• Twenty-three percent of 14 year olds and 30% of all 15 year olds have had sexual intercourse.
• Early childbearing tends to reduce the mother’s opportunity to attain a high level of education and employment.
• Teen mothers are more likely to live in poverty, hurting the overall quality of a young mother’s life.
• Adolescent pregnancies account for approximately 80% of unplanned pregnancies. Nearly 45% of teen pregnancies end in abortion.
• Approximately 9% of African American teenagers gave birth in 1996 – the lowest number since the government began keeping this statistic.
• The percentage of sexually active teens using condoms has increased. Teenagers who have sex are more likely to use contraceptives than in the past.
• Babies born to young mothers are more likely to be low birth weight, to have childhood health problems and to be hospitalized than are those born to older mothers.
• Over 1/3 of pregnant teens receive inadequate prenatal care.
• Morbidity and mortality rates are higher for babies born to young mothers.
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article courtesy of BlackDoctor.org
