How many people here know a friend, family member or co-worker who has been affected by an unplanned pregnancy?
Here are a some quick Facts on Teen Pregnancy around the nation & in the state of Georgia!
Across the Nation:
The US has the highest rate of teen pregnancies, births & abortions in the world. Nearly ¾ of a million teens become pregnant each year… of these pregnancies, 82% are unplanned. (www.thenc.org)
Out of all teen pregnancies: 57% end in birth, 14% end in miscarriage, and nearly one third choose abortion. (www.thenc.org)
For years the US saw teen pregnancies rates decline until recently… the media’s glamorization & popularity of teen moms from MTVS “Teen Mom” to Nickelodeon’s Jamie Lynn Spears & Bristol Palin. I am afraid teenage girls who crave attention, love & self-worth are trying to find it as teenage mothers. (www.thenc.org)
State of Georgia:
Georgia has the 8th highest teen birth rate in the nation. Over 22,500 teen pregnancies occur in GA each year- that means nearly 7% of all teenage girls will face a pregnancy. (www.kidcount.com)
Even more disturbing, Georgia ranks 2nd highest among states with repeat teen births. (www.kidcount.com)
Effects of Teen Pregnancy in GA:
(www.thenc.org&KidCount)
Teen pregnancy prevention & support is an effective on so many levels.
1. Reducing Poverty. Less than 4 out of 10 teen mothers ever complete high school. High school dropouts are less likely to be employed and have significantly lower earnings than those with at least a high school degree.
2. Improving Child Well-being. Many of the individual indicators of child well-being in which Georgia ranks are in the bottom 10 of the 50 states & they are found to be highly interrelated with teen pregnancy. Indicators such as school performance, friendships, self-esteem, social competency are just to name a few.
In addition to improving the lives of children and families, adolescent pregnancy prevention efforts create significant
3. Savings for taxpayers. Failing to invest in teen pregnancy prevention costs our society billions of dollars. Between 1991 and 2004 alone, teen births in Georgia cost taxpayers a total of $5.7 billion.
Adoption Facts:
How many of you know of a friend, family member or co-worker
who has been affected by adoption?
Did you know that only 1% of teen mothers in 2007 who choose life, choose adoption? Over 99% decide to parent their babies.
According to the National Council for Adoption there were only .6% domestic infant adoptions for every 100 abortions & births to single women….in 2007
The NCFA notes that some states have higher adoption rates & these higher rates are likely due to better counseling, services & facilities available to women facing crisis pregnancies.
