Published in 2006, this study builds upon findings from previous studies while providing updated estimates and findings of its own. Dividing costs between those attributable to moms, dads, and children, the general goal of this report’s study was to consider the following thought experiment: “If we could change a young woman’s age at the time she gives birth to her first child, but don’t change anything else about her, what impact would that have on her life, the life of her child, and the life of her partner?”
OTHER STUDIES/ SOURCES:
For some, non-comprehensive sex ed is to blame, preaching abstinence as the only way for adolescents to avoid unintended pregnancies while generally ignoring the benefits associated with contraceptive use.
Some research points to an adolescent’s starting place in life as highly predictive in determining the likelihood of their becoming pregnant prior to the age of 20.
The next closest country to the US in terms of population among highly developed nations would be Japan with about 127 million citizens. In terms of teens though, that figure is deceptively high considering the extent to which Japan’s population has aged in recent years.
Child welfare expenses are perhaps further compounded by findings indicating linkages between time spent in foster care during one’s childhood and subsequent incarceration. Sons of teen moms are 2.2 times as likely to go to jail as sons of moms aged 20-21.
That a GED is not considered equivalent to a High School diploma in terms of market value makes a teen mom’s inability to graduate an even more costly outcome with respect to future earnings prospects.
Teen Childbearing and Economics: A Short History of a 25-Year Research Love Affair
This article reviews the socio-economic consequences of a teen birth and the socio-economic causes of a teen birth in a way that’s easy to understand for a non-economist audience.