According to the March of Dimes, teens made up 10 percent of all women giving birth in 2007. Unfortunately, teenage pregnancy carries risks for both mother and baby. Some of the risk comes in the form of lifestyle choices, since teens are more likely to smoke and drink during their pregnancy than any other age group. Other risks involve the health of the mother herself and the adaptations that her growing teenage body must make to accommodate the growth of a baby.
Poor Prenatal Care
Pregnant teens tend to get less prenatal care or to start their prenatal care later than older women who are pregnant, explains the March of Dimes. Prenatal care can catch many of the potential problems of pregnancy before they become true medical issues, so this lack of care can potentially lead to less healthy mothers and babies.
Pregnancy Induced Hypertension
Pregnancy induced hypertension, sometimes called preeclampsia, is a dangerous complication that affects teenage pregnant women more than older pregnant women. Teens who develop preeclampsia may experience dangerously high blood pressure and the disease can eventually lead to organ damage, seizures, coma and death if left untreated, explains the Mayo Clinic. Treatment may involve bed rest or hospitalization, blood pressure lowering medication or early delivery of the baby via Cesarean section. Because teens are also less likely to receive adequate prenatal care, they may also be at risk for having their preeclampsia go untreated.
Preterm Labor
Preterm labor occurs when the mother-to-be starts labor, the process of contractions leading up to birth, before the 37th week of pregnancy. Pregnant teens under 20 years old tend to go into labor and give birth prematurely more often than older women. Between 2003 and 2005, 14.5 percent of teenage mothers gave birth prematurely, compared to 11.9 percent of pregnant women between 20 and 29, explains the March of Dimes. Preterm labor may be able to be halted or delayed long enough to administer medications that speed up the growth of the baby's lungs. Experiencing preterm labor makes it more likely that a woman will also go into labor prematurely during future pregnancies.
Anemia
Anemia, low levels of iron in the body, is another complication that can affect the health of a teenage mom-to-be. A pregnant teenager who is anemic may feel fatigued, weak or irritable. She may look pale and exhibit cold hands or feet, have headaches or experience chest pain or shortness of breath. Supplementation with iron may ease the effects of anemia.
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