Got an idea for a holiday? Send it to us

Submit Now

Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month – May 2024

Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month is observed in May, a time to help youths fully understand pregnancy so they can make informed decisions about their future. Teen pregnancy refers to pregnancy in a female under the age of 20. It has significant social and financial consequences. It also has immediate and long-term consequences for both teen parents and their children. The U.S. has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the world. This month seeks to educate teens about the dangers of unsafe sex and the risk of unwanted teen pregnancy.

History of Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month

Teens are more likely to make good decisions when they and their parents talk about relationships and things related to sex. Teens who report having frequent talks with their parents about sex are more likely to use birth control methods when they finally become sexually active, according to studies. Studies also show that these teenagers desire to know how their parents feel about intimacy and relationships.

Teenage pregnancy (conceptions often involving females between the ages of 16 and 19) was significantly more prevalent in past centuries and was especially common in industrialized nations in the 20th century. By the early 1970s, roughly a quarter of Norwegian women born in the early 1950s had become teenage moms. Since that time, however, rates have progressively decreased throughout the industrialized world. Fewer than 10% of those born in Norway in the late 1970s became teenage moms, but the rates have declined since then.

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996, which became the foundation for drafting policies on teenage pregnancy prevention in the United States and the basis of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy (now known as Power to Decide), sought to reduce the number of young black and Hispanic single mothers living on welfare.

Many of the same pregnancy-related difficulties affect pregnant teens as they do other mothers. Under the age of 15, girls have much to worry about since they are less likely to be physically mature to sustain a successful pregnancy or give birth. For girls aged 15 to 19, the biological influences of age are less important than socioeconomic variables. Low birth weight, early labor, anemia, and preeclampsia are linked to biological age since they are seen in adolescent deliveries even if other risk factors like access to prenatal care are taken into account.

Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month timeline

1996
Foundation for Teenage Pregnancy Prevention

Government policy on teenage pregnancy prevention is founded on the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act, which seeks to reduce the number of young black and Hispanic single mothers on welfare.

2008
2.5 Times Higher

The teen pregnancy rate among African-American and Hispanic females aged 15 to 19 is more than two and a half times that among white females belonging to the same age group.

2010
Public Spending

According to the National Campaign, public spending on adolescent pregnancy in 2010 is anticipated to exceed $9.4 billion.

2011
Lowest Birth Rate is Recorded

The teen birth rate in the United States plummets to its lowest level in over 70 years of tracking cases of pregnant teenagers.

Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month FAQs

Why is teenage pregnancy life-threatening?

Preeclampsia (high blood pressure caused by pregnancy) is more common in teenagers than in women of reproductive age. It can potentially affect a girl’s kidneys endangering her and her child. Premature birth and low birth weight are also common life-threatening conditions.

What is the primary cause of teenage pregnancy?

In underdeveloped nations where family income, imbalance of power, the absence of access to contraception, and girls’ level of education are major issues, almost 90% of girls aged 15 to 19 become pregnant. In developed countries, social and economic inequality and societal attitudes toward sexuality and adolescents significantly affect teenagers’ reproductive behavior.

When is the best time to get pregnant?

According to experts, it is best that a woman get pregnant between her late 20s and early 30s.

How to Observe Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month

  1. Educate yourself and others around you

    Read up on teen pregnancy and help others learn more about it. During this month, there are several awareness conferences and virtual activities you may attend.

  2. Raise people’s awareness about teen pregnancy

    Pregnancies in females under the age of 18 have irreversible repercussions. Such conditions infringe on the rights of girls, with potentially fatal repercussions for their sexual and reproductive health. The social cost on impoverished families and communities is substantial because it prolongs the poverty cycle.

  3. Take part in online events

    Check out online podcasts and live workshops that educate the public about teen pregnancy. Throughout May, healthcare practitioners provide a variety of these online events.

5 Facts About Teen Pregnancy In The U.S.

  1. About 750,000 teenage pregnancies occur

    Every year in the U.S., about 750,000 teenage pregnancies occur — three out of 10 girls get pregnant before they’re 20.

  2. More than 50% drop out of school

    Parenthood is the most common reason 50% of young girls drop out of school.

  3. Within 24 months

    Approximately 25% of teen mothers have a second child within 24 months of the birth of their first.

  4. A few finish college by 30

    Less than 2% of teen mothers are able to earn a college degree by the age of 30.

  5. Most teen mothers live on welfare

    Two-thirds of all families started by young, unmarried mothers are impoverished and dependent on government assistance.

Why Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month is Important

  1. It generates public awareness

    Education and awareness help prevent this social phenomenon. For many teenage girls, the lack of information has life-threatening consequences regarding their sexual and reproductive health.

  2. It removes the stigma

    This week-long event helps educate and create a platform for the discussion of women's health. It also helps break the stigma often attached to pregnant teenagers.

  3. It urges girls to look after themselves

    It raises the awareness level among young girls regarding reproductive health issues. It likewise reminds them of the consequences of early sex and out-of-wedlock pregnancy, and the social cost of single-parent homes. It also helps them think of the more important things — getting an education, fulfilling a dream (landing a job that fits their qualifications and skills or starting a business), and helping those in need.

Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month dates

YearDateDay
2024May 1Wednesday
2025May 1Thursday
2026May 1Friday
2027May 1Saturday
2028May 1Monday
Hurricane Preparedness Week
National Physical Education and Sport Week
Aces Day
Agriculture and Labor Day
Beltane
Blessing Day
Calan Mai
Couple Appreciation Day
CSS Reboot Day
Executive Coaching Day
Frequent Flyer Day
Global Love Day
Great American Grump Out
International Doodle Dog Day
International Sunflower Guerilla Gardening Day
Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 Day
Labor Day Philippines
Learn to Ride a Bike Day
Lei Day
Marshall Islands Constitution Day
May Day
Mother Goose Day
National Anxiety Disorders Screening Day
National Black Barber Shop Appreciation Day
National Chocolate Parfait Day
National Infertility Survival Day
National Interpreter Appreciation Day
National Loyalty Day
National Mantra Day
National Purebred Dog Day
National Rotate Your Beer Day
National Skilled Trades Day
National Skilled Trades Day
New Homeowners Day
Phone in Sick Day
Save The Rhino Day
School Principals' Day
Silver Star Banner Day
Therapeutic Massage Awareness Day
Worthy Wage Day
ALS Awareness Month
American Cheese Month
American Wetlands Month
Anxiety Awareness Month
Arthritis Awareness Month
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Awareness of Medical Orphans Month
Be Kind to Animals Month
Bealtaine Festival
Better Sleep Month
Better Speech and Hearing Month
Bladder Cancer Awareness Month
Borderline Personality Disorder Awareness Month
Brain Cancer Awareness Month
Building Safety Month
Celiac Awareness Month
Chip Your Pet Month
Chronic Fatigue Awareness Month
Clean Air Month
Community Action Month
Correct Posture Month
Creative Beginnings Month
Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month
Date Your Mate Month
Deck Safety Month
EDS Awareness Month
Electromagnetic Radiation Awareness Month
Family Wellness Month
Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Month
Food Allergy Action Month
Fungal Infection Awareness Month
Gardening for Wildlife Month
Get Caught Reading Month
Gifts From The Garden Month
Global Employee Health and Fitness Month
Global Youth Traffic Safety Month
Haitian Heritage Month
Heal the Children Month
Healthy Vision Month
Hepatitis Awareness Month
Homeschool Awareness Month
Huntington's Disease Awareness Month
Indian Heritage Month
Internal Audit Awareness Month
International Business Image Improvement Month
International Civility Awareness Month
International Drum Month
International Respect for Chickens Month
International Victorious Woman Month
Jewish American Heritage Month
Labor History Month
Latino Books Month
Leaders of Tomorrow Month
Lettuce Month
Local and Community History Month
Lung Health Awareness Month
Lupus Awareness Month
Make May Purple /Action On Stroke Month
Maternal Mental Health Month
May Measurement Month
MCS Awareness Month
Meditation Month
Mediterranean Diet Month
Melanoma / Skin Cancer Detection & Prevention Month
Mental Health Awareness Month
Military Appreciation Month
Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month
National Allergy and Asthma Awareness Month
National Asparagus Month
National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month
National Barbecue Month
National Bicycle Safety Month
National Blood Pressure Month
National Chocolate Custard Month
National Comfort Month
National Digestive Disease Awareness Month
National Duckling Month
fried egg on national egg month
National Egg Month
National Foster Care Month
National Hamburger Month
National Heritage Month
National Inventors Month
a nurse on National Lyme Disease Awareness Month
National Lyme Disease Awareness Month
National Moving Month
National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month
National Pet Month
National Photography Month
National Physical Fitness and Sports Month
National Physiotherapy Month
National Physiotherapy Month
National Preservation Month
National Prom Graduation Safety Month
National Recommitment Month
National Salad Month
National Salsa Month
National San Architect Month
National Service Dog Eye Examination Month
National Share a Story Month
National Show Your Smile Month
National Sight-Saving Month
National Strawberry Month
National Teen Self-Esteem Month
National Tennis Month
National Toxic Encephalopathy and Chemical Injury Awareness Month
National Tuberous Sclerosis Awareness Month
National Vinegar Month
National Walking Month
National Youth Traffic Safety Month
Necrotizing Fasciitis Awareness Month
Neurofibromatosis Month
Older Americans Month
Personal History Awareness Month
Pet Sitter Safety Month
REACT Month
Responsible Animal Guardian Month
Revise Your Work Schedule Month
Small Business Month
Speech and Hearing Awareness Month
Steelmark Month
Strike Out Strokes Month
Stroke Awareness Month
Syringomyelia Awareness Month
Teen CEO Month
Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month
Tuberous Sclerosis Awareness Month
Ultraviolet Awareness Month
Women's Health Month
Zombie Awareness Month

Holidays Straight to Your Inbox

Every day is a holiday!
Receive fresh holidays directly to your inbox.