Teenage pregnancy is the occurrence of pregnancy in females under the age of twenty.

Teenagers belong to the age group of thirteen to twenty, and while teenagers are not
practically children, they aren’t adults either, and this phase of confusion puts them at a
greater risk. As sexual development sets in, teenagers are hounded by curiosity to
explore their bodies. Due to a lack of awareness regarding sex, they often engage in
unsafe sex, eventually becoming teenage parents.

Mostly such pregnancies are unplanned, and minors are not ready to bear the
responsibilities of being a parent. Globally, the rate of teenage pregnancy is relatively
high. Most cases are reported from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Africa,
whereas rates are comparatively lower in Asia. As per studies, it is seen that the quality
of teenage pregnancy is higher in developing countries as compared to developed
countries, and mostly rural areas report higher cases than urban areas. This shows that
the socio-economic background of teenagers majorly contributes to teenage
pregnancies. Mostly teenagers from lower backgrounds with little or no sex education
end up with teenage pregnancies.

Another reason is a discussion regarding sex being a taboo. Often conservative parents and
even teachers in schools don’t engage in sexual conversations. As a result, teenagers lack
basic knowledge about sex or safe sexual practices. The lack of resources on sexual
awareness leads teenagers to seek help from their peers that eventually leads them to have
wrong notions about sex. Teenagers barely understand the issues regarding sexual intercourse
and the use of contraceptives. A study in the United States reveals that about 53% of teenagers
lack information regarding sexual intercourse and contraceptives. The glorification of sex in
mainstream media is another reason why most teenagers lack the moral outlook that prevents
them from engaging in irresponsible sexual activities—engaging in underage alcohol
consumption and drug abuse is another contributing factor in teenage pregnancies. Often
teenagers seeking social validation from their peers engage in drinking resulting in them losing
their senses and eventually engaging in unsafe sex.

In developing countries, sexual abuse of underage girls from lower backgrounds majorly
contributes to rising rates of teenage pregnancies. Hailing from low-income
backgrounds, these girls are pushed into sex trafficking to support their families and are
exploited by older men. In most developing countries, girls are married off eighteen, and
such teenage pregnancies are not met with social and moral stigmatization.

Whereas in developed countries, most teenage pregnancies occur out of wedlock while
the teenagers are still in school, leading to social ostracization and alienation of such
adolescent mothers. They often have to drop out of school, and without a formal
degree, they have to do low-income jobs to support their child. Such children hailing
from underprivileged homes, often without a father, engage in criminal activities and
drug abuse, thus add to social evils and poverty. In a nutshell, teenage pregnancies
create a domino effect in society at large.