According to Save the Children, every year women below the age of 20 give birth to 13 million children worldwide. In America, the teen birth and abortion rate is 55.6 and 30.2 per thousand births, respectively. Medline Plus indicates that there is an extra health risk associated with teenage pregnancy. The baby and mother are both at considerable risk since the body of a teenage girl is not always mature enough to handle pregnancy and the stress involved.
Risk to Fetus
A teen mother does not have the capability to adequately nourish the fetus. This is mainly due to the fact that metabolism in young girls is low. This poses a risk of giving birth to a low-weight or a premature baby. It is also possible that the baby could be born with underdeveloped internal organs.
Since the body of teenage girl is not completely matured, it may result in numerous complications while the child is being delivered. Complications like excess bleeding and inability to bear the labor procedure may occur. Even the caesarian section method of delivery may not be ideal for teenage mothers.
Social Negligence
The pressure from society can be very harsh on the health of a teenage mother. The World Health Organization has conducted studies reflecting the socioeconomic disadvantages related to teen pregnancy. The worst of the effects constitute lack of education and employment opportunities. It hampers the psychological balance of the mother and can lead to extreme consequences. Teen mothers are susceptible to unhealthy eating habits and addictions, like smoking and alcoholism. If the teenage mother is breastfeeding the infant, alcohol and nicotine content in her body is passed on to the infant through her milk. Even if breastfeeding is not being done, an infant may develop severe allergic reactions to cigarette smoke, putting the infant's life in danger.
Health Problems
Teenage pregnancy poses serious health problems both to the mother and to the child. At a tender age, the body is neither developed physically nor psychologically, to deliver. A teenage girl may succumb to intense pressure and pain during delivery, which her body may not be able to bear. On the other hand, lack of proper diet and addictive habits (alcoholism, drugs, smoking) in the mother may cause serious congenital defects in the baby. According to Medline Plus, teenage mothers who consume alcohol during pregnancy may deliver babies with congenital defects like improperly developed bone structure, facial abnormalities, mental retardation and organ deformities.
Emotional Consequences
A teenage mother has to undergo a lot of stress post pregnancy. This can be social, emotional or physical in nature. Some teenage mothers view the infant as unwanted and decide to abandon him. Some feel good about their motherhood but do not have enough maturity and experience to bring the child up properly. In extreme cases, there may be a tendency to commit suicide owing to the pressure a teenage pregnancy exerts on them.
