Definition:
Adolescent pregnancy is pregnancy in girls age 19 or younger.
Alternative Names:
Teenage pregnancy; Pregnancy - teenage
Causes, incidence, and risk factors:
The rate of adolescent pregnancy and the birth rate for adolescents have generally declined since reaching an all-time high in 1990, mostly due to the increased use of condoms. Adolescent pregnancy is a complex issue with many reasons for concern. Younger adolescents (12 - 14 years old) are more likely to have unplanned sexual intercourse and more likely to be coerced into sex. Adolescents 18 - 19 years old are technically adults, and half of adolescent pregnancies occur in this age group. Risk factors for adolescent pregnancy include: - Younger age
- Poor school performance
- Economic disadvantage
- Single or teen parents
References:
U.S. Teenage Pregnancy Statistics: Overall Trends, Trends by Race and Ethnicity and State-by-State Information. New York, NY: The Alan Guttmacher Institute; 2004. Eifenbein DS, Felice ME, Jenkins RR. Adolescent pregnancy. In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier;2007:chap 117. Martin JA, Hamilton BE, Sutton PD, et al. Births. Final data for 2006. National Vital Statistics Reports. 2009;57(7). Klein JD and the committee on adolescence. Adolescent pregnancy: Current trends and issues. Pediatrics. 2005;116:281-286. Kohler PK, Manhart LE, Lafferty WE. Abstinence-only and comprehensive sex education and the initiation of sexual activity and teen pregnancy. J Adolesc Health. 2008;42:344-351.
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