Adolescent childbearing is usually inconsistent
with mainstream societal demands for attaining
adulthood through education, work experience, and
financial stability. Poverty is correlated significantly
with adolescent pregnancy in the United States. Although
38% of adolescents live in poor or low-income
families, as many as 83% of adolescents who
give birth and 61% who have abortions are from
poor or low-income families. At least one third of
parenting adolescents (both males and females) are
themselves products of adolescent pregnancy. Although
it is difficult to establish causal links between
childhood maltreatment and subsequent adolescent
pregnancy, in some studies as many as 50% to 60% of
those who become pregnant in early or midadolescence
have a history of childhood sexual or physical
abuse