Index IntroductionTeen Pregnancy StatisticsEducation and Teen PregnancyCauses of Teen PregnancyPovertyPeer PressureUncontrolled Sexual ActivityEffects of Teen Pregnancy on EducationConclusionIntroductionResearch has shown that teen pregnancy is on the rise in the United States for the last two decades due to a number of factors. In 2012 alone, statistics indicate that 305,388 children were born to women between the ages of 15 and 19. However, it should be noted that this is a 6% decline from what was recorded the previous year (Craig, 2008). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The reasons for this particular drop were unclear, but the number still remains high due to the ages of the people involved. The impact of these numbers can be felt in other sectors of the economy, and education is one of those affected. The lack of birth control mechanisms among those who are sexually active is responsible for the growing number of teenage pregnancies in the United States. The primary purpose of this article is to discuss the impact of teen pregnancy on education and dropout levels in the United States. Teen pregnancy is a major factor hindering successful completion of higher education among adolescents in the United States. Teen Pregnancy Statistics Teen birth rates for all races in the United States have been steadily declining, but this has been slow. Among ages 15 to 19, from 2011 to 2012, teen birth rates decreased by 6 percent for non-Hispanic whites, 7 percent for non-Hispanic blacks, 3 percent for Native Americans/Alaska Natives (AI/AN), 5% for Asian/Native Pacific Islanders and 7% for Hispanics. Despite this decline, there is still perseverance in how the issue is handled. Education is one of the sectors most affected by this increase (Hadley, 2014). Research has shown that more than 60% of those who give birth as teenagers are unlikely to complete high school. This is something that continues to impact completion rates nationwide. Education and Teenage Pregnancy The economic and social cost of teen pregnancy cannot be ignored because of the way it affects them, their parents and society at large, especially when they are forced to drop out of school. because of this, he dropped out of school. The educational achievements of teenage parents are largely affected and this is due to the inability to continue their studies during pregnancy. Research has shown that by age 22, only 50% of teen mothers have graduated from high school and this is due to the nature of the activities they engage in before getting to this level. Additionally, 30% have earned a General Education Development (GED) certificate, while 90% of women who did not give birth during adolescence receive a high school diploma. Additionally, research has shown that only 10% of teen mothers are likely to complete a 2- or 4-year college program. The map below shows the level of unintended pregnancies by state for the year 2008. The previous idea has always been that boys are not affected, but in reality teen fathers have a 25% to 30% chance of graduating high school in high school than their classmates who are. not fathers. These statistics therefore indicate that there is a need to ensure that the problem of teenage pregnancy has been addressed withthe best possible means. The education system in the United States is largely influenced by how teenage girls have to drop out of school due to the rate at which they continue to get pregnant at a very early age. These long-term effects continue to impact teenage parents and their children because they are unable to access basic education that can help them care for their families while engaging in productive inactivity (Turner, 2011). The following map serves as a summary of the impact that teen pregnancy has on educational and high school completion rates in the United States and how this is being felt in other areas. Causes of Teen Pregnancy There are several factors that contribute to the rising rate of teen pregnancy in the United States. Poverty, peer pressure and uncontrolled sexual activity among teenagers are responsible for this particular increase. Poverty Poverty is an important factor when it comes to understanding teen pregnancy among adolescents in the United States. Children of unmarried teenage mothers are more likely to become pregnant during adolescence, as revealed by previous studies, and this is due to the way they adopt lifestyles that could lead to this (Craig, 2008). There are so many factors that shape how adolescents respond to the level of poverty in which they find themselves trapped. These rates continue to show us that there is still much to be done, especially in terms of how poverty and teenage pregnancy are managed. Below is a graph that summarizes the correlation between teen pregnancy and poverty levels reported in previous research in the United States. You can see that there was a very strong relationship between poverty levels and teen pregnancy in that state. The state with the highest percentage of people below the poverty line had the highest rate of teen pregnancies in the study of very few states. Poverty therefore remains an important factor in determining the strategies that can be used to address increasing rates of teenage parenthood. and how this affects high school completion rates (Kara, 2008). These are statistics that can be used by planners when it comes to addressing the issue of teen pregnancy in the United States and how it continues to negatively impact the education system. Peer Pressure Apart from poverty, peer groups are also said to have contributed largely to the rising rates of teenage pregnancy among teenagers in the US and this is due to the way it continues to be a source of inspiration (Hadley, 2014). There are so many factors that determine whether teenagers will bow to pressure coming from their peers and this is due to how the influence is always excessive. Teenagers are likely to copy what others do and whenever they see their peers who have conceived and feel that it is the best thing, then they are likely to be encouraged to look for children at an early age too. Uncontrolled Sexual Activity The rate at which adolescents are engaging in uncontrolled sexual activity in the United States is alarming and is responsible for the increase in cases of teenage pregnancy. This requires urgent measures that encourage adolescents to abstain or use contraceptive methods if possible. The lack of an initiative is likely to result in a situation where education completion rates are negatively impacted. Effects of Teenage Pregnancy on Education It is said that the relationship.