Sexual, Physical Abuse May Put Teens at Greater Risk for Pregnancy - East Idaho News
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Sexual, Physical Abuse May Put Teens at Greater Risk for Pregnancy

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Getty 110612 RapeVictim?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1364230611808iStockphoto/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Could abuse be the reason why teen birth rates in America are among the highest in developed nations?

A study released Monday by the American Academy of Pediatrics finds that adolescent girls who experienced sexual or physical abuse were at a higher risk for teen pregnancy.

“Teens who were subject to these types of abuses were more than two times as likely than their peers who were not abused to experience a teen child birth,” says ABC News’ Senior Medical Contributor Dr. Jennifer Ashton.

She says self esteem may play a critical role.

“The thinking is that they may suffer lower self esteem, may be put in greater number of high risk adolescent situations which then subsequently increases their risk for teen pregnancy and subsequently teen child birth,” Ashton explains.

She adds that the trends revealed in the study underscore “how vulnerable the adolescent age group is and that even though they may physically resemble adults, emotionally they are still vulnerable.”

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

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