These characteristics of younger teens can be potent and magical, and can also make for a dangerous ride if they are having sex, as they often don't connect sex with the real possibility of having a baby nine months later. A lot of younger teenagers also believe that they are singularly immune to bad consequences of risky behavior. Kids in their mid-teenage years start getting more freedom from parental control, and start understanding that there are consequences to their actions. But, as the study above suggests, if younger teenagers don't have adequate support, supervision, and communication with parents, they are at a much higher risk for the onset of early sexual activity, with all its consequences. We know that on average, the fathers of babies born to teen moms are at least four years older than the girls, so most of these men are adults, not teens.
Some teenage girls get pregnant because they really want to.
They want to get pregnant in order to make their partners happy. Some girls believe that babies will give them love and nurturance. And some want to get pregnant because they see other young mothers getting increased attention and what seems to be an increased material benefit that comes with motherhood. These girls tend not to have a real understanding of the implications of parenthood. There's a lot we can do to cut down on the risk of teenage pregnancy.