This activity is from Brooks/Cole Student Resources Learning Page

TEENAGE PREGNANCY

Sexual intercourse is a natural mechanism that brings together sperm and eggs to allow conception of a new individual. Fertilization can only occur if a secondary oocyte that is its way down one of the woman's oviducts meets up with viable sperm that are swimming up. Obviously, the most effective way to ensure that sperm and oocyte do not meet is by abstinence--by avoiding sexual activity. Other methods of contraception involve avoiding intercourse during the women's fertile period (the rhythm method), preventing sperm from entering the vagina (condoms), preventing sperm from moving out of the vagina and up the oviducts (diaphragm), and preventing ovulation (oral contraceptives).

Despite a wide variety of options, from abstinence to surgical sterilization, unplanned pregnancies still occur, and a disproportionately high number of them occur among teens. The United States has a higher rate of teen pregnancy than most developed countries, twice that of Canada and nine times that of Japan. In this activity, you will access the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics. The data of interest on this site is presented in a "PDF" document. You will download this document and examine the data in it to assess the latest trends in teen pregnancy in the U.S. and in your state.

Use your browser to to go the FASTATS section of the National Center for Health Statistics.

Access the material about teen birth rates under - Births - Teen Births

You will be accessing the material in the documents:

Comprehensive Data

bullet graphicBirth Rates for Teenagers 15-19 Years, by Age Group and State and Territory, and Percent Change by Age
View/download PDF

bullet graphicBirth Rates for Teenagers 15-19 by State (Map)
View/download PDF
Click to download a PDF version of this document. You will need to have an AdobeAcrobat Reader on your machine to use this document. If you do not have the Acrobat Reader you can download it from the Adobe Downloads site.

Once you have downloaded the PDF document, you will not need to remain connected to the Internet to use it.

 Note that you can use the magnifying glass icon that appears at the bottom of the document to increase the type size for easier reading.

Answer the following questions.

     1.  What is the total number of teenage births in the United States ages 15-17 years?  ages 18-19?  ages 15-19?

     2.  In 2002, what was the birth rate of all teenage women under 20 in California?  How did that percentage change between 1991 and 2002?

     3.  What state had the highest birth rate among 15-to-17-year-old women in 1991? 2002? 

     4.    Make 2 general conclusions from the data about trends in teenage pregnancy.  Why did you make these conclusions?

     5.  What are the best ways to prevent teenage pregnancy?  Why?

     6.  In your opinion, why does the United States have the highest rate of teenage pregnancy? (What is it about our society or way of life that keeps these rates high?)