Teenage Pregnancy: A Global Issue

Among the many issues teenagers are facing today is teenage pregnancy. The term teenage pregnancy refers to a young girl the age of eighteen years old or younger becoming pregnant. Most girls are ready to get pregnant as soon as they have had their menarche or their first menstrual period. This would start the girls' bodies to have their ovulation as part of their menstrual cycle.

The rate of teenage pregnancy varies from country to country due to economic and social development due to a link between the increased rate of teenage pregnancy and a country's lower educational levels and higher poverty rates.

Causes Of Teenage Pregnancy

There are many causes that correspond to teenage pregnancy and the number one factor is the teenager's sexual behavior. According to the research the Kaiser Family Foundation, 33% of teenagers say that they are in a relationship that is moving too fast sexually, 29% say that they feel that they are being pressured to have sex, and 24% reported that they just did something that is sexual that they did not want to do.

Sexual abuse is also one of the leading causes of teenage pregnancy and it is usually pertains to rape or the act of forcing oneself to another to have sexual intercourse. It was researched that 11-20% of the cases of teenage pregnancies are a direct result of rape while 60% of the teenage mothers say that their pregnancy was caused by an unwanted sexual experience.

Lastly, the socioeconomic factors may be one of the major causes in teenage pregnancy. It has been proven that poor countries have a higher rate in teenage pregnancy as compared to well-developed countries and probably, that is because of their lack in education and that is what they see that is commonly happening around them.

To Do Or Not To Do It

Probably, the peak of the issue and highest rate of teenage pregnancy was during the 1990s when there was no emphasis of sex education on schools, television, and other media that could educate the teenagers about the use of contraception, the risks, and the responsibilities involved in becoming pregnant when you are not yet ready. Today, it is no longer considered as a taboo if we see and hear ad campaigns on the television and radio promoting safe sex.

Though there are many methods and many kinds of contraception to prevent teenage pregnancy, the most effective and surest way to not get pregnant is to abstain from having sex.

Recommended Reading

1. Understanding Our Teens – The Causes of Teenage pregnancy
Obviously, the reason at the base of any pregnancy is sexual intercourse. But many researchers would like to know why...
2. Teenage Pregnancy Rates in the US
Roughly 40% of females in the United States become pregnant before they reach 20 years of age. Half of these...
3. The Facts on Teenage Pregnancy in South Africa
As with many developing countries, the rate of teenage pregnancy in South Africa is high. Most people argue that this...
4. Teenagers Speak Out – Statistics on Teenage Pregnancy
Seventy four percent of sexually active females between the ages of 15 and 19 have partners who are the same...
5. Teenage Pregnancy – Don't Blame the Victim
Teenage pregnancy, also referred to as adolescent pregnancy, is defined as pregnancy occurring in women up to 19 years old....