Topic > Pregnancy in the United States - 887

In 2009, more than 400,000 children born as teenagers were in foster care (Lieberman, 2014). Teenage mothers are more likely to experience financial hardship and must struggle to provide financial support for their children (Lieberman, 2014). According to Dorlisa and Shandler (2011) “Pregnancy and teenage pregnancy are social concerns due to the economic and social costs” (p. 241). In the United States, on average, each teen mother age 17 or younger costs taxpayers $4,080 per year (Dorlisa and Shandler, 2011). Furthermore, most teenage mothers are underpaid; they earn $6,500 per year making them dependent on public assistance (Dorlisa & Shandler, 2011). Pregnancy brings more financial problems to teenagers; the cost of caring for a child is extremely high. They are forced to rely on their parents for financial support. Teenage pregnancy has a negative impact on the family and society. There is a strong correlation between teenage pregnancy and school dropout rates (Gyan, 2014). The relationship between education and early childhood goes both ways; pregnant teenagers are more likely to drop out of school, while girls who drop out of school are more likely to become pregnant (Gyan, 2013). Teenage pregnancy is a big concern for parents. Most teen mothers fail to earn a high school diploma; their academic performance is very poor. Early parenting is the main cause of