Teen pregnancy is not a public health crisis in the United States. It is time we made it one.

su rely a con cept th at's tim e h as lon g passed, wh ereas a recog-n ition th at we as a society h ave a sh am efu l record in th e poverty, edu cation al failu re an d social exclu sion of teen age m oth ers is an im portan t step in doin g som eth in g to rectify th at situ ation. Un less of cou rse you care on ly for perin atal m ortality rates an d n ot abou t disru pted you n g lives. an d redu cin g th e adverse effects of u n in ten ded teen age pregn an cy. Departm en t of Am bu latory Care an d Preven tion , Harvard Medical Sch ool an d Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. Teen pregnancy is not a public health crisis in the United States. It is time w e made it one J an et Rich-Ed w ard s