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Teenage Pregnancy

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Teenage Pregnancy

By

Ami Bernal

April 20, 2008



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Did you know that even though the statistics of teen pregnancies are high there has
been a decrease since 1995 with more young teens waiting to have intercourse till they are older. They are making better choices with either using contraceptives or just practicing abstinence.

According to the Wikipedia online,” Teenage pregnancy in the United States is defined as an under aged girl becoming pregnant. The average age of menarche, which is the first menstrual period in the United States is 12.5. Although this number varies by race, weight, and the first ovulation occurs irregularly until after this. The average has been declining and is continuing to decline as of today”. 46%, which is almost half of 15-19 year - olds have had sex at once. 13% of
young teens had sex by the age of 15. Most of the young teens have had sex by the time they reach 17. For their first time with sexual intercourse and they do not even marry till about their mid - to late 20’s. Teens now are waiting longer before they have sex because of the risk of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and unwanted pregnancy’s. In the U.S., pregnancy rates are still very high.

In 2002 there were some females and males between the ages of 15-19 years old have already had sex by the time they reached 15. The percentage rates are 13% of women to 15% are males and comparing it with 1995 rates which was 19% and 21%. The unfortunate part of it is, is that women that had sexual intercourse before the age of 20 years old said that their first was not on a voluntary basis. Those women were between the age of 18 to 24 years old and that is 10% of them. The decline started in 1995 to 2002 for teens who have had sex. The average was 49% to 46% in women and 55% to 46% males. In the Guttmacher Institute it is also stated that “More than three-quarters of teen females report...