If you read the statistics below, you’ll see why an organization such as the Robin Terry Foundation, Inc. is needed. Together, we can help our teens beat these odds. They must understand that they are resilient. We can prevent teen pregnancy through education and mentorship. We can positively influence teenage parents to reach their full potential. They do not have to settle for mediocrity.

Nationally

In 2022, 143,789 babies were born to girls aged 15-19 in the United States
- 13.6 births per 1000 girls nationally
Of teens surveyed in 2023, 32% of high school students reported being sexually active nationwide and 48% reported having not used a condom during the last sexual encounter
In 2022, half of reported cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis were among adolescents and young adults aged 15-24
In 2022, 19% of all newly diagnosed HIV cases were among young people aged 13-24
In 2022, 91.7% of teenage parents were unmarried in the United States
Approximately 53% of women who gave birth between the ages 15–19 earn a high school diploma, compared to 90% of women who did not
63% of teen mothers receive public assistance within the first year of giving birth
The daughters of teen mothers are more likely than their peers to become teen mothers
Sons of teen mothers have a greater chance than their peers of going to prison
By age 30, less than 2% of women who were teen moms have a college degree

"Rates of teen pregnancy in the U.S. remain far higher than in most developed countries, and among women younger than 30 who experience a pregnancy, more than half report their pregnancy was unintended."

Teen Pregnancy by Ethnicity in 15-19-Year-Old Girls in 2022

21.3 per 1,000 pregnancies in Hispanic teen girls
20.3 per 1,000 pregnancies in black teen girls
9.1 per 1,000 pregnancies in white teen girls

In the State of Mississippi

26.4 (births per 1,000 females 15-19 years of age) in 2022
2,508 teen births in 2022
5.6 (births per 1000 girls aged 15-17) in 2022

For more information on teen pregnancy please visit: The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, Teen Help, and The Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Globally in 2023, an estimated 13 per cent of adolescent girls and young women give birth before age 18. Early childbearing, or pregnancy and delivery during adolescence, can derail girls’ otherwise healthy development into adulthood and have negative impacts on their education, livelihoods and health. Many girls who are pregnant are pressured or forced to drop out of school, which can impact their educational and employment prospects and opportunities. Early pregnancy and childbearing can also have social consequences for girls, including stigmatization and reduced status in the home and community. They can also lead to rejection and violence by family members, peers and partners as well as early and forced marriage.

Adolescent girls, especially those in early adolescence, are particularly vulnerable to the health consequences of pregnancy and delivery as their bodies may not be physically ready. Obstetric fistula, eclampsia, puerperal endometritis and systemic infections are just some of the serious conditions that they may face in the short- and long-term. Globally, maternal conditions are among the top causes of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and death among girls aged 15–19.

Unicef