Adolescents seek relationships outside of their family with a mate in order to find what is lacking in their family life, such as love and affection (Domenico & Jones 5). Teenage girls who have grown up in a household with a single mother are reported to become pregnant more commonly than if they grew up in a household where two parents were present to raise them (Domenico & Jones 6). Another factor discussed relates to how puberty is occurring in adolescents much earlier than it used to in the past. Between 1988 and 1995 the amount of adolescent females who first had sex at age 14 or younger almost doubled (Domenico & Jones 6). This statistic is a valid example of how teenage girls in todays society are being forced to grow up before they are truly ready, which is exactly what leads girls to engage in premature sex causing unintended pregnancies. .
Domenico and Jones' observation on future expectations of teenage girls illustrates the effects that growing up in a lower income household influences how they may feel about gaining an education and a career. The Alan Gutmacher Institute states, "While sexual activity among teenagers of all income levels is now common, having a baby is not. Adolescent childbearing is heavily concentrated among poor and low income teenagers, most of whom are unmarried. " Low-income teenagers may not intend on having a baby, however they may not be sufficiently motivated to avoid pregnancy. Teenage girls from low-income backgrounds may have little incentive to avoid becoming pregnant due to lack of motivation such as a good education, job, financial independence, and marriage. .
Also, there is a significant correlation that exists between childhood sexual abuse and teenage pregnancy. Statistics show that 40 percent of girls who had intercourse at age 13 or 14 had done so involuntarily or with an older partner unwillingly (Domenico & Jones 6). An estimated 60 percent of teenage girls' first pregnancies are preceded by experiences of molestation, rape or attempted rape.