Teenage Abortion Dangers - Warning For Teens And Parents

The rate of abortion among teenaged girls has been going down recently. It was quite high in the seventies, but became stable in the eighties. The rate of abortions among teenaged girls has come down especially in the nineties. In 1990, about 26.5 teenagers among 1000 went in for an abortion. In 2000, only 14.5 among 1000 teenagers terminated an unwanted pregnancy by abortion.

The rate of abortion among adolescents also depends on their race. The abortion rate among black teens is more than the abortion rate among Hispanic or White teens. While the number of abortions for every 1000 White girls between the ages of 15 and 19 is 14.8, the rate for Hispanic teenage girls is 30.3 percent. The rate among Blacks is the highest with around 57.4 teens going in for an abortion per 1000 black teenaged girls aged from 15 to 19.

Age is also an important factor influencing the rate of abortion. Girls in their late teens are more likely to go in for an abortion than girls in their early teens. Out of 1000 girls aged from 15 to 17, about 14.5 get an abortion. But only 0.9 out of 1000 girls below the age of fourteen go in for an abortion. The rate of abortions among girls aged eighteen and nineteen is the highest at 37.7 every 1000 teenaged girls.

The factors driving teenagers to an abortion clinic are as diverse as those driving adult women to get an abortion. A teenaged girl usually goes in for an abortion to terminate an abrupt and unplanned pregnancy. A number of social factors also drive teenaged girls to the abortion clinic. These factors could be religious beliefs, conditions at home, and also the social stigma associated with being an unwed mother.

Many teenaged girls are of the opinion that they are not ready to handle the burden of parenthood. Some feel that an unwanted pregnancy could have an adverse effect on their social life. Many teens abort an unwanted fetus because they want to focus on their education and proceed to college. A lot of teenagers are worried about the financial troubles they might have to face if they have a baby.

Abortion is less hazardous to the life of a teenager than unexpected motherhood. The incidence of premature birth and low weight of the baby among teenage girls is high. Most teenaged girls have unhealthy eating habits, and this could create a lot of damage to the baby. The tendency of teenagers to keep their weight down during pregnancy by dieting, purging, and sometimes even skipping meals can create health problems not only to the teenaged mother, but also to her unborn baby.

In addition, teenage pregnancy and childbirth is associated with several complications and problems. In developed countries, most complications are rectified by a cesarean surgery. However, in many developing countries, teenage mothers can suffer from obstetric fistula or eclampsia. Besides, teen pregnancy is associated with a higher rate of maternal and infant mortality.