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Teen Pregnancy and Education
Teen mothers in Latin America complete 1.8 to 2.8 fewer years of education than Latin American women who delay bearing children. Pregnancy is often believed to be the reason why girls drop out of school. But why are so many girls getting pregnant? The answer may surprise you. Research carried out by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) suggests that many of the pregnancies are not accidents. Imagine that you are young, disadvantaged, and cannot see how education will improve your future. Getting pregnant to get out of school makes perfect sense. This note summarizes the results of a quantitative and qualitative investigation into teen pregnancy and education.
Publications
Quality Education—An Effective Form of Birth Control?
Research carried out by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) suggests that these pregnancies aren’t accidents. Rather, many teenage girls see pregnancy as a solution. Imagine that you are young, disadvantaged, and cannot see how education will improve your future.
The Miseducation of Latin American Girls: Poor Schooling Makes Pregnancy a Rational Choice
In some countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, adolescents have no incentive to avoid pregnancy and may even plan to become pregnant. This study examines the risk factors in teenage pregnancy and how they influence the paths of education and life plans.
By the numbers
Adolescent mothers who drop out of school
Between 67% - 89%
