I don't know anyone from high school but I do know two couples who got pregnant in college, kept the baby and got married pretty soon after college (and not for religious reasons). Both are still married now (roughly 28 years later!)

I went to catholic school. I only know of one. Their name is very famous around here. I assume all of the rest had abortions. Do as I say not as I do and all of that.

I went to one of the larger high schools in Fairfax County, graduating in 1995. I remember 3 girls—I think one was in my grade—having babies in HS. Several more had their first kid within a year or two of graduation. It is almost impossible to imagine affluent FCPS parents “allowing” their teen daughter to remain pregnant these days, unless they were very religious.

I grew up in a rural town out west and graduated in early-90s. I can think of 4 girls just in my class who became pregnant during high school. 1 put the baby up for adoption, the other three married and kept the baby (one couple still together).

I now have high schoolers now and I am so glad that they don’t live in the highly sexualized world of the 80s. They can’t even fathom one of their classmates becoming pregnant. Not everything is perfect about growing up these days but I don’t think that a slowing down of the dating culture is bad.

I’m 45, HS class of 1998, and grew up in a nice UMC suburb in one of the better districts in my state. I knew girls who had babies in 8th grade, 10th grade, and senior year. The babies mostly raised by their parents sort of as younger siblings (in all cases there were actual younger siblings around) and the girls continued with sports, dance team, etc. They went to community college or the local state flagship.

I think it’s way easier to access contraceptives and figure stuff out (including abortion, probably) via the internet and using Ubers and Lyfts. It would have taken a lot of work and planning without the kind of easy access to rides and internet research kids have now. Plus it’s a lot easier to google “how do I know if I’m pregnant?” and get a lot of helpful, accurate information. Back then you either went to the library and had to look it up and might get 1-2 lines, or you might stumble into something in a magazine, or you might get inaccurate but reassuring advice from a friend’s older sister. And by the time you knew for sure, it was too late.

Teens -- yes lower. I do think there are UMC and UC kids starting families earlier in their 20s.

The teen pregnancy rate is lower. They have ready access to MANY different types of effective contraceptives. And the last resort is abortion (but those rates are declining).

Anonymous wrote:It’s rare now, and it was rare when I was growing up as well. I didn’t know of any teen parents when I was younger. Baby boomers, on the other, is another story. Very common.

+1. And I grew up in a very MC area, not even UMC.

There were a few pregnant girls and girls who had babies shortly after graduation/age 20 or earlier when I was in HS. Graduated in 2002. It wasn’t considered desirable back then and I’m sure it’s looked at funny these days too. Some of the 18-20 year olds were married though and very religious. I don’t think that happens much these days either!

Anonymous wrote:Growing up, I knew quite a few. Nowadays it seems virtually nonexistent. I’m curious if anyone knows of teens/YA who had and kept a baby with family support. Did they go on to finish school? Did any of the couples stay together?

Why are you asking? It’s almost as though you are condoning this.

It’s rare now, and it was rare when I was growing up as well. I didn’t know of any teen parents when I was younger. Baby boomers, on the other, is another story. Very common.

Anonymous wrote:I grew up UMC Midwest and didn’t know any teens having babies in my high school of about 1300 kids. I’m not 40. Not claiming it didn’t happen, but it wasn’t widespread or several teens in my high school.

Same here (from western state)-- I don't know a single person from HS who had /kept a child.

Studies show that teen sexual activity is much lower now than in previous generations, as is teen pregnancy. Kids these days are not having sex.

I grew up UMC Midwest and didn’t know any teens having babies in my high school of about 1300 kids. I’m not 40. Not claiming it didn’t happen, but it wasn’t widespread or several teens in my high school.

Growing up, I knew quite a few. Nowadays it seems virtually nonexistent. I’m curious if anyone knows of teens/YA who had and kept a baby with family support. Did they go on to finish school? Did any of the couples stay together?