoption choices available, such as open or closed adoption.
Approximately 5 percent of all teens birth are a result of rape
two thirds of these teens report the babies fathers are as old as 27
Between 43 and 62 percent of teens acknowledge they were impregnated by an adult male
Lack of Knowledge or Education
Teenagers who are uneducated about sex are more likely to have unintended pregnancy
Teenage Drinking
Teenage drinking is one of the main causes of Teen Pregnancy
91 percent of pregnant teens reported that even though they were drinking they didn't attend to have sex
Teenage drinking has contributed to 75% of of pregnancies of girls between the ages of 14 and 21
Drinking lowers a teens ability to control impulses
Adoption
For the mothers who decide on adoption, options include: open adoption, closed adoption and actually being able to meet and select the adoptive parents
the number of teens who place their children has dropped significantly in recent decades
Absent Parents
When a teen feels that she can't openly talk to her parents about sex she will most likely turn to her friends for direction which results in misguiding information and possibly teen pregnancy
Teen girls are likely to get pregnant if they have limited or no guidance from their parents
Peer Pressure
33 percent of pregnant teens stated they felt they were not ready for sexual relationships but proceed anyways to fit in
29 percent of pregnant teens reported they felt pressured into having sex
Many people let their friends influence their decision to have sex even if they don't feel ready
During adolescence, teenagers often feel pressure to fit in with their peers.
Religious Beliefs & Practices
It is practice in some religion to marry young; resulting in teenage pregnancy
Abortion
Laws involving teens and abortions vary, but most times parental consent is mandatory
About 35 percent of teenagers have an abortion, according to the National Abortion Federation
Teenage Parenting
approximately 25 percent of teen mothers have another child within two years of their first birth
Teen mothers are less likely yo complete high or college; less than one third of teen mothers actually complete high school
more than half of teen pregnancies result in the woman keeping and raising her child