Category: Pregnancy Facts

Advice for teens considering adoption can be a helpful source of comfort for those teens who find themselves in the scary and unexpected predicament of being pregnant. Looking at the advice for teens considering adoption might help them make the best decision concerning their unborn baby and themselves.

In addition to simply receiving advice, it is important for teens to take a hard look at the facts and figures concerning adoption statistics to help pregnant teens consider all of their options. Adoption is often one of the only ways some couples who face challenges with infertility can have a child of their own. In fact, about 40 percent of adults in the United States have considered adopting a child. There is a huge demand for children to be adopted, particularly babies. One of the biggest concerns that pregnant teens have when they are considering all of their pregnancy options is that they won’t be able to find a family that is well prepared to take care of their baby. Fortunately many adoption agencies and adoption programs work diligently to screen and interview applicants, and only allow financially and emotionally prepared couples to consider adopting a child or baby.

The Truth About Adoption:

Despite many misconceptions about adoption, the baby that is placed up for adoption typically has an excellent time adjusting to their new family life. The younger the baby is, the better they are able to handle the transition. According to a study completed on adoption and children who have been adopted, the children that are adopted as babies do just as well as non-adopted children when it comes to measures on mental health. In the majority of cases, the impact of adoption on children is overwhelmingly positive. Because adoptive families provide supportive environments that are loving and full of care, the adoptee will likely not feel any differently than non-adopted children.

Even pregnant teens who find that they are comfortable with the idea of placing their child up for adoption, they still might worry about the lasting effect such a dramatic move will have on their well-being. The point of adoption is typically for a young teen to give her baby a life she is unable to provide because of her limited income, education and resources. Once the young mother is able to realize she is doing something sacrificial and important for her unborn baby, she can begin to realize the benefits for her in the long term as well. Teens that are still in high school or college when they get pregnant realize that by giving their baby up for adoption they will still have the flexibility in their future to attain a higher education and a better life both financially and emotionally than they might have when they keep the baby.

While adoption is not a viable option for all pregnant teens, it is something that should be considered for the welfare of the unborn baby. For teens with a strong financial and emotional support system from other family members, deciding to keep and parent the child might be a better option. However, teens without that structure or teens that know they can promise their baby a better life by placing him or her up for adoption might be making the best decision for their unborn baby.

According to a study completed by Planned Parenthood, the perspective of 270 unwed mothers was studied after they placed their babies up for adoption. These young mothers were proven to have a more favorable social, economic and educational outcome than the young mothers who decided to keep their babies and offer a single teen parenting option to their baby. Teen moms who gave their babies up for adoption were more likely to finish higher education post high school. They were also more likely to delay marriage and were less likely to have another accidental pregnancy. These mothers were also more likely to be employed in the months following giving birth. Across the board these mothers were also more likely to have a higher income.

As far as long-term emotional coping, the mothers in a Columbia University study showed that four years after giving birth, the mothers who had chosen adoption for their babies were more likely to be satisfied with their job, finances and relationship with their partners. They were also more likely to be optimistic about their own future. The women were also less likely to suffer from depression. Keeping this advice for teens considering adoption in mind, it is best for each teen to assess their own situation to come up with the solution that is best for her and her unborn baby.

The effects of teenage pregnancy vary greatly depending on a number of things including maturity, readiness, planning, health, and more.

Widely Varying Teen Pregnancy Effects

Teen pregnancy has effects that can differ widely depending on a teen’s situation. The effects for a married teen with a wanted pregnancy will be dramatically different than for an unmarried teen with an unexpected pregnancy. Other factors, such as family support, health issues, and economic circumstances can all make the effects of a difficult teen pregnancy worse or mitigate them.

Happy Reception or Challenging Choices

The most immediate effects of teen pregnancy are the physical changes to the teen’s body, which begin to take place even before she is aware she is pregnant, and in the case of an unplanned pregnancy, possibly many months before she realizes or acknowledges that she is pregnant.

Once the pregnancy is identified, the teen may be overjoyed, on the one hand, or depressed, bitter, angry, scared, or suicidal, on the other hand. She may fear people’s reactions—including those of the baby’s father and her parents—fear childbirth itself, and fear for her future. In some cases, she may not even know who the baby’s father is, creating a situation that would be complicated and distressing for anyone, let alone a teen.

If the teen did not mean to get pregnant, she may face challenging decisions about abortion, adoption, raising a child, and her education. Even a girl whose family and religious community is anti-abortion is likely to face the question of abortion from the school nurse or other health care providers, friends, neighbors, etc. She may also face pressure in various directions from those with differing opinions, about which they feel enormously strongly. For a young teen, this is likely to be the most complicated, loaded decision that she has ever dealt with, and she may feel completely overwhelmed with responsibility.

Other difficult questions that may present themselves to the pregnant teen concern continuing (or not) her relationship with the baby’s father, and if so how: marriage? Friends? Co-parents with little else in common?

What kind of support there might be if she did keep the baby both economically and childcare for her to finish high school is another consideration, and if she planned to continue her education after college, that looms as well.

The Effects of Pregnancy on Health

Of all pregnant women, teens are the most likely to receive inadequate prenatal care. In some cases, this may occur because the teen doesn’t realize she’s pregnant, but it can also result from trying to hide the pregnancy. By missing prenatal care, a teen not only misses the vitamins that contribute to her health as well as the unborn child’s, but also the screenings, nutritional advice, and information about mitigating morning sickness and other side effects of pregnancy that might be very welcome as well as contribute to better health for both mother and baby.

Pregnant teens are more at risk for pregnancy-induced hypertension (elevated blood pressure) and preeclampsia (high blood pressure accompanied by fluid retention: a potentially dangerous condition) than older women who are pregnant. Anemia and depression are also common side effects.

Pregnant teens are more likely to have premature babies, born at less than 37 weeks gestation, and this in itself means their babies have an increased risk for a variety of health-related problems. All babies of pregnant teens are more likely to have a low birthweight, and preemies are additionally more likely to have developmental problems with their respiratory and digestive systems, as well as issues in the areas of vision and cognition. Following the birth of the baby, teens are at greater risk for post-partum depression than older women.

Effects of Teen Pregnancy Can Reach Far into the Future

The effects of teen pregnancy can carry into the future as the teen settles into motherhood and finds fulfillment in raising her child and her other activities and relationships. It can also carry into the future in less happy ways. Teen pregnancy statistics provide the following information:

• two-thirds of teen mothers fail to complete a high school diploma
• teen fathers generally end up with less total schooling that men who become fathers later in life
• children of teens are at greater risk for poor school performance and
• girls born to teen parents are at increased risk for becoming teen mothers.

There are many risks of teenage pregnancy for both the young mother and her baby. Some of these risks of teenage pregnancy are health related, but there are also plenty of risks associated with other aspects of being pregnant especially for teen mothers.

Teens are at the higher risk for health problems during pregnancy and for the baby. The reason for this is because many teens who get pregnant are not fully developed and have issues with the toll pregnancy takes on their body. Babies of teen mothers might end up underdeveloped or low birth weight as well as other potential issues. Keep reading to learn more about the risks of teenage pregnancy.

Risks of teenage pregnancy:

With about 40 teenage girls getting pregnant out of every 1,000, the number of pregnant teens is still relatively high in the United States in comparison to other developed countries despite a slight decrease in the number of pregnant teens in recent years. Those teens that are at risk of becoming pregnant are often uneducated, may be of minority decent, live in poor economic conditions and are often of a single parent household. This data is conclusive from statistics tracking teens who are most at risk for teenage pregnancy. Prevention and education efforts are the best way to decrease the risks of teenage pregnancy. Teens who practice safe sex using condoms and birth control or even practice abstinence are the least likely candidates for an unplanned teen pregnancy. In these other situations, teens are not educated when it comes to practicing safe sex and often do no know what they are doing to prevent pregnancy and the spread of sexually transmitted infections. Teens who are promiscuous and do no practice safe sex exhibit risks of teenage pregnancy. These reasons are why education about safe sex and abstinence are essential to any teen’s education. As a parent it is important to talk to your teen about these kinds of issues. You may think they won’t become exposed or be at risk of teenage pregnancy until they are older, but statistics are showing that teen pregnancy is happening at younger and younger ages. Talk to your teen before they learn about sex and the incorrect information about sex from their friends and peers. There are so many teen pregnancy myths that parents should work to dispel for their teen with the facts before it is too late.

Other risks of teenage pregnancy:

As previously mentioned, there are many health risks for both the mother and the baby in cases of teenage pregnancy. Because teen moms often do not have access to prenatal care, they are less likely to receive the proper health and nutrition during the gestation period. They are also less likely to be healthy prior to getting pregnant, which can affect their overall health as well as that of the baby. Because prenatal care is so important, especially during the early months of the pregnancy, not having access to this can cause a number of things to go wrong during  the pregnancy or deliver. Some of these negative results can end up with the baby having severe mental retardation and other birth defects. In the worst case scenario, the baby can even be stillborn or have such severe health results they do not make it past infancy. High blood pressure among teens is also a risk of teenage pregnancy. Pregnancy-induced hypertension often occurs during teen pregnancy, which also increases their risk for preeclampsia. This is a dangerous medical condition combining high blood pressure with excess proteins found in the urine. This causes swelling of the mother’s hands, face and may damage the internal organs. These are all medical risks of teenage pregnancy. However, with the proper treatment, they can be prevented and treated properly. If not prevented or treated, they can disrupt the growth process of the unborn baby. This is often why teen mothers face the increased risk of premature birth, which can result in so many other health problems for the baby as well possible early death.

There are also other issues and risks of teenage pregnancy that aren’t exactly medically related. Because teens are often not fully emotionally developed they find an increased risk of emotional issues like postpartum depression and anxiety. Many teens do not know how to relate to their peers anymore  because they find facing the responsibility of teenage pregnancy changes their life focus and they don’t have as much in common with their old friends. Teen moms also have trouble relating to older mothers too because they are at different places in their life. This is a problem because the teen feels alone and isolated in addition to so many of the other emotional issues they face as a first-time mother.

Preventing the risks of teenage pregnancy:

The best way to avoid the risks of teenage pregnancy is to practice safe sex or abstinence and not get pregnant in the first place. However, if it is already too late and you are a teen facing the risks of teenage pregnancy, it is a good idea to get early prenatal care. Even if you think you can’t afford to see a doctor, there are financial assistance programs offered by the hospital and state in order to ensure you receive quality prenatal care to protect your life and the life of your unborn baby. Stay away from negative vices like alcohol, drugs and cigarettes. All of these substances negatively affect your pregnancy and can lead to serious development problems and even death in your unborn child. Be sure to ask for emotional support. Going through a pregnancy can be tough for anyone, but especially a teen mom. Talk to your parents, friends and other family and see professional help if necessary. Through these steps you can actively prepare to have a healthy pregnancy.

Sources: webmd.com

There are many costs of teen pregnancy and those costs continue to rise. However, there are more than just financial costs of teen pregnancy. Being a teen parent can also cost you in other ways. Keep reading to learn all of the costs of teen pregnancy.

The medical costs of becoming a parent are quickly becoming higher and higher. Teens who find themselves pregnant, but have no job or a job that pays minimum wage will have a much more difficult time paying the costs of teen pregnancy. In addition to the financial burden, other costs of teen pregnancy can occur mentally, emotionally and physically on the new teen parent. Keep reading to find out some of the best ways to be prepared for the costs of teen pregnancy.

Financial Costs of Teen Pregnancy: 

Medical costs of having a baby cost from about $10,000 to $15,000 just for all of the hospital costs including delivery, tests as well as prenatal care visits. For teens that are lucky enough to have health insurance, the majority of these costs can be paid for with insurance coverage. For teens who can show a financial difficulty and are over 18 years old can get government assistance through Medicaid to help pay for the medical expenses. Other expenses aside from medical include maternity clothing as well as plenty of supplied for the baby. Some of these start up costs of teen pregnancy preparing for the baby include: crib, crib mattress, sheets, bedding supplies, bassinet, mobile, rocking chair, stroller, baby clothing, bibs, car seat, swing, bouncer, baby toys, books, bath tub and other toiletries, diapers, wipes, baby towels and wash cloths, breast pump or formula, bottles and bottle supplies, safety gates and many more. The costs of these supplies can range anywhere from $1,700 to $4,600. When trying to save on the financial costs of teen pregnancy while preparing for the baby it is smart to visit consignment shops, or second hand stores to find what kinds of deals you can get on the cost of many of the baby supplies. Other costs to plan for include future doctor visits, baby food (after formula or breast feeding). 

Other Types of Emotional, Physical and Mental Costs of Teen Pregnancy:

The emotional cost of teen pregnancy can be intense and often has to do with many of the financial strains a pregnant teen must face. There are other emotional factors like the relationship between the teen mother and father, what other teens are saying about the pregnancy, and more. Many teens stop going to school or do not pursue the idea of college or higher education because they cannot handle the idea of finishing school as a mom or the emotional cost of teen pregnancy while trying to go to school. This will later on cause the teen mother or father financial costs again because without a diploma or degree, they are less likely to make as much money in their lives as they otherwise would have. The mental costs of teen pregnancy are evident when the teen is unable to finish school because they are cutting themselves short of their true educational potential or making the education process that much tougher if they are left to finish school on their own. Physically, there are also many costs of teen pregnancy. Pregnancy can be physically straining on anyone especially a teen whose body is not physically ready to handle the strains of pregnancy and delivering a baby. Pregnant teens are also more likely to experience problems with the pregnancy because of the physical costs of teen pregnancy. Teens are more likely to have a miscarriage or a premature birth than adult women who are pregnant.

Costs of Teen Pregnancy on Society:

Because many teens do not have health insurance or the financial income to support themselves as well as a newborn baby, teens often have to turn to government programs like Medicaid to pay for the medical expenses as well as future doctor visits for their baby. Teen mothers also often have to take part in other government-funded programs like Women, Infant, Children (WIC) as well as food stamps and more. The money from these programs comes primarily from tax payer dollars. According to recent number, the cost of teen pregnancies throughout the United States on tax payers has resulted in about $9.1 billion. All of these costs from emotional to financial are important costs to weigh when teens are thinking of becoming pregnant or willing to risk an unintended pregnancy by not having safe sex. The costs of teen pregnancy don’t just affect the teen mom and dad, they also affect the baby as well as tax payers throughout the United States. 

Source: ourboidesourblog.org, study by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy

The consequences of an unplanned pregnancy go beyond just the effects on the pregnant teen. This article offers information on the consequences of an unplanned pregnancy on the pregnant teen, the father, the family, and the baby. Consider the consequences of an unplanned pregnancy before you are faced with a teen pregnancy.

It’s important to distinguish between an unplanned pregnancy and an unwanted pregnancy. Even an unplanned pregnancy can come to be accepted or even welcomed.

An unplanned pregnancy that is continued can have a variety of consequences for the pregnant teen and the father of her baby, including immediate physical, emotional, psychological, and practical consequences, as well as long-term effects that have impact on both parents and their families for the rest of their lives. Some types of consequence come into play for all unplanned pregnancies, while others may or may not be felt in a particular case. The rest of this article discusses some of the many possible consequences of unplanned pregnancy for a teen mother.

When an unplanned pregnancy is unwanted by either the mother or the father or both, this can lead to a variety of consequences, including abortion. Besides ending the fetus’s life, this can have serious psychological and emotional consequences, even when everyone is in agreement about the course of action. When the mother and father—or the parents of the unborn child and their families—are not in agreement about whether or not the pregnancy should be continued, then there are likely to be serious psychological and emotional consequences whether or not the pregnancy is continued or an abortion is obtained. Giving up a child for adoption and the decision-making process leading up to this choice can also cause dramatic and long-term consequences, certainly for the child, and also for the parents and their families.

Pregnancy results in more or less dramatic physical changes to the mother’s body in order that the developing baby can be nourished as well as changes that result from the presence of the growing fetus. Pregnant women may experience morning sickness, weight gain, changes in appetite, an increased need for certain vitamins and minerals, and tiredness. As the baby grows, back pain and a need to urinate frequently may be noticed. These changes can be particularly challenging to a young mother whose own body is still developing and who is trying to attend school and participate in a normal teen social life. For these reasons, an unplanned pregnancy can provide a greater challenge than unplanned pregnancy in adulthood, when there are mechanisms providing for absence from work and staying at home may be economically feasible.

Beyond the physical changes, teens who become pregnant are likely to experience some emotional and psychological challenges. They may be teased or disdained by their peers, have worries about supporting a child, and wonder what education options are available for pregnant teens, where they will live, whether their relationship with the other parent of the child will continue, and more. These are weighty issues, and often involve family members beyond the teen parents.

Statistically, mothers of babies born of unplanned pregnancies are more likely to not have had preconception care, which is known to reduce certain issues, such as spina bifida. They are more likely to delay seeking prenatal care and less likely to breastfeed—both of which choices have health consequences for mother and child.

Do you think you may be pregnant? Or that your teenager may be pregnant?  This article addresses how to tell if you are pregnant, by looking at the signs and symptoms of pregnancy.

Early discovery of a pregnancy can be an important factor in making decisions about your baby and his/her prenatal health.  Although, a visit to the doctor may be the only thing that can confirm early pregnancy, there are several signs that can indicate a baby might be in your future.  If you think you could be expecting, consider that there are several things you can look for in terms of changes with your body.

First of all, a missed period is often indicative of a pregnancy.  However, periods are not always regular, especially in young girls or women with certain health conditions.  Also, be aware that spotting, or light bleeding sometimes occurs during pregnancy when the fertilized egg begins to implant itself in the uterus. 

In addition, early signs include changes in the breast, such as darkening of the areola, increased sensitivity, swelling, and tenderness.  Many women express a soreness or tingling as the result of an increase in pregnancy hormones. 

Morning sickness can occur as early as the first week of pregnancy and is present in 50% – 95% of women during the first trimester.  It consists of nausea and vomiting that can occur at anytime, but seems to be particularly worse in the morning, when blood sugar levels are low. 

Other medical indications that might suggest pregnancy include an increase in body temperature for an extended period of time, constipation, frequent urination, headaches, heartburn, dizziness, fatigue, and fainting spells. 

Mood swings are also common during pregnancy, as the expecting mother goes through hormone changes and an adjustment period.  Unexplained emotional highs and lows, that fluctuate without warning are often felt throughout the pregnancy and for a period of time once the baby is born. 

As the pregnancy progresses, weight gain, bloating, and cramping are inevitable as the uterus expands and the baby grows.  It is also not uncommon for expecting mothers to have food cravings during her pregnancy for foods that are salty, sweet, or even spicy. 

An over the counter pregnancy test can be purchased from any drug store.  They are fairly accurate at detecting the pregnancy hormone called HCG by assessing a sample of your urine.  Some urine tests are able to detect pregnancy as early as 4 days before a missed period.  In addition, blood tests can be given by a doctor’s office or clinic to confirm that you are expecting.

Teenagers get pregnant for a number of reasons. However, one of the best ways you can discourage teen pregnancy is to provide reliable information on pregnancy and sex. Keep reading for more information on why teens get pregnant, and how to prevent teen pregnancy.

One of the biggest issues that comes with raising teens has to with teen pregnancy. While it can be difficult for parents to think of their teenagers having sex, the fact of the matter is that it happens. And, of course, teen sex can lead to teen pregnancy. One of the best deterrents to teen pregnancy is teaching teenagers to have a responsible and thoughtful approach to sex. Encourage teenagers to think about their actions, and the consequences, as well as educating teenagers about their birth control options.

Here are some reasons that teenagers might get pregnant:

Want to get pregnant

In some cases, a teenager may actually want to be pregnant. She may feel as though she is ready to have a child, or she may want to have a baby in order to help convince a boyfriend to stay in a relationship. However, it is important to note that most teenagers do not actually want to become pregnant. According to FamilyFirstAid.org, 80% of teen pregnancies are not intended. This means that only 20% of those teenagers having babies actually planned on having the child. Because such a large amount of teen pregnancies are unintentional, it is clear that there are other reasons that teenagers are getting pregnant.

Forced sexual intercourse

Some teen girls become pregnant as a result of unwanted sexual intercourse. This can be the result of rape (including date rape), or for some other reason. It is also important to note that in some cases girls may not personally feel ready for sex, but they feel pressured into it. While this is not exactly rape, the pressure that many teen girls feel to satisfy their boyfriends is very real, and this can lead to reluctant sexual relationships. FamilyFirstAid points out that 75% of girls say that the main reason they have sex is because their boyfriends want to. This means that even though the girls may not be physically forced, they could be under emotional duress. These relationships can lead to teen pregnancy. It is important to help girls understand how to focus on their own value, rather than being pressured to relate their value to their sexuality.

Lack of birth control

For those who are sexually active teens, one of the biggest risks when it comes to getting pregnant is the lack of birth control. Many teenagers do not use birth control, or they use inconsistently and are not protected properly. When using birth control, it is vital that teens understand how to use it appropriately, and how to use it for best results. It is true that no birth control is 100% effective, other than abstinence, but properly using birth control will reduce the chances that a teenager will get pregnant.

One of the debates that rages on about teen sex education is that revolving around teen abstinence only education. Some studies suggest that abstinence only sex education may actually contribute to teen pregnancies, since it leaves out mention of birth control. The reasoning is that, since teens are not taught about birth control, and where to get it, they are more likely to get pregnant — because teens are going to have sex anyway. Critics of abstinence only education point out that most teens are going to have sex at some point, no matter what is taught in sex ed, so it is a good idea to make sure that teens can access reliable birth control information. Proponents of abstinence only education insist that it does help, and that studies showing that abstinence only adds to teen pregnancies may be flawed. Supporters of abstinence only education point to studies that show it works.

In any case, the lack of birth control is a factor in some teen pregnancies. Without education about birth control, teenagers are more likely to become pregnant if they are sexually active. The real key to reducing teen pregnancies is education. Parents need to talk to their teens about their expectations, and educate them about appropriate practices so that their teens are able to make better decisions about sexual intercourse.

Are you a teenager who may be pregnant? Or, the parent of a sexually active teen that may be pregnant? Early pregnancy detection is essential to pregnancy health. This article has information on signs of teen pregnancy and options for teen pregnancy tests.

One of the things to be aware of if you are sexually active (or even if you have only had sex once), is that you might be pregnant. This is especially possible if you have been having unprotected sex, or if you are not taking birth control. Indeed, it is important to be alert to the signs of teen pregnancy, as well as knowing how to use a pregnancy test.

Signs of teen pregnancy

Before you get a teen pregnancy test, you should consider the following early signs of teen pregnancy. Some of the early signs of teen pregnancy include the following:

• Missed period
• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Appetite changes
• Increased urination
• Tenderness in the breasts

It is important to note, though, that some of these indications of teen pregnancy can occur even if the teenager is not pregnant. Indeed, if you under a lot of stress, or if you are very active in sports, you might find that you are missing periods, or that you exhibit some of the other signs of early teen pregnancy.

However, as the teenage pregnancy progresses, there are additional signs you can look for, including increase in the size of your abdomen, weight gain (or loss, if you aren’t eating enough for you and the baby), headaches and backaches, growing breasts and strong food cravings. 

You don’t need to wait until the later signs to see if you are pregnant, though. If you haven’t had sex with anyone, then you are probably not pregnant. If you have had sex, however, there is a chance that you are pregnant, even if you have been on birth control. Since abstinence is the only full-proof way to avoid pregnancy, there is always a chance, albeit a small one if you have been taking precautions.

Teen pregnancy tests

Teen pregnancy tests are no different that regular pregnancy tests. Most drug stores sell them over the counter, so it is usually possible for you to purchase one. You should wait at least five days after missing your period before you take a pregnancy test. Most pregnancy tests cost between $5 and $20. You can also get some in packs of more than one, just in case you are unsure of the first result.

These tests work by detecting the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). This is sometimes called the pregnancy hormone, since it is what is produced by the placenta shortly after it has been fertilized. The presence of this hormone indicates pregnancy. When taking a teen pregnancy test, make sure to read all of the directions carefully before beginning. Also, make sure that you understand how to read the results of the test before you begin.

Most home pregnancy tests detect the amount of HCG in your urine. For the best chance of accuracy (and many tests are at least 90% accurate when done properly), you should take the test in the morning, since that is when the highest concentration of HCG is present. You can urinate directly on the strip offered, or you can urinate into a cup, and then dip the strip into the urine. 

If your home pregnancy test shows that you are pregnant, you should consider going to see a health care professional in a week or so in order to make sure. If the test comes up negative, pay attention to your body for the next couple of weeks, and determine if maybe the test was inaccurate. If your period still doesn’t come, take the test again, or see a health care professional.

While these teen pregnancy tests are mostly accurate, it is important to realize that they are not perfect. You will have to go to a health care professional to get sure results. Once you have them, you can then decide what to do going forward.

A variety of consequences may result from teen pregnancy, consequences that affect the teen herself, the baby’s father, the baby, and the extended families. This article provides an overview of some of the main consequences of teen pregnancy.

Choices

Many pregnant teens have to face the difficult situation of immediately making choices about their teenage pregnancy and education and future in light of someone else. Unlike other teens whose own future is their primary (and maybe only) focus, the pregnant teen has someone else to consider.

Obviously, whether to continue the pregnancy is a question that may be asked, by someone, if not by the teen herself. If the teen, the baby’s father, their families, and their community (including any worshipping communities they may belong to) agree about this issue, she will likely have an easier time. According to teenage abortion statistics, there has been a decline in teens choosing to abort their babies.  But even so, in a society that is sharply divided on the question of abortion, the teen may face enormous pressure to both continue and to end the pregnancy. It is also a decision that the teen and the baby’s father will have to live with.  This decision itself, to say nothing of a baby, is a grave responsibility to take on for someone whose own education is probably not complete.

Teens who decide to carry through with their pregnancies have further choices and arrangements to consider. Will they keep the baby or put it up for adoption? How will the baby be looked after? How will it be supported? How will their own education be completed? What role will the baby’s father play in all this? Should they get married?

Health Consequences

Pregnant teens are among the most likely mothers-to-be to have inadequate prenatal care. This may be the case because the teen is unaware of or trying to hide the pregnancy or if she does not have support. Because prenatal care includes screening for medical problems, nutritional information, and other care information, a teen lacking these things may suffer health effects herself and inadvertently cause health effects for her unborn child.

Teens who are pregnant have a greater risk of having elevated blood-pressure (pregnancy-induced hypertension) than older women who become pregnant, as well as a greater risk of preeclampsia, a condition in which high blood pressure is accompanied by fluid retentions and which can be quite dangerous. Teens may also become anemic or depressed. Prenatal care can help address either condition.

Teen mothers more often give birth prematurely, that is, prior to 37 weeks, and premature babies face increased risks for health problems, both short- and long-term. Among these are problems with vision, cognition, the the baby’s respiratory and digestive systems. The babies of teen mothers are also at higher risk for low-birth-weight. Low- birth-weight may or may not be due to prematurity.

It seems that teen mothers are at greater risk for postpartum depression, according to the CDC. This is treatable, and knowing that it may happen may allow the symptoms to be recognized earlier.

Future Outlook for Teen Mothers and Their Families

According to a report by the Robin Hood Foundation, only a third of teen mothers receive a high school diploma, suggesting that they will have fewer skills to secure employment. Teen fathers are likely to finish fewer years of school than older fathers do, as well as less likely to hold a steady job or earn enough to support their new family. Additionally, their children are more likely to perform poorly in school, while their daughters have a 22 percent greater risk of becoming teen mothers themselves.

According to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancies at least 75 percent of unmarried teen mothers end up going on welfare within 5 years of their first child’s birth. The children of unmarried teen mothers are more likely to drop out of high school and far more likely to live in poverty.

Knowing about, discussing, and being proactive about the challenges involved in teenage pregnancy can itself make the process easier and more likely to have positive outcomes for all involved.

Sources

webmd.com
vahealth.org
marchofdimes.com
mayoclinic.com