Teenage Pregnancy – Rates, Issues and Risks

Teenage pregnancy rates have been trending down in most countries in the developed world since the early 1970’s. As education increases, availability of contraception becomes more accessible and societal norms shift, the number of teenage pregnancies per capita tends to go down.

As an illustration of this, New Zealand has typically had one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in the developed world. Around 13 teenage girls in every 1,000 have a live birth each year.

Of course, beyond the live births each year are a significant number of abortions and miscarriages among teenagers too.

The example pregnancy rate above is similar to that of England and Ireland, it’s a little higher in the United States, and some European countries such as Finland, Sweden, and Denmark are considerably lower.

Many people have theories as to why some pregnancy rates are so high, but it seems that there is no one conclusion. Different countries, with different cultures have a range of reasons.

Some factors that do appear to be universal among developed countries include social indicators, such as education rates, employment rates, welfare systems and housing. And over the last 20 years, as these social indicators have improved, so too has the teenage pregnancy rate come down.

While reasons for teenage pregnancy rates continue to be debated, there are definite trends, which highlight ‘at risk’ teenagers.

For instance, it’s widely acknowledged that children who were born to teenage parents are more likely to become teenage parents themselves, and that teenagers in lower socio-economic groups are also more at risk. In all developed countries, marginalised cultures have a higher rate of teen pregnancy. And for teenagers who fall outside of the ‘high risk’ groups, there are questions around sex education and even self-esteem that effect rates.

While no one can pinpoint exactly why some developed countries still have a high teenage pregnancy rate, what is agreed on is the effect that pregnancy and parenthood has on teenagers themselves.

Some of the main issues or problems faced by teenage parents include:

Teenage Pregnancy in Schools

Juggling study with parenting is difficult, no matter what the circumstance, but for teenagers who fall pregnant while still at school, even basic level education can be difficult to maintain.

While the introduction of teen parent’s schools has helped address this issue, teenage parents still suffer disruption to their education during pregnancy and in the months following their child’s birth.

In areas where there is no teen parent’s school available, education for teen parents is difficult, and while some continue their education through correspondence or other forms of distance learning, many simply drop out all together.

Reduced Earning Potential for Teenage Mothers

When teen parents eventually enter the workforce, their earning potential can be hindered by their disrupted education, and their apparent lack of work experience compared to other people the same age. This sets up a cycle of poverty or financial dependence.

Teenage mothers are less likely to graduate from high school and much more likely to experience material hardship. It’s been estimated that teen Mums will earn 10-15% less than teenagers who don’t have babies.

Teen Mums May be Less Emotionally Prepared for Parenting

Let’s face it – nobody is ever emotionally prepared for parenting, but teenagers are even more at risk.

For the most part, teenagers think the world revolves around them and are still learning to be responsible for themselves, let alone someone else. The sudden, and usually unplanned, responsibility of parenting forces them to mature faster than they naturally would, and the natural process of growing up is put into high gear.

In addition to the normal emotions that prospective parents feel, teenage parents have a rollercoaster of issues to deal with – particularly if the pregnancy is unplanned or they have little support.

Judgement from Parents and Family Members

Some teenage parents are lucky enough to have the support of their family, but this isn’t always the case. For some, judgement from their parents or family members means that they go through this difficult time with little, if any, support.

While older parents get to celebrate their pregnancy and the birth of a child, many teenage parents miss out on the celebration because they are busy ‘dealing with it’ or making the most of their ‘mistake’. This difference becomes more apparent the older the child gets too.

Teenage Mothers can Lose their Social Networks

Your teenage years are an important formative time of socialising and building friendships, but the responsibility of parenting means many teenage parents lose all social contact with most of their peers.

While friends may visit in the short term, the inability to just drop everything and go means that friendships change. Many teenage parents feel like they no longer fit in with their peers, but because of their age, they don’t fit in with other parents either. Teenage parent schools or support groups are a great resource for teenage parents to meet people in a similar situation.

Lack of Financial Security for Teenage Mothers

Becoming a parent while you are still a teenager means you haven’t had the chance to build any financial security or back-up for when the going gets tough.

Whether the teenage parent is on a benefit, or manages to find employment, they simply live week to week with little chance of getting ahead, and a very real risk of falling behind. This lack of financial security can cause a great deal of stress over time, and can end up impacting the child later in life.

Lack of Support from their Partner

Parents of all ages face the risk of an unsupportive partner, but for teenage parents the risk is even higher. Even if both the mother and father do take responsibility for the pregnancy, many of these relationships eventually end in separation.

There are specialist support groups for teen partners to try and prevent this scenario. But the fact is that many teenagers just aren’t mentally prepared for the stress of parenting.

Teenage Pregnancy Health Risks

Unfortunately teenage women face a whole range of extra risk factors when it comes to pregnancy.

Teenagers face higher risks of eclampsia, puerperal endometritis and systemic infections than women aged 20–24 years. And their babies face extra risks too. Babies of teen mothers face higher risks of low birth weight, preterm birth and severe neonatal condition.

Final Thoughts

Teenage parents are a special group of people, with a unique set of issues and needs. While they may not have planned their pregnancy, most step up to the mark and make the most of their sudden twist in fate. Teen parents certainly don’t have age or wisdom on their side, but they do have determination, resourcefulness, and the same love for their child that any parent feels.

It is easy to judge teenage parents for their ‘mistake’, but it takes a strong and wise community to realise that children are a gift, no matter how old the parent may be. It really does take a village to raise a child.

Find out about Support for Teen Parents