| Abstract: | Teenage mothers typically have lower educational attainment than other women. Most observers have argued that this is a major
reason for their greater risk of poverty. This article takes the opposite view: that circumstances associated with poverty
contribute to a greater likelihood of teenage childbearing. In particular, poor educational quality and the chances of secondary
sector employment are more common for black women, regardless of their age at first birth. Hence the payoffs to education
may be quite low for these women, which may be the reason for early motherhood. This argument is presented in terms of segmented
labor market theory. Data to support it is presented from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Other common explanations
of teenage motherhood are critiqued. |
