If you are a teen faced with a pregnancy, there are several things to consider in order to make sure the entire process runs smoothly. Not only do you have your own health to consider, you also must make sure your baby is in good health. There might be several reasons your baby could have problems when it is born, including not getting adequate prenatal care.
Prenatal Care
There are several reasons you might not get proper and timely prenatal care. Being unsure if you are pregnant or trying to conceal your pregnancy from your family could prevent you from getting in to see your gynecologist. Prenatal care is important because it can detect certain problems with your pregnancy such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia and Rh negative factor. Gestational diabetes raises your blood glucose levels and can cause early delivery as well as an increase in infant birth weight. Preeclampsia can cause a dangerous rise in your blood pressure, which can be fatal for both you and your baby. Rh negative factor is a condition in which your blood can develop antibodies when mixed with your unborn baby's blood. Complications can include your baby developing hemolytic anemia or having brain damage, explains the American Pregnancy Association.
Poverty
It is expensive to raise a baby and many teen parents turn to welfare and state assistance to make ends meet. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unwanted Pregnancy estimates it costs taxpayers in upwards of $10.9 billion a year to cover the expense of babies born to teen parents. If you are pregnant teen, you are at high risk for your baby being born into poverty. Poverty can cause problems with getting the proper nutrition and adequate care throughout infancy and childhood. Up to 75 percent of teenage moms are on welfare within five years of the birth of their first child. If you don't have substantial support from the father through child support or your parents, you might have challenges finding ways to make ends meet for you and your baby.
Substance Abuse
If you are a pregnant teen and have struggled with substance abuse, it could cause problems for you and your baby. Some pregnant teens might turn to alcohol as a way to numb their pregnancy and their emotions or might be drinking at a party and not know they are pregnant. Alcohol abuse can cause several health problems for your baby while you are pregnant and permanently thereafter. One of the most dangerous is fetal alcohol syndrome, or FAS. With FAS, your baby can be born with abnormal facial features, mental retardation, behavior problems as well as vision and hearing problems. Alcohol consumed during pregnancy might cause low birth weight and birth defects with your baby. He also might be born having withdrawal symptoms from alcohol.
Living Environment
Having a poor living environment can cause problems for you and your baby. As a teenage parent, you might not find yourself living in a comfortable surrounding if your parents have kicked you out or you and the baby's father are trying to live independently. Stress levels can run high with a teenage pregnancy and if you are in an abusive home or an abusive relationship, you are at a high risk for delivering your baby too early. Stress also can play a factor in a poor living environment and put you at risk for depression and delivering a baby with a low birth weight. Your child should be nurtured in a safe, warm and comfortable living environment; failure to do so could put him at risk for injury and increase his risk for accidents.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Preeclampsia; Mayo Clinic Staff; April 21, 2011
- American Pregnancy Association: Rh Factor
- Intheknowzone.com: Teen Pregnancy Overview
- The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unwanted Pregnancy: The Public Costs of Teen Childbearing: Key Data
- MedlinePlus: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
- Baby Center: Managing Stress and Anxiety During Pregnancy
