What Are the Causes of Teenage Pregnancies?

The reasons for teenage pregnancy include lack of sexual knowledge, early marriage, sexual assault, and so on. Teenage pregnancy is a tragedy. Some teenagers may blindly go to unsafe places to have abortions in order to avoid being discovered by their parents, which can easily bring many risks and even lead to death. Therefore, parents must educate their children in advance and teach them to protect themselves well.

1. Lack of Sexual Knowledge

The main reason for teenage pregnancy globally is the lack of sexual knowledge. The 2013 China Female Fertility Behavior Survey Report showed that nearly 30% of women did not take any measures for their first sexual behavior. About 60% of women have unreliable contraception and lack knowledge of contraception, making the probability of pregnancy in minors as high as more than half.

2. Early Marriage

Another reason is early marriage, which is mainly concentrated in poor countries and regions, including rural areas in China. Some scholars have estimated that due to the serious patriarchal mindset in rural areas, there are currently about 20 million surplus men in rural areas, making rural women a scarce resource.

3. Sexual Assault

Sexual assault on minors is also a common reason for young girls to become pregnant. According to media investigations, most cases of sexual assault on minors are perpetrated by acquaintances who use violence, coercion, social manipulation, and other means to target minors. There is also a widespread belief in trusting acquaintances.