II. Epidemiology

  1. United States Teen Pregnancy rates have been decreasing for decades, but still remain high, especially among non-white cohorts
    1. Incidence: 158,000 teenage pregnancies (4%) of a total of 3.6 Million U.S. live births in 2020
    2. Contrast with 365,000 teenage pregnancies (9%) of 4 Million U.S. live births in 2010
    3. Non-White or hispanic Teenage Pregnancy rate is twice non-hispanic white rate
  2. U.S. Teen Birth Rate: 15.4 per 1,000 females age 15 to 18 years (2020)
    1. Decreasing from peak of 96 per1000 in 1957 (was 60 in 1990, 17.4 per 1000 females in 2018)
    2. However, rates vary widely throughout the country (from 6.1 in Massachusetts to 27.9 in Mississippi)
  3. Teen sexual intercourse Incidence has decreased and Contraception use has increased since the 1980s
    1. Between 2011 and 2015, of 15-17-year-olds, 31% of boys and 28% of girls had sexual intercourse.
    2. Contrast with 1988 when 60% of boys and 51% of girls reported sexual activity
    3. Up to 98% of girls reported Condom use

III. Causes: Inadequate Contraception use

  1. Majority of teenage pregnancies are unplanned
  2. Inconsistent Condom usage
    1. First intercourse: 50% of teenagers use Condoms
    2. Most recent intercourse: 78% Condom usage
  3. Teens conceive on OCP twice as often as adults
  4. Teens have poorer Maternal and Baby Health Outcomes
    1. Later Prenatal Care
    2. Poor nutrition
    3. Other lifestyle

IV. Complications: Maternal

  1. Late onset of Prenatal Care
  2. Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy
  3. Anemia
  4. Poor maternal weight gain
  5. Sexually Transmitted Infection
  6. Substance Abuse in Pregnancy
  7. Depression in Pregnancy and Postpartum Depression
  8. Operative delivery
  9. Intimate Partner Violence
  10. Socioeconomic adverse effects (esp. in the 20% with recurrent Teen Pregnancy)
    1. Decreased maternal level of education reached (50% will not complete high school by age 22, compared with 90% if nonpregnant)
    2. Financial dependence (including government support)

V. Complications: Newborn

  1. Preterm delivery
  2. Low birthweight infant
  3. Childhood behavioral disorder
  4. Increased infant mortality

VI. Management

  1. Provide easy access to perinatal care
  2. Repeatedly screen for high risk conditions
    1. Substance Abuse in Pregnancy
    2. Intimate Partner Violence
    3. Sexually Transmitted Infection (and expedited partner therapy)
    4. Depression in Pregnancy and Postpartum Depression (as well as other Mood Disorders)
    5. Anemia and other nutritional deficiency
    6. Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy
    7. Food insecurity
    8. Homelessness
  3. Expand support network
    1. Involve social workers and case managers
    2. Involve nutritionists as needed
    3. Family Home Visiting referral (e.g. NFP, HFA, MECSH) via local public health
    4. Doula
  4. Provide counseling regarding pregnancy options (termination, adoption, parenting)
  5. Schedule appointments and prenatal classes that allow patient to continue education and work
  6. Allow for drop-in availability for nurse visits and Telemedicine
  7. Coordinate postpartum visits with Well Child Visits
  8. Encourage Breast Feeding (facilitate Breast Pumps and other support)
  9. Ensure reliable Contraception after delivery (e.g. IUD, Contraceptive Implant)

VII. Resources

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Related Studies

Ontology: Pregnancy in Adolescence (C0032968)

Definition (MEDLINEPLUS)

Most teenage girls don't plan to get pregnant, but many do. Teen pregnancies carry extra health risks to both the mother and the baby. Often, teens don't get prenatal care soon enough, which can lead to problems later on. They have a higher risk for pregnancy-related high blood pressure and its complications. Risks for the baby include premature birth and a low birth weight.

If you're a pregnant teen, you can help yourself and your baby by

  • Getting regular prenatal care
  • Taking your prenatal vitamins for your health and to prevent some birth defects
  • Avoiding smoking, alcohol, and drugs
  • Using a condom, if you are having sex, to prevent sexually transmitted diseases that could hurt your baby
Definition (NCI) A pregnancy in an adolescent between the ages of thirteen and nineteen.
Definition (MSH) Pregnancy in human adolescent females under the age of 19.
Concepts Finding (T033)
MSH D011253
SnomedCT 138182006, 160851000, 237240001
English Adolescence, Pregnancy in, Adolescent Pregnancies, Adolescent Pregnancy, Pregnancies, Adolescent, Pregnancies, Teenage, Pregnancy, Adolescent, Pregnancy, Teenage, Teenage Pregnancies, Teenage Pregnancy, PREGN IN ADOLESCENCE, PREGN TEENAGE, TEENAGE PREGN, PREGN ADOLESCENT, ADOLESCENT PREGN, TEEN PREGN, Pregnancies, Teen, Teen Pregnancies, Teen Pregnancy, Pregnancy in Adolescence, adolescent pregnancy, adolescents pregnancy, teen pregnancy, teenage pregnancy, adolescent pregnancies, adolescence pregnancy, Pregnancy, Teen, Adolescent pregnancy, Teenage pregnancy, Teenage pregnancy (finding)
Swedish Tonårsgraviditet
Czech těhotenství mladistvých
Finnish Nuoren raskaus
French Grossesse de l'adolescente, Grossesse dans l'adolescence, Grossesse adolescente, Grossesse à l'adolescence
Russian BEREMENNOST' PODROSTKOV, BEREMENNOST' PODROSTKOVAIA, BEREMENNOST' U PODROSTKOV, БЕРЕМЕННОСТЬ ПОДРОСТКОВ, БЕРЕМЕННОСТЬ ПОДРОСТКОВАЯ, БЕРЕМЕННОСТЬ У ПОДРОСТКОВ
Japanese ティーンエージの妊娠, 妊娠-未成年者, 10代の妊娠, 青年期妊娠, 十代の妊娠, 妊娠-十代, 妊娠-青年期, 妊娠-思春期, 若者の妊娠, 思春期妊娠, 未成年者妊娠
Croatian TRUDNOĆA U MLADENAČKOJ DOBI
Polish Ciąża u nastolatek, Ciąża u dziewcząt, Ciąża w okresie dojrzewania
Italian Gravidanza dell'adolescente, Gravidanza in età adolescenziale, Gravidanza nell'adolescenza, Gravidanza in adolescenza
Spanish embarazo adolescente (hallazgo), embarazo adolescente, Embarazo en Adolescencia
German Adoleszentenschwangerschaft, Schwangerschaft bei Jugendlichen, Schwangerschaft im Jugendalter, Schwangerschaft, Adoleszenten-, Schwangerschaft, Teenager-, Teenager-Schwangerschaft
Dutch Tienerzwangerschap, Zwangerschap, tiener-
Portuguese Gravidez na Adolescência

Ontology: teenage mothers (C0237404)

Definition (PSY) Mothers aged 13-17 years. Consider also UNWED MOTHERS.
Concepts Family Group (T099)
English adolescent mothers, adolescents mother, mothers teenage, teenage mother, adolescents mothers, mother teenage, adolescent mother, teenage mothers, Adolescent Mothers, Teenage Mothers