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August 30, 2008 6:27:40 AM CDT

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Teen Pregnancy on Rise for 1st Time in 15 Years

Posted Jul 11, 08 5:06 AM CDT in Science & Health 

(Newser) – The teen pregnancy rate increased in 2006 for the first time since 1991, reports CNN. Officials from the National Institutes of Health aren't sure if the 2.8% increase in the number of teen moms is a blip or the start of a trend, but the figures are a "red flag that something has gone wrong," one expert told Bloomberg.

Babies born to teens tend to have lower birth rates and more health and behavior problems, and their moms are less likely to finish high school. Some observers speculated that pregnancies of high-profile teens like Jamie Lynn Spears will continue to have an impact. "Scenarios that were once considered taboo are applauded today," said a doctor. "There seems to be less of a stigma for young girls.''

Sources CNN, Bloomberg

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Health experts are worried about the rise in teen pregnancies, as the young mothers are likelier to smoke and less likely to seek proper pre-natal care.   (Shutter Stock)
Mariana Fernandez, 16, waits for the nurse practitioner at the John Peter Smith Women's Health Clinic. She is at JPS for a pre-natal check-up late in her pregnancy.   (KRT Photos)
The report follows some high-profile teen pregnancies, including that of 17-year-old Jamie Lynn Spears.   (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, file)
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pregnancy  • public health  • teen pregnancy  • teenager  • National Institutes of Health


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