Monday, August 13, 2007

Teen Pregnancy an Issue in NJ

Did you know the following about Teen Pregnancy?
Highest Black Teen Pregnancy in NJ: Among black teenagers aged 15–19, pregnancy rates were highest in New Jersey (209 per 1,000) source: Guttmacher 2006 report

• High incidence of unwanted pregnancy / abortion in NJ: Teenage abortion rates were highest in the District of Columbia, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Nevada and California. Fifty percent or more of teenage pregnancies end in abortion in New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia. (2006 report from Guttmacher)

Inadequate pre-natal care: About 1/3 of pregnant teens receive inadequate prenatal care; babies born to young mothers are more likely to be low-birth-weight, to have childhood health problems and to be hospitalized than are those born to older mothers. Teens who give birth are much more likely to come from poor or low-income families (83%) than are teens who have abortions (61%) or teens in general (38%).

Highest Black Teen Pregnancy in NJ: Among black teenagers aged 15–19, pregnancy rates were highest in New Jersey (209 per1,000) source: Guttmacher 2006

Through our information blog and parenting workshops, NENI hopes to improve the likelihood of a healthy childbirth and reduce the number of subsequent births during teen years. About 1/4 of teenage mothers have a second child within 2 years of their first. About 13% of all U.S. births are to teens. Our intention with this grant is to provide online and/or in person pre-natal education in partnership with educators and physicians. When our funding expands, we will add pre-natal workshops.

Main Statistics Source: The Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI) http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_teen_sex.html)

Check out additional parent resources on our website at http://www.neni.us/

No comments: