Pediatr Clin North Am. 2003
Aug;50(4):781-800, viii.
Adolescent pregnancy.
Elfenbein DS, Felice ME.
Department of Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts Medical
School, 55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester, MA 01655, USA. ElfenbeD@ummhc.org
Teen birth rates have decreased steadily over the past decade,
but the United States still has the highest birth rates among
all developed countries. Young women who give birth as
adolescents are likely to have poor school performance, and come
from families with low socioeconomic status, a history of teen
pregnancies, and low maternal education. The fathers of babies
who are born to teen mothers are likely to be unsuccessful in
school, have limited earnings, have high rates of substance use,
and have trouble with the law. Infants who are born to teen
mothers are at risk for low birth weight and physical neglect
and abuse; at school age, these children are more likely than
children born to adult women to have trouble with school
achievement, and they are at risk for becoming teen mothers or
fathers themselves. Programs that are successful in reducing
teen birthrates are usually multifactorial and combine
comprehensive sexuality education with youth development
activities; reduction in repeat pregnancies is associated with
home visits by nurses combined with long-acting contraceptive
use.
