A pregnancy is defined as the time between conception and birth and usually lasts 40 weeks. Nationwide pregnancy numbers and rates are difficult to survey because they also include abortions and miscarriages as pregnancy outcomes. However, in 2021 the
was around 3.66 million.
has been steadily decreasing over the past few decades as younger people now have fewer children than the previous generations and some decide not to have children at all. Some of the
among those who had difficulty conceiving include polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (female factor), low sperm production (male factor), and endometriosis (female factor).
Teenage pregnancy
In more developed countries, teenage pregnancies are often put in special focus. This is because of possible socioeconomic, educational, but also medical consequences. In the United States, the pregnancy rate among 15-19 year-olds has drastically decreased by over half since 1990. The
U.S. states with the highest teenage pregnancy rates include Arkansas, Mississippi, and New Mexico. Education and the use of contraception remain the most effective ways to prevent pregnancy among sexually active teens. It is estimated that
publicly funded family planning clinics in the United States helped avert over 500,000 unintended adolescent pregnancies in 2016, alone. However, access to contraception and open and honest discussion and education about sex remain issues in many parts of the United States.
Pregnancy risk factors
A women's health during pregnancy is vital to the health of an unborn baby. Certain foods, alcohol, and tobacco can have long term, permanent negative impacts on a child's development during pregnancy. Despite such knowledge being widespread in the United States, a surprising
share of women still smoked cigarettes while they were pregnant. Similarly, although the dangers of alcohol use to unborn babies is well known, a survey found that an average of almost 17 percent of
pregnant females aged 18 to 25 drank alcohol in the past month from 2018 to 2020. Some common
pre-existing chronic physical and behavioral conditions prior to pregnancy include obesity, anxiety, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes.
Maternal mortality
Despite advances in medicine and technology, maternal mortality remains a problem in the United States, with the U.S. reporting one of the highest maternal mortality rates among all developed countries worldwide. In 2021, there were 1,205
maternal deaths in the United States, compared to 861 maternal deaths in 2020.
Maternal death rates increase with age, however, all age groups have seen increases in such deaths in recent years. Sadly, there are also great
disparities in maternal deaths based on race and ethnicity. For example, in 2021, the rate of maternal mortality among non-Hispanic Black women was around 70 per 100,000 live births, while non-Hispanic white women had a maternal mortality rate of just under 27 per 100,000 live births.
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