Care for Adolescent Pregnancy and Childbirth

In the 20th century, adolescent pregnancy is rising. The rise in adolescent pregnancy has been influenced by declining age at menarche, increased schooling, delay of marriage, inadequate contraception and poverty. Most of the adolescents face preterm labor, hypertensive disease, anemia, more severe forms of malaria, obstructed labor, poor maternal nutrition and poor breastfeeding. In many regions HIV infection is an important problem. The infants of adolescent mothers are more prone to low birth weight and increased neonatal mortality and morbidity. Antenatal care is often inadequate. Precisely, care of adolescents during labor does not vary much from care of older women. Most adolescents are not at increased risk during labor, although, they are more in need of empathic support. In general, care of pregnant adolescents should be adjusted to their specific needs.

Reference:

Treffers, P. E., Olukoya, A. A., Ferguson, B. J., & Liljestrand, J. (2001). Care for adolescent pregnancy and childbirth. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 75(2), 111-121.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1016/S0020-7292(01)00368-X/full