Teens having a baby

When Your Teen Is Having a Baby (for Parents)

If your daughter is pregnant and planning to have the baby, many changes await your family. And though it's certainly not what most parents expect, it happens every day: nearly 250,000 teenage girls in the United States give birth every year.

If your teen is about to become a mother (or your son has fathered a child), it can be overwhelming for all of you. How can you support your child through the challenges that lie ahead?

What You May Be Feeling

If you have just learned that your teen is having a baby, you're probably experiencing a wide range of emotions, from shock and disappointment to grief and worry about the future.

Some parents feel a sense of guilt, thinking that if only they'd done more to protect their child this wouldn't have happened. And although some parents are embarrassed by their teen's pregnancy and worried about how family, friends, and neighbors will react, others are happy about the news of a soon-to-be grandchild — especially if the teen is older and in a mature relationship.

Whatever feelings you're experiencing, this is likely to be a difficult time for your family. The important thing is that your teen needs you now more than ever. Being able to communicate with each other — especially when emotions are running high — is essential. Teens who carry a baby to term have special health concerns, and your daughter will have a healthier pregnancy — emotionally and physically — if she knows she doesn't have to go it alone.

So what can you do as the parent of a teen having a baby? Recognize your feelings and work through them so that you can accept and support her. Does that mean you don't have the right to feel disappointed and even angry? No. Such reactions are common. You might have a strong flood of emotions to deal with, especially at first. But the reality of the upcoming baby means that you'll have to get beyond your initial feelings for the sake of your daughter and her child.

If you need help coping with your feelings about the situation, talk to someone you trust or seek professional counseling. A neutral third party can be a great resource at a time like this.

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What Your Teen May Be Feeling

Just a short time ago your teen's biggest concerns might have been hanging out with her friends and wondering what clothes to wear. Now she's dealing with morning sickness and scheduling prenatal visits. Her world has been turned upside down.

Most unmarried teens don't plan on becoming pregnant, and they're often terrified when it happens. Many, particularly younger teens, keep the news of their pregnancies secret because they fear the anger and disappointment of their parents. Some might even deny to themselves that they are pregnant — which makes it even more important for parents to step in and find medical care for their teen as early in the pregnancy as possible. Younger teens' pregnancies, in particular, are considered high risk because their bodies haven't finished growing and are not yet fully mature.

Teen boys who are going to become fathers also need the involvement of their parents. Although some boys may welcome the chance to be involved with their children, others feel frightened and guilty and may need to be encouraged to face their responsibilities (the father is legally responsible for child support in every state).

That doesn't mean, however, that you should pressure your teen son or daughter into an unwanted marriage. Offer advice, but remember that forcing your opinions on your teen or using threats is likely to backfire in the long run. There's no "one size fits all" solution here. Open communication between you and your teen will help as you consider the future.

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Special Concerns of Pregnant Teens

Even though most teen girls are biologically able to produce healthy babies, whether they do often depends on whether they receive adequate medical care — especially in those critical early months of pregnancy.

Teens who receive proper medical care and take care of themselves are more likely to have healthy babies. Those who don't receive medical care are at greater risk for:

fetal death
high blood pressure
anemia
labor and delivery complications (such as premature labor and stillbirth)
low birth-weight infant

The earlier your teen gets prenatal care, the better her chances for a healthy pregnancy, so bring her to the doctor as soon as possible after finding out she's pregnant. If you need help finding medical care, check with social service groups in the community or at your child's school.

Your teen's health care provider can tell her what to expect during her pregnancy, how to take care of herself and her growing baby, and how to prepare for life as a parent.

Some topics that will be addressed include:

Medical Care

At her first prenatal visit, your teen will probably be given a full physical exam, including blood and urine tests. She'll be screened for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and for exposure to certain diseases, such as measles, mumps, and rubella.

Her health care provider also will discuss:

how often prenatal visits should be scheduled
what she may be feeling physically and emotionally
what changes she can expect in her body
how to deal with some of the uncomfortable side effects of pregnancy, like nausea and vomiting

Knowing what to expect can help alleviate some of the fears your daughter may have about being pregnant. Her health care provider will probably prescribe a daily prenatal vitamin to make sure she gets enough folic acid, iron, and calcium. Folic acid is especially important during the early weeks of pregnancy, when it plays a role in the healthy development of the neural tube (the structure that develops into the brain and spinal cord).

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Lifestyle Changes

Your teen's health care provider will talk about the lifestyle changes she'll have to make for the health of her baby, including:

not smoking (smoking while pregnant increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, low birth weight, and sudden infant death syndrome)
not drinking (alcohol causes mental and physical birth defects)
not using drugs (drugs are associated with pregnancy complications and fetal death)
not taking in more than 200 mg per day of caffeine (the amount in a 12-ounce cup of coffee)
eating right
getting enough rest
avoiding risky sexual behaviors (such as having unsafe sex)

If your daughter smokes or uses alcohol or other drugs, her health care provider can offer ways to help her quit.

Nutrition

Fast food, soft drinks, sweets — teen diets are notoriously unbalanced. Eating well greatly increases your teen's chances of having a healthy baby, so encourage her to maintain a well-balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain breads (use the U.S. Department of Agriculture's MyPlate as a guide).

Important nutrients include:

proteins (lean meat, fish, poultry, egg whites, beans, peanut butter, tofu)
calcium (milk and other dairy products)
iron (lean red meats, spinach, iron-fortified cereals)
folic acid (green leafy vegetables, beans, peas, fortified cereals)

Drinking plenty of water is essential, too.

Pregnancy is not the time for your daughter to go on a diet. When pregnant, some teens might be tempted to counter normal pregnancy weight gain by cutting calories or exercising excessively — both of which can seriously harm their babies.

If you suspect that your teen has an unhealthy preoccupation with her weight, talk to her health care provider.

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Exercise

If your teen was physically fit before getting pregnant and is not experiencing any pregnancy complications, her health care provider will probably encourage her to continue exercising.

Most women benefit from getting some exercise during pregnancy, although they might have to modify their activity. Low-impact exercises, such as walking and swimming, are best. Have your daughter discuss her exercise plans with her health care provider early on.

Stress

Most teens enter parenthood unprepared for the stress a new baby brings, and many experience frustration, resentment, and even anger toward their newborns — which may explain why teen parents are at higher risk for abusing and neglecting their babies.

You may want to talk with your teen's doctor to discuss ways you can help her manage her stress levels so that she can better cope with changes in her life. She also may want to spend some time with other parents of newborns to get a better sense of what caring for a baby involves.

Prenatal Classes

Your daughter's health care provider will probably recommend that she take classes on pregnancy, giving birth, and parenting. These classes (some of which are held just for teens) can help prepare her for the practical side of parenthood by teaching skills such as feeding, diapering, child safety, and other basic baby care techniques.

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Preparing for New Responsibilities

Many practical issues must be considered. Will your teen keep the baby or consider adoption? If she keeps it, will she raise the baby herself? Will she continue to go to school? Will the father be involved in the baby's life? Who will be financially responsible for the baby?

The answers to these questions often depend on the support your daughter receives. Some teens raise their child alone, some have the involvement of the baby's father, and some rely on their families for support.

As a parent, you need to think about your own level of involvement and commitment and discuss it with your teen. How much support — financial and otherwise — are you willing and able to offer? Will your daughter and her child live with you? Will you help pay for food, clothing, doctor visits, and necessary items like a car seat and stroller? Can you assist with childcare while your she's at school and/or work? A social worker or counselor can help you and your teen sort through some of these issues.

If at all possible, it's best for girls who are pregnant to finish school so they can get better jobs and create a better life for themselves and their babies. This is no easy task — 60% to 70% of all pregnant teens drop out of school. And going back after quitting is especially hard, so try to offer your daughter the support she needs to stay in school — both she and the baby will benefit. Check for school and community programs that offer special services for teen mothers, such as childcare, transportation, or tutoring.

Help your teen understand that as rewarding as having a child is, it isn't always fun — caring for a baby is a huge responsibility and a lifelong commitment. Prepare her for the reality that she won't have as much time for the things she used to do — that her life is about change and the baby will take priority.

As a parent, you can have a great impact on your teen's life and on her baby's. You may still wish that she had made different choices. But by supporting your daughter, making sure she gets good prenatal care, and listening as she shares her fears and anxieties, both of you may find that you're better parents in the long run.

Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD

Date reviewed: September 2016

Children Having Children

No. 31; Updated July 2017

Teenage pregnancy can be a crisis for the pregnant girl and her family. Common reactions include anger, guilt, and denial. If the father is young and involved, similar reactions can occur in his family. Babies born in the U.S. to teenage mothers are at risk for long-term problems in many major areas of life, including dropping out of school, health problems, incarceration, becoming teenage parents themselves, and underemployment. The teenage mothers themselves are also at risk for these problems.

All pregnant teenagers should have medical care beginning early in their pregnancy. Since approximately three quarters of teenage pregnancies are not planned, adolescents who become pregnant may not seek proper medical care during their pregnancy. This can lead to an increased risk for medical problems in the teen mother and her developing fetus. Pregnant teenagers require special understanding, medical care, and education -particularly about nutrition, infections, substance abuse, and complications of pregnancy. They also need to learn that using tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs can damage the developing fetus.

Pregnant teens can have many different emotional reactions:

some may not want their babies
others may view the creation of a child as an achievement and not recognize the serious responsibilities
some may keep a child to please another family member
some may want a baby to have someone to love but not understand the amount of care the baby needs
some may be depressed before getting pregnant or may develop depression
many do not realize that their adorable baby can also be demanding and sometimes irritating
some become overwhelmed by guilt, anxiety, and fears about the future

Raising a new baby is challenging for any parent. It can be especially difficult for young mothers who may be uncertain about their roles and responsibilities and may be frustrated by the constant demands of caretaking. Because of this, their babies are at risk for neglect and abuse.

Some teenage girls drop out of school to have their babies and do not return. In this way, pregnant teens lose the opportunity to learn skills necessary for employment and self-survival as adults. School classes in family life and sexual education, as well as clinics providing reproductive information and birth control to young people, can also help to prevent an unwanted pregnancy.

Parents of teenagers can help prevent teenage pregnancy or future pregnancy through open communication and by providing guidance to their children about sexuality, contraception, and the risks and responsibilities of sexual relationships and pregnancy. If pregnancy occurs, teenagers and their families deserve honest and sensitive counseling about options available to them, including abortion and adoption. Special support systems, including consultation with a child and adolescent psychiatrist when needed, should be available to help the teenager throughout the pregnancy, the birth, and the decision about whether to keep the infant or give him or her up for adoption. There may be times when the pregnant teenager's emotional reactions and mental state will require referral to a qualified mental health professional.

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Teenage pregnancies

Magnitude of the problem

Approximately 21 million pregnancies occur each year among girls aged 15-19 in developing countries, and approximately 12 million of them end in childbirth ¹ . At least 777,000 births in developing countries registered among adolescent girls under the age of 15 ² .

An estimated 11.6% decline in adolescent birth rates worldwide over the past 20 years ⁵ . At the same time, there are large differences in this indicator between regions. For example, the adolescent birth rate is 7.1 in the countries of East Asia, and in the countries of Central Africa it reaches 129.5 ⁵ .

There are also huge differences within regions. In 2018, the total adolescent birth rate in Southeast Asia was 33 ⁶ . At the same time, the value of this indicator fluctuated from 0.3 in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Republic to 83 in Bangladesh ⁵ .

Huge differences exist even within countries. For example, in Ethiopia, the total fertility rate ranges from 1.8 in Addis Ababa to 7.2 in the Somali region, with the proportion of women aged 15-19 years having a first birth ranging from 3% in Addis Ababa to 23% in Afar district ⁷ .

Although the adolescent birth rate is estimated to be declining worldwide, the actual number of adolescent births is not declining due to a large – and in some parts of the world increasing – the number of young women aged 15-19years ⁸ . The largest number of births occur in East Asia (95,153) and West Africa (70,423) ⁹

Overview

Teenage pregnancy is a global problem affecting high, middle and low income countries. Globally, however, teenage pregnancy is more likely to occur in marginalized populations and is often due to poverty, lack of education and employment opportunities ¹⁰ .

Several factors contribute to the occurrence of teenage pregnancies and births. In many societies, girls are forced to marry early and have children ^11,12,13 . In the least developed countries, at least 39% of girls go married before the age of 18, and 12% before the age of 15 ¹⁴ . In many places, girls choose to become pregnant due to limited educational or employment opportunities. In such societies, motherhood importance is attached to which marriage or union and childbearing may be the best limited option available ¹² .

Adolescents who would like to avoid pregnancy may be unable to do so due to lack of knowledge and misconceptions about where they can get contraceptives and how to use them15. Teenagers face barriers in access to contraceptives, including restrictive laws and policies regarding the provision of contraceptives based on age or marital status, biased attitudes by healthcare professionals and/or reluctance to recognize the sexual health needs of adolescents, and due to adolescents' own inability to access contraceptives as a result of lack of knowledge, lack of transportation and financial constraints. In addition, teenagers may not have the capacity or discretion to ensure the correct and consistent use of contraceptive methods. There are at least 10 million unwanted pregnancies among adolescent girls every year in developing countries aged 15-19years ¹ .

Another cause of unwanted pregnancies is sexual violence, which is widespread with over a third of girls in some countries reporting that their first sexual experience was coerced ¹⁶ .

Health implications

Early teenage pregnancy has serious health implications for teenage mothers and their children. Complications of pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death among girls aged 15-19years worldwide, with low- and middle-income countries accounting for 99% of the world's maternal deaths among women aged 15-49 ³ . Adolescent mothers (aged 10-19 years) are at higher risk of eclampsia, postpartum endometritis and systemic infections than women aged 20-24 years ⁴ . In addition, adolescent girls aged 15-19 experience approximately 3.9 million unsafe abortions each year, contributing to maternal mortality, morbidity and long-term ill health ¹ .

Childbirth at an early age increases the risk for both mothers and their newborns. Children born before age 20 are at higher risk of low birth weight, prematurity and severe neonatal illness ⁴ . In some countries, frequent pregnancy at a young age is of great concern, as it creates additional health risks for both mother and child ¹⁷ .

Socio-economic impact

Social consequences for unmarried pregnant adolescents may include stigmatization, social rejection or violence from partners, parents and peers. Girls who become pregnant before the age of 18 are more likely to experience marital or partner violence ¹⁶ . Pregnancy and childbirth during adolescence often causes girls to drop out of school. Although efforts are being made in a number of countries to allow them to return to work after the birth of a child, this may seriously limit their future educational and employment opportunities ¹⁹ .

WHO activities

In the early stages of achieving the Millennium Development Goals, prevention of teenage pregnancy and its associated mortality and morbidity, as well as prevention of HIV infection and HIV-related mortality among adolescents and young people, was not given sufficient attention due to presence of competing priorities ²⁰ . During this period, WHO collaborated with partners to raise awareness of adolescent issues, expand the body of evidence and the epidemiological basis for action, including the development of WHO guidance on the prevention of early pregnancy and adverse outcomes in adolescents in developing countries ²¹ , developing and testing program support tools, capacity building and pilot initiatives in a small but growing number of countries that recognize the need to address adolescent health concerns. As the world moves towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, adolescents are placed at the center of the global health and development agenda ²¹ .

While WHO continues its advocacy, evidence-gathering, tool development and capacity-building efforts, the focus is now on scaling up activities at the country level. WHO is working closely with partners within and outside the United Nations system to contribute to efforts around the world to prevent children from becoming wives and mothers. WHO's work is aimed at expanding the evidence base for action and supporting the use of evidence in well-designed and effectively implemented programs at the national and subnational levels. For example, WHO is collaborating closely with UNICEF, UNFPA and UN Women on a global program to accelerate action against child marriage ²² . WHO is also collaborating with the Family Planning 2020 global partnership, which aims to ensure that 120 million additional women and girls have access to contraception by 2020.

Nongovernmental organizations play a leading role in preventing teenage pregnancy in many countries carrying out bold and innovative projects. The number of successful national programs led by governments, for example in Chile, Ethiopia and the United Kingdom, is currently small but growing ²³ . These countries show what can be achieved with sound scientific knowledge combined with strong leadership, management and perseverance. They set an example and inspire other countries to urgently achieve realistic goals and take necessary actions.

Bibliography

(1) Darroch J, Woog V, Bankole A, Ashford LS. Adding it up: Costs and benefits of meeting the contraceptive needs of adolescents. New York: Guttmacher Institute; 2016.

(2) UNFPA. Girlhood, not motherhood: Preventing adolescent pregnancy. New York: UNFPA; 2015.

(3) Neal S, Matthews Z, Frost M, et al. Childbearing in adolescents aged 12–15 years in low resource countries: a neglected issue. New estimates from demographic and household surveys in 42 countries. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2012;91: 1114–18. Every Woman Every Child. The Global Strategy for Women`s, Children`s and Adolescents` Health (2016-2030). Geneva: Every Woman Every Child, 2015.

(4) WHO. Global health estimates 2015: deaths by cause, age, sex, by country and by region, 2000–2015. Geneva: WHO; 2016.

(5) Ganchimeg T, et al. Pregnancy and childbirth outcomes among adolescent mothers: a World Health Organization multicountry study. bjog. 2014;121(S Suppl 1):40-8.

(6) UN DESA, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2017 Revision, DVD Edition. New York: UN DESA; 2017 UNDESA, Population Division. World Population Prospects, the 2015 Revision (DVD edition). New York: UNDESA, Population Division, 2015.

(7) UNFPA. Adolescent pregnancy: A review of the evidence. New York: UNFPA, 2013.

(8) UN DESA, Statistics Division. SDG Indicators: Global Database. New York: UN DESA: 2017.

(9) Every Woman Every Child. The Global Strategy for Women`s, Children`s and Adolescents` Health (2016-2030). Geneva: Every Woman Every Child; 2015.

(10) UNICEF. Ending child marriage: Progress and prospects. New York: UNICEF, 2013

(11) WHO. Global and regional estimates on violence against women: Prevalence and health effects of intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence. Geneva: WHO; 2013.

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(15) WHO. Preventing early pregnancy and poor reproductive outcomes among adolescents in developing countries. Geneva: WHO; 2011.

(16) Raj A, Boehmer U. Girl child marriage and its association with national rates of HIV, maternal health, and infant mortality across 97 countries. Violence Against Women 2013;19(4).

(17) WHO. Making health services adolescent friendly: Developing national quality standards for adolescent friendly health services. Geneva: WHO; 2012.

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Pregnancy and childbirth in adolescence - Adolesmed

Every year, about 16 million women aged 15–19years of age give birth to children - they account for about 11% of all births in the world. 95% of these births occur in middle- and low-income countries. The average adolescent birth rate in middle-income countries is more than twice that of high-income countries, and five times higher in low-income countries.

Adolescent birth rate

in Eastern Europe and Central Asia

(number of live births per 1,000 women aged 15-19)

Source: Database TransMonEE http://www. transmonee.org/ 2014,

* World Bank database http :// data . worldbank . org / indicators

While rates of teenage pregnancy are declining globally, there are significant regional and national variances. Early pregnancy occurs more frequently among the poorest and least educated adolescents. For some of these girls, pregnancy and childbirth is an expected and desired event, but not for everyone.

Risks for mother and child

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), pregnancy, abortion and childbirth during adolescence are among the leading causes of maternal and child mortality worldwide. The probability of stillbirth and death of newborns in adolescent mothers is 1.5 times higher than in women aged 20–29 years.

Most adolescent girls are not yet physically developed enough for safe pregnancy and childbirth. In early adolescence, girls are still growing, and their pelvises do not reach the size of adult women's pelvises. As a result, there is a high probability of disruption of normal labor activity. During pregnancy, nutrient requirements increase, which, in turn, can lead to slower growth of the girl. Finally, even if a pregnant teenage girl is physically ready for pregnancy, she most often lacks social and emotional maturity. Often a young mother has a negative attitude towards her unborn child, she refuses to breastfeed her baby and cannot provide him with proper care.

Pregnancy and childbirth in women under 18–20 years of age often occur with complications such as early and late gestosis, miscarriage, the threat of spontaneous abortion (miscarriage), impaired uterine contractility during childbirth, the birth of underweight children, fetal hypoxia during pregnancy and childbirth. The complicated course of childbirth occurs in most young women in labor.

Pregnant teenage girls are more likely to smoke and drink alcohol than older women, which can lead to many problems for the baby after birth. Children born to teenage mothers are more likely to have low birth weight and more likely to experience health problems compared to children born to older mothers. Children of adolescent mothers often have an age delay in the development of psychomotor skills, a high level of diseases of the central nervous system.

Social consequences of pregnancy for the adolescent mother

Even if the birth ended without harm to the reproductive and somatic health of the young mother, the psychological and social consequences can be very undesirable. Pregnancy can leave a girl out of school and prevent her from continuing her education after giving birth, which can lead to long-term unemployment or limit opportunities for well-paid and decent work.

A pregnant teenage girl and a young mother often find themselves in a difficult life situation due to the partner's refusal to share responsibility for the child and the lack of support from parents and other loved ones. Unable to support themselves and their children, young mothers often leave their children in the care of the state.

Young mothers are more likely than older mothers to develop postpartum depression, and may experience mental health problems due to lack of support from family and friends, isolation from friends and family members, financial difficulties.

Most teenagers do not plan or expect pregnancy. Therefore, the very suspicion of a possible pregnancy can cause psychological shock. A girl may be faced with a difficult choice to keep or terminate the pregnancy, and this, with any decision, can lead to depression, and under the most unfavorable circumstances, suicide.

Pregnancy during adolescence can be the cause of an unplanned marriage. Often, persons entering into marriage as teenagers are characterized by a lower level of education, social status, and official position. Incomes in such families are low, and the families themselves often break up due to various reasons, including socio-economic ones.