Risking the Future

More than 1 million teenage girls in the United States become pregnant each year; nearly half give birth. Why do these young people, who are hardly more than children themselves, become parents? This volume reviews in detail the trends in and consequences of teenage sexual behavior and offers thoughtful insights on the issues of sexual initiation, contraception, pregnancy, abortion, adoption, and the well-being of adolescent families. It provides a systematic assessment of the impact of various programmatic approaches, both preventive and ameliorative, in light of the growing scientific understanding of the topic.Table of ContentsFront MatterSummary1 Introduction2 Trends in Adolescent Sexuality and Fertility3 The Societal Context4 Determinants of Adolescent Sexual Behavior and Decision Making5 Consequences of Adolescent Childbearing6 Preventive Interventions7 Interventions for Pregnant and Parenting Adolescents8 Priorities for Data Collection and Research9 Priorities for Policies and ProgramsReferencesIndex