“If more children were born to parents who are ready and able to care for them, we would see a significant reduction in a host of social problems… from school failure and crime to child abuse and neglect.” — The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy
Teen childbearing in the United States costs taxpayers (federal, state, and local) at least $9.4 billion dollars, according to a 2010 report by Saul Hoffman, Ph.D. and published by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.
Most of the costs of teen childbearing are associated with negative consequences for the children of teen mothers:
■ $1.9 billion in increased public sector health care costs.
■ $2.3 billion in increased child welfare costs.
■ $2.1 billion in increased costs of incarceration.
■ $2.9 billion in lost revenue due to lower taxes