Greensboro, NC -- Every parent knows having a baby is a major expense. From diapers to formula and clothes, the cost adds up. But for teenage mothers, some of the cost trickles down to taxpayers.
Jen Kimbrough from the Guilford Coalition on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention said taxpayers will pay about $13.6 million a year in Guilford County on teen pregnancy. The state as a whole will pay about $392 million a year.
Here's how that breaks down:
$77 million: Public health care
$46 million: Child welfare
$69 million: Increased rates of incarceration
$121 million: Lost tax revenue from decreased earnings and spending
Every year in Guilford County 900 girls between the ages of 15 and 19 become pregnant. Twenty girls between the ages of 10 and 14 become pregnant, according to Kimbrough. But she said the state doesn't go far enough to help prevent teenagers from becoming parents.
Kimbrough gave North Carolina a 'C' rating when it comes to prevention. She said state leaders need a blanket pregnancy prevention program for every school because the current programs aren't far reaching enough.
She said another solution is for parents and teenagers to have open communication about sex and pregnancy and what comes after the baby.
It is "Let's Talk" month. The Guilford Coalition on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention has ideas of how to start the conversation with your kids and keep it going.