Adolescence/Teenage pregnancy and prenatal care

Teens, especially those under 15 are increasingly at risk for not obtaining early prenatal care, if they do at all. Statistics have shown, in 2008, pregnant teens 15 and under only got prenatal care during their first trimester 32.9% of the time, while teens ages 15-19 only got care 54.3% of the time during their first trimester. The percentage of teens receiving no prenatal care under age 15 was 22.4%, and of teens age 15-19, 10.3% never received prenatal care. (Office of Adolescent Health).

Teen mothers often have more birthing complications, and are 5% more likely to deliver a premature baby than a woman over 20 years old. Although prenatal care can often help drastically reduce the chances of premature birth, young women are more likely to deliver preterm no matter the precautions taken. Teen moms between ages 15-19 deliver low birth weight babies 10% of the time, with mothers age 15 averaging nearly 12% LBW babies. There are many complications arising from this, many of which young mothers may be unequipped to handle. Death rates skyrocket for LBW babies. Those born under 3.5 pounds are 100 times more likely, than normal weight babies, to die in their first year of life. (March of Dimes).