The Teen Pregnancy Epidemic: The Light at the End of the Tunnel is Almost Here

Teen pregnancy is a widespread concern for thousands across the world. Girls as young as 5 years old have been reported pregnant- and most cases involve incest or molestation. For the general public, unwanted teen pregnancy has affected women under the age of 18, usually as a result of poor sexual education or neglect.

When concerning teen impregnation, rates are largely dependant upon location. Undeveloped and uneducated countries are much more likely to produce pregnant teens than more educated and developed countries. Some locations such as South Korea have seen rates as low as 3 impregnated teens per 1,000. Places such as Niger can attest to over half of the population of women being pregnant before the age of 18. Recent studies and funds have been poured into the subject of teen pregnancy to help limit the problem.

Save the Children is an organization that was formed in 1919. Through various studies and surveys, this non-profit organization found that around 13 million children are born to women under the age of 20 each year. The organization fights for children's rights and studies teen pregnancy in order to find a solution. Teen pregnancy often results in higher mortality rates, or some sort of complication with the baby. Obviously, this is inhumane and has thus led Save the Children to help in the teen anti-pregnancy campaign.

Interestingly, a third of teens surveyed claimed that they either felt pressure to have experience sexual activity, or regret doing so. This number is on the rise, since drugs and alcohol help increase the likelihood a female or male will commit to sexual activity. Knowledge of contraceptive devices is also lacking for some teens. In fact, many teens become pregnant because of improper sexual education. It one survey in particular, catholic girls were at more risk for teen pregnancy than others- most likely because the Catholic Church forbids contraceptive devices.