Sample on Teenage Pregnancy and its Causes

Sample on Teenage Pregnancy and its Causes Teenage Pregnancy: Causes and Reasons Dec 20, 2018 in Healthcare Causes and Reasons for Teenage Pregnancies Introduction Teenage pregnancy is evident in all societies, although the level of childbearing associated with teenage pregnancy varies with regions, states and countries. Levels of adolescent pregnancies vary significantly by a factor of almost ten in the developed countries. In Europe, for example, in the last decade, the United Kingdom had the highest rate of teenage pregnancy; with more than 90, 000 teenage conceptions per year. More than half or these pregnancies are below the age of 16, and about 2200 cases under the age of 14. Throughout the same period, in another European country; the Netherlands; the rates were as low as 12 pregnancies per a 1000 adolescents in a year. It is well known that not all teenage pregnancies are carried to term as many unwanted teenage pregnanciesgetterminated, despite the associated critical consequences this act is believed to have on the victims. The issue of teenage pregnancies is considered a crisis due to the circumstances associated with it, such as hea lth and medical complications, low career aspirations, high school dropout rates, and a life encircled with poverty(Rasheed, Abdelmonem Amin, 2010). Literature Review In the last two decades, various studies on causes and reasons for teenage pregnancies have been completed, with various outcomes. Studies have documented several risk factors that contribute to teenage pregnancy. Unsafe sexual activity, substance misuse, having many sexual partners, start of sexual activity at an early age, poor performance at school, single parent families and low family income are some of the most prevalent reasons behind teen pregnancies. Today, in America, statistics indicate that three in every ten girls get pregnant at least once in their teenage years; this makes it almost 750,000 teenage pregnancies each year. Parenthood is one of the important reasons for teenage pregnancies and school dropout in America today, with more than half of the teen pregnancy victims dropping out of high school. The socioeconomic status and the society which a teenage girl comes from also contribute to cases of teenage pregnancy. In 2009, teenage pregnancy rate among Hispanic and African American girls between the ages of 15 to 19 was more than double the rate of white teenage girls in the same age bracket(Miller, Benson Galbraith, 2001).