Teen Pregnancy: Global Statistics, Risks, Consequences, and Prevention

Teen pregnancy (ages 15–19) remains a major public health challenge.

Epidemiology

• ~1.2 million births/year globally to adolescents (WHO).
• US rate declined 75% since 1991 but exceeds other high-income nations.
• Disparities: higher in low-income, rural, minority populations.

Risk Factors

• Poverty, low education, limited healthcare access
• Childhood adversity, foster care, sexual abuse
• Early puberty, substance use, partner age gap
• Lack of comprehensive sex education, contraceptive access

Consequences

Mother: Interrupted education, reduced lifetime earnings, higher maternal morbidity (preeclampsia, preterm birth), postpartum depression.

Child: Low birth weight, developmental delays, higher infant mortality, intergenerational poverty.

Society: $9.4B/year US costs (healthcare, foster care, lost revenue).

Effective Prevention

• Evidence-based sex education (abstinence-plus)
• Confidential, low-cost contraceptive access (LARCs most effective)
• Youth-friendly clinics, school-based health centers
• Support for parenting teens: home visiting, childcare, education continuation
• Address upstream determinants: poverty, violence, opportunity gaps

Supportive, non-stigmatizing approaches improve outcomes for both generations.