How Many Teen Pregnancies Were Their Last Year?

Since I work for in the juvenile system in the state of Missouri here some info on what Missouri findings are in my state.

Missouri teen pregnancy rates are on a decline, but there are still slightly more than 8,600 births to teens annually. Additionally, the rate of teen pregnancies for the Hispanic population is on the rise. From 1995 until 2005, the number of pregnancies among Hispanic girls increased by 140 percent, and the number of live births to Hispanic girls increased by 178 percent. At the same time, Caucasian girls are experiencing a slow but steady decline in rate of live births. The rate among African-American girls has declined most rapidly – going from a high of 109.8 per 1,000 girls in 1995 to a low of 71.6 by 2005. Rates among Caucasian girls dropped from 46.1 to a low of 35.9 per1,000 girls.



The teen pregnancy trends are improving, but the need to address the issue of teen pregnancy holds steadfast. The United States still has the highest rates of teen pregnancy, birth and abortion in the fully industrialized world (National Campaign to Prevent Pregnancy, 2002). The effects of these pregnancies have a negative impact on the family system. In order to combat these negative affects, pregnancy prevention programs must continue to educate youth on the effects of pregnancy for the child, the teen and the family system.