Teenage Pregnancy
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Summary
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
Symptoms
- Symptoms of Pregnancy: What Happens Right Away (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Diagnosis and Tests
-
Pregnancy Test
(National Library of Medicine)
Also in Spanish
Prevention and Risk Factors
-
Birth Control: MedlinePlus Health Topic
(National Library of Medicine)
Also in Spanish
- CDC Vital Signs: Preventing Teen Pregnancy (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
- Ten Tips for Parents to Help Their Children Avoid Teen Pregnancy (National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy) - PDF
Living With
-
Pregnancy and Nutrition: MedlinePlus Health Topic
(National Library of Medicine)
Also in Spanish
- When Children Have Children (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) - PDF Also in Spanish
- When Your Teen Is Having a Baby (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Related Issues
- Can a Girl Get Pregnant If She Has Sex during Her Period? (Nemours Foundation)
- Talking Back: What Teens Want Adults to Know about Teen Pregnancy (National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy) - PDF
- Teen Parents (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
- Teen Pregnancy and Childbearing (Department of Health and Human Services)
- Teenage Pregnancy: Consider the Options (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- Telling Parents You're Pregnant (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Statistics and Research
- CDC Vital Signs: Preventing Pregnancies in Younger Teens (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
- CDC Vital Signs: Preventing Repeat Teen Births (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
- Characteristics of Pregnant Teen Substance Abuse Treatment Admissions (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF
- Reduced Disparities in Birth Rates Among Teens (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Teen Pregnancy in the United States (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Trends in Teen Pregnancy and Childbearing (Department of Health and Human Services)
Clinical Trials
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Pregnancy in Adolescence
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
Find an Expert
-
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
Also in Spanish
- March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation Also in Spanish
Men
- Becoming a Father (Children's Hospital Boston)
Patient Handouts
- Teenage pregnancy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish