Hospital for Children

Parent Education - Caring for Kids

Teenage Pregnancy Rates Highest in the United States

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A new study finds America's teenagers are as sexually active as their contemporaries in other developed countries, but at the same time, they are more likely to become teenage parents.

Researchers from the Alan Guttmacher Institute, a nonprofit organization, studied sexual and reproductive patterns in teenagers from Great Britain, Canada, France, Sweden and the United States. They found that although the rate of sexual activity among U.S. teens is similar to other developing countries, they don't use contraceptives as often as teens in other Western countries. The researchers suggest that limited access to healthcare and contraceptives, along with less social acceptance of teenage sexuality within the U.S., may be contributing reasons.

"This study clearly shows how important it is for adolescents to have access to quality healthcare. Physicians, nurses, and clinicians can provide information to teens about their sexual development and the different birth control options available, including some of the newer methods like a monthly shot, a hormone patch and a vaginal ring, " says Ligia Peralta, M.D., head of the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at the University of Maryland Hospital for Children. Of the five countries studied, access to health care services and contraception is most limited in the United States, where 20 percent of teenagers don't have health insurance.

The study concluded that only four out of every 10 teenagers in the United States use oral contraceptives, the most effective form of birth control. In the other countries, the number is much higher, with seven out of every 10 teenagers using oral contraceptives.

The study also found that American teens are more likely to be told to avoid sex, while other countries are more realistic about the fact that some teenagers will engage in sexual activity.

"Promoting abstinence does not work after an adolescent has become sexually active," says Dr. Peralta. She says that is why it is very important for young people to learn about and have access to birth control hormonal methods, as well as the male and female condoms so they can prevent unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Dr. Peralta adds, "This study is very important because it covers more than just health education and abstinence to promote teen pregnancy and STD reduction among sexually active teens. It discusses economic factors, including access to reproductive services. It also looks at adult perception of teen sexuality, including acceptance of sexual activity among teens, and incentives, such as education and employment assistance, to delay childbearing."

This page was last updated on: May 22, 2007.

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