Teenage pregnancy is defined by the Center for Disease Control as a pregnancy occurring before the age of 19. The occurrence of teen pregnancy is very high although recently decreasing. Looking at the national picture, the birth rate for U.S. teenagers declined steadily throughout the 1990s, as it fell from 62.1 births per 1,000 teenagers in 1991 to 48.5 in 2000, a reduction of 22 percent (2). Studies indicate that the decrease is due to an increase use of condom use, something that can be learned through sex education.

High teen birth rates are an important concern because teen mothers and their babies face increased risks to their health. The first health concern in a teen pregnancy is that pregnant teens are least likely of all maternal age groups to get early and regular prenatal care. In 1997, 7.2 percent

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