In 2011 there was 136 girls under the age of 15 pregnant, 4,091 girls between the ages of 15 and 17 were pregnant and all of them lived in Illinois. Nearly 750,000 teen pregnancies will happen every year in the United States. The teen birth rate has gone down drastically from what is was in the 1990’s, but the numbers are still high.
In 2012 there was a six percent decline in teen birth rates, decreasing even further from 2011’s historic lows. Despite the easier accessibility of contraception, the United States has one of the higher teen pregnancy rates in developed countries, including Canada and the United Kingdom. The rates have declined, but the numbers are still high considering all the resources we have available.
So, why are so many girls getting pregnant? The easy answer to this question is that they feel pressured by friends, or a boyfriend. They don’t use birth control correctly or they just don’t use it. Sometimes, they even want to get pregnant.
Every student in high school has to take health, and the teachers tell students all the bad things about sex, but what health class doesn’t go in-depth about is what happens when a teen actually gets pregnant. Babies cost a lot even before their born; the average total cost of prenatal care throughout a typical pregnancy is about $2,000. The delivery of the baby usually ranges from $500 to $3,000 or more. Then when the baby is born, diapers, baby formula, clothes, and anything else the baby needs will add up. All of these costs are just the beginning. When students are in high school, most of us dream of our futures: college, a good career, and eventually a husband/wife. However, with a kid teens have to put their child first. Teen parents have to think about what’s best for the child, before thinking about themselves.
No high school student is ready for a child, so take the precautions to prevent a pregnancy from happening until the right time.