06 Sep What Are the Health Risks of Teenage Pregnancy?
UNICEF noted that around 14% of adolescent girls and young women give birth before the age of 18 around the world in 2021.
Teenage pregnancy has a lot of effects not only on the young mother’s economic ability to provide for her baby but also on the health of both the child and the mother.
Some of the health risks teenage mothers face include eclampsia, systemic infections, and puerperal endometritis, according to the World Health Organization.
Health Risks of Teenage Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a vulnerable time for mothers. It can be even more complicated if the mother is not ready for it.
Here are some of the health risks of teenage pregnancy to the mother:
- Increases risk for premature babies
- Pregnancy-related high blood pressure
- Higher chance of being anemic
- Can take a toll on mental healthy
Meanwhile, health risks for babies from teenage mothers include:
- Low birth weight
- Can affect brain development
- Increased learning disabilities
- Higher risk of infant mortality
Visit Your Doctor
Visit your doctor to know your options for preventing teenage pregnancy. They might discuss birth control methods available that are best suited for your lifestyle and overall health status.
Read more about birth control methods here (link to birth control methods articles).
SOURCE:
https://www.healthline.com/health/adolescent-pregnancy#takeaway
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-pregnancy
https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-health/adolescent-health/