Teen Pregnancy Prevention Matters
Delaying pregnancy until adulthood creates healthier parents and healthier children.
Teens set themselves up for success when they know why they should delay pregnancy and parenthood and know how to plan their pregnancies.
Adults set teens up for success when we help them understand the why and the how.
Delaying pregnancy until adulthood has shown to improve lifelong income, health outcomes, and educational attainment for both mother and baby. For example, daughters born to women in their 20s are three times less likely to become teen moms than daughters born to teens.
Local Teen Pregnancy Facts
There’s good news! Teen birth rates have dropped significantly — nationally, statewide, and in McLennan County.
Since 2009, the teen birth rate in McLennan County has dropped from 57.8 births per 1,000 teen girls (ages 15-19) to 22.67 births per 1,000.
Teen Pregnancy in McLennan County (2019)
And we still have work to do.
While overall teen birth rates have dropped in McLennan County, the details tell a more nuanced story –
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Almost three-quarters of teen births in McLennan County are to 18- and 19-year-old girls. Only one quarter of teen births are to girls younger than 18.
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Teen girls of color are more likely to become pregnant than white teens.
Teens want to make healthy decisions.
Nationally, almost all teen pregnancies are unplanned. Now, it’s our responsibility as adults to determine what inequities and solutions exist to make it easier for our young people to thrive.