TEENAGE PREGNANCY

Teenage pregnancy is pregnancy in human females under the age of 20 at the time that the pregnancy ends. A pregnancy can take place after the start of the puberty before first menstrual period, but usually occurs after the onset of periods. In well-nourished girls, menarche usually takes place around the age of 12 or 13. Pregnant teenagers face many of the same obstetrics issues as other women. There are, however, additional medical concerns for mothers aged under 15. For mothers aged 15–19, risks are associated more with socioeconomic factors than with the biological effects of age. Risks of low birth weight, premature labor, anemia, and pre-eclampsia are connected to the biological age itself, as it was observed in teen births even after controlling for other risk factors such as utilization of antenatal care etc.

Teen Pregnancy in the United States In 2012, a total of 305,388 babies were born to women aged 15–19 years, for a live birth rate of 29.4 per 1,000 women in this age group. This is a record low for U.S. teens in this age group, and a drop of 6% from 2011. Birth rates fell 8% for women aged 15–17 years, and 5% for women aged 18–19 years. While reasons for the declines are not clear, teens seem to be less sexually active, and more of those who are sexually active seem to be using birth control than in previous years.

WHAT CAUSES TEENAGE PREGNANCY? Role of drug and alcohol use. Inhibition-reducing drugs and alcohol may possibly encourage unintended sexual activity. If so, it is unknown if the drugs themselves directly influence teenagers to engage in riskier behavior, or whether teenagers who engage in drug use are more likely to engage in sex. Correlation does not imply causation. The drugs with the strongest evidence linking them to teenage pregnancy are alcohol, cannabis, "ecstasy" and other substituted amphetamines. The drugs with the least evidence to support a link to early pregnancy are opioids, such as heroin, morphine, and oxycodone, of which a well-known effect is the significant reduction of libido – it appears that teenage opioid users have significantly reduced rates of conception compared to their non-using, and alcohol, "ecstasy", cannabis, and amphetamine using peers.

Lack of contraception. Age discrepancy in relationships. Sexual abuse *Lack of contraception *Age discrepancy in relationships *Sexual abuse *Dating violence *Socioeconomic factors *Childhood environment *Media influence

HOW TO AVOID TEENAGE PREGNANCY? 1- Learn to say "No". 2- Know what will and won't result in pregnancy. In general, there are a lot of myths about what will get you pregnant and what will keep you from getting pregnant. A lot of these myths are simple misinformation, and some of them are lies designed to deceive you. Arm yourself with the facts and lower your chances of pregnancy the safe, smart way. 3- Understand the effectiveness of different forms of birth control. All birth controls are not created equal. Some work better than others, and some are preferred by different individuals for different reasons. It helps to know a little about what each form of birth control is, and how effective they are. 4- Use protection. Remember that many types of sexual intercourse can cause pregnancy.

Teenage pregnancy is a rather frightening reality that can change your life in an instant. The good news is that teenage pregnancy is avoidable: By not having sex, you never risk getting pregnant. If you do decide to have sex, it's best to stay informed about what you can do to avoid unwanted pregnancy.

SOURCES http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teenage_pregnancy http://www.cdc.gov/teenpregnancy/about/index.htm https://www.tumblr.com/ http://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-a-Teenage-Pregnancy by NAGEHAN ÖZHİM EZGİ OĞUZ