Many studies have shown that teen mothers and their children are at high risk of living in poverty, due to not completing their secondary studies, that they are single parents and that they lack knowledge and preparation. raising a child due to unplanned pregnancies. Children born to teenage mothers are at higher risk of abuse and poor academic performance. Additionally, many studies have also shown that teenage pregnancies and poverty have an effect on their child's development. Teenage Pregnancy and the Path to PovertyPoverty is a major problem faced by most teenage mothers. “Between 2009 and 2010, approximately 48 percent of all mothers aged 15 to 19 lived below the poverty line. Teenage mothers who live with their parents are in a slightly better situation: only 34 percent of them live below the poverty line. As their children grow older, their likelihood of living in poverty increases. By the time a child reaches the age of three, their likelihood of living in poverty increases by up to 50 percent” (Stewart Ng and Kaye, 2012a, pp.2-3). According to the US Census Bureau, “teen mothers are twice as likely as mothers aged 25 to 29 to live in poverty” (cited in Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy, 2008, p.9). A major risk factor like The reason many teen mothers live in poverty is that they drop out of high school, "fewer than 38 percent earn a high school diploma and 19 percent earn a GED, and only 5 percent of young teenage mothers complete at least two years of education. college by age 30 and less than 2% obtain a college degree. (Stewart Ng and Kaye, 2012a, p.1; Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy, 2008, p.10) ". Therefore, these mothers will not get a well-paying job to raise their child. Teen mothers are more likely to...... middle of paper ......lt, and adult mothers: http://proxy4.vaniercollege.qc.ca:2114/pdf27_28/pdf/2013/MPQ/01Jan13/85124292 .pdf? T=P&P=AN&K=85124292&S=R&D=a9h&EbscoContent=dGJyMNHr7ESeqLU4v%2BbwOLCmr0yep7JSrqe4SrCWxWXS&ContentCustomer=dGJyMPGnsEywqLVPuePfgeyx44Dt6fIA • Schuyler Center for Analysis advocacy, 200 8: Adolescent births: results for young parents and their children: http:/ /www.scaany.org/documents/teen_pregnancy_dec08.pdf • Stewart Ng and Kaye, 2012a: Why it matters Adolescent reproduction, education and economic well-being: http://thenationalcampaign.org/ sites/default/files/resource-primary-download/childbearing-education-enomicwellbeing pdf • Stewart Ng and Kaye, 2012b: Why it matters; adolescent childbearing, single parenthood and father involvement: http://thenationalcampaign.org/sites/default/files/resource-primary-download/childbearing-singleparenthood-fatherinvolvement.pdf