National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month (May)
Overview of National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month
National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month (NTPPM) seeks to raise community awareness and support of effective teen pregnancy prevention initiatives. Promoted at the national level by Advocates for Youth and at the state level by Teenwise Minnesota, NTPPM offers an opportunity to mobilize young people and adults in the advancement of adolescent sexual health and access to appropriate services for teens. In addition to bringing immediate benefit to teens and young adults, NTPPM serves as a catalyst for year-round efforts to support effective pregnancy prevention strategies and programs.
Overview of National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Day
Beginning in 2001, the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy designated one day each May as the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. In support of communities and organizations throughout the country, the National Campaign provides materials and tools aimed at helping teens carefully consider such topics as sex, contraception and pregnancy. The National Day is a collaborative nationwide event involving the participation of over two hundred partners, including: media outlets, health sector leaders, education leaders, faith-based groups, businesses and youth-serving organizations. Hundreds of thousands of young people participate through community events, online quizzes and interactive games. May 2, 2012 is the eleventh annual National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.
Table of Contents
- Building the Case for Teen Pregnancy Prevention – So What?
- Why Should Your Organization Participate in National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month?
- Resources for Your Use
Building the Case for Teen Pregnancy Prevention - So What?
It’s true that rates of teen pregnancy have been falling over time, but that doesn’t change the fact that it remains a serious issue with broad impact.
Every day in Minnesota...15 teenage girls become pregnant; 11 give birth. Nearly three in 10 young women in the U.S. will become pregnant at least once before age 20. Eight out of 10 teen pregnancies are unintended; and over 80 percent are to unmarried teens. The U.S. has the highest rates of teen pregnancy and teen births in the industrialized world. Adolescent pregnancy costs the United States more than $7 billion each year.
Teen pregnancy and parenting puts both the teenager and the child at risk for poor outcomes.
The teenager is at risk
- Future prospects for teenagers decline significantly if they have a baby
- There are serious health risks for adolescents who have babies
- Teen pregnancy is closely linked to poverty and single parenthood
- From The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy
The child is at risk
- Children born to teen mothers suffer from higher rates of low birth weight and related health problems
- Children of teens are more likely to have insufficient health care
- Children of teen mothers are more likely to receive inadequate parenting
- Children with adolescent parents are more likely to fall victim to abuse and neglect
- Children of teenagers are more likely to suffer from poor school performance
- From The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy
Why Should Your Organization Participate in National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month?
National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month (NTPPM) represents an opportunity for you and your organization to join with others to increase public awareness of the need to address the effects of unintended teen pregnancy and early childbearing on a community-wide level. NTPPM is also great springboard for launching a year-round teen pregnancy prevention initiative in your community. There are no right or wrong ways to participate. It all depends on what resources you and your organization are able to invest. "Big" is not always "better”; sometimes it's the small things that make the biggest difference! Teenwise Minnesota is here to support you. Contact David Kurtzon at 651-644-1447 x19, david@teenwisemn.org for help.
Resources for Your Use
Teenwise Minnesota has pulled together and put on this page links to some of the things that have been developed over the years that can help you create your own campaign. If you don't see what you need here, please contact David.
Graphical Resources
All graphics are in PDF for easy reproduction and high resolution. The graphics have also been converted to PNG for websites and organizations that have difficulty with PDFs.
May is Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month Graphics
- TPPM Logo - Full CMYK Color (PDF)
- TPPM Logo - Black/White, Plain (PDF)
- TPPM Logo - Full Color (PNG, 256 color)
- TPPM Logo - Black/White, Plain (PNG, Greyscale)
Whan can YOU do to prevent teen pregnancy graphics
- TPPM Banner - What can YOU do to prevent teen pregnancy? (PDF)
- TPPM Banner - What can YOU do to prevent teen pregnancy? (PNG, 256 color)
Comprehensive Information for Working with Media, Youth, Public Officials and More!
Fact Sheets
Education
Information on evidence-based programs aimed at preventing teen pregnancy
- The Office of Adolescent Health (OAH)
- ETR Associates- Resource Center for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (ReCAPP)