Teenage birth rates in the United States exceed those in most developed countries, according to the March of Dimes. Teenage mothers have much higher risks for medical complications during pregnancy and are the least likely to seek out prenatal care. Complications such as sexually transmitted diseases, premature birth and overall poor health habits take their toll on the teenage mother and the unborn baby.
Premature Birth and Low-Birth Weight
Teenage mothers are at greater risk of having premature or low-birth weight babies, according to the March of Dimes. Babies born prematurely have immature organs, particularly the lungs. This can result in respiratory dysfunction and the need to place the baby on a ventilator. Premature and low birth-weight babies are subject to bleeding in the brain, vision loss and intestinal difficulties. The March of Dimes notes that very low-birth weight babies born to teens are 100 times more likely to die in their first year of life. Teens that did not gain adequate weight during their pregnancy were three times more likely to have a preterm birth. African-American teens are at greater risk of having low-birth weight babies than their white counterparts.
Risky Health Habits
Teens are more likely to have poor health habits. They eat poorly and frequently smoke, use drugs and alcohol and engage in unsafe sex. This puts infants at risk for infections, chemical dependence and poor intrauterine growth. The March of Dimes notes that teens are more likely to smoke than women over the age of 25 during pregnancy. Smoking is a known cause of premature birth, sudden infant death and placental problems. The risks of premature birth include respiratory problems, bleeding in the brain, vision loss and serious intestinal problems. Babies born to teens who use cocaine or methamphetamines go through serious withdrawal symptoms that include inability to be consoled, a high pitch, screaming cry and difficulty feeding.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Teens engage in unsafe sexual practices which puts them at high risk for sexually transmitted diseases, STDs. There are 19 million new cases of STDs in the United States yearly. Nine million of those cases are in people ages 15 to 24 according to the March of Dimes. Chlamydia infection can be transmitted to the baby during birth and cause serious eye infections and pneumonia. Syphilis can cause blindness and maternal or infant death. Gonorrhea can cause septic arthritis, blindness and meningitis and pneumonia in the newborn. HIV, the virus that causes AIDs can be transmitted through the placenta to the newborn.
