Culture

Parenting Styles

Authoritarian and disengaged parenting styles are found to be associated with higher chances of pregnancy by the age of 19 among males and females. An adolescent’s attitude toward parenting influences her parenting style
Developmentally immature adolescent mothers may put more of an effort into developing a relationship with their partners rather than focusing on the relationship with their child, increasing the risk of child neglect
Adolescent mothers are less likely to vocalize, touch, or smile at their infants. They tend to be less sensitive and accepting of infant behavior, and hold less realistic expectations for development
Adolescent mothers exhibit less anger when they have more social support than adolescent mothers with fewer social supports

Health and Wellness

Adolescent girls who are pregnant are at a higher risk of failing to receive proper prenatal care, especially if they don’t have support from their parents
Younger adolescent mothers are more likely to receive no prenatal care, or receive prenatal care only during the 3rd trimester
Medical complications associated with teen pregnancy include: poor maternal weight gain, anemia, pregnancy induced hypertension
Infants of adolescent mothers have a higher risk of prematurity, low birth weight, and developmental disabilities than offspring of older aged mothers
Teenagers have a higher chance of preterm birth, which may lead to further medical complications

Education

Only 50% of teen mothers graduate high school
Teenage parents often drop out of school because of stigmatization, isolation from peers, and lack of support from family, friends, schools, social service agencies, and other organizations
Reasons teenage mothers dropout of high school:
- They need to work and do not have time to balance work and school
- Embarrassment
- Unsupportive friends or staff
- Health issues
- Limited childcare options while mother is at school
- Teenage parents may not know their options (alternate programs)
Other options for teenage parents, but they may be unaware of:
- Individualized programs
- Online education
- Homeschool
- GED
Less than 2% of teenage mothers go on to get a college degree

Socioeconomic Status

80% of women who were pregnant as teenagers spend at least part of their life on welfare
Due to lack of education, teen mothers have less financial success and independence in life
Poverty for teenage mothers stems from the decreased chance of completing their high school education, which allows for fewer employment options
Teenagers living in poverty are more likely to become pregnant

Access to Childcare

Non-parental care is common in early childhood in the United States, but it is typically costly and has many advantages and disadvantages.
The average annual cost of full-time child care ranged from $3,550 to $18,750 in 2009
Research has found that child care is an important part of socialization that affects children’s development
There are some high schools with high teen pregnancy rates that offer daycare where teen parents can drop off their child during the school day to attend classes.
- Can communicate with guidance counselors to learn about this option.
Support groups for teenage pregnancy can be very beneficial to find reasonable daycare options during the school day.
If low-cost daycare or daycare through high school is not available, a teen parent can still find care for his or her child through traditional options including:
- Daycare center or facility
- In-home daycare provider
- Asking a friend or relative to babysit
- Hiring a nanny

Relationship Difficulties

Pregnancy and parenting can strain the relationships between teen parents.
According to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, eight out of 10 teen fathers do not marry the mother of their first child.
In comparison to people who did not have babies as teens, teen parents are significantly less likely to be married by the age of 35.
A range of factors, including issues of attachment and fear of abandonment, predict the health of relationships after the child is born.

Mental Health of the Mother

Researchers found that girls ranging from 15 to 19 experienced postpartum depression at a rate that was twice as high as women aged 25 and older.
Teen mothers face significant levels of stress that can then lead to increased mental health concerns.
- In addition to higher rates of postpartum depression, teenage mothers have higher rates of depression.
They also have higher rates of suicidal ideation than their peers who aren’t mothers. Teen mothers are more likely to experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than other teenage women, as well. This could be because teen moms are more likely to have gone through mental and/or physical abuse.
Common mental health conditions include:
- Baby blues: Experience mood swings, anxiety, sadness, overwhelm, difficulty concentrating, trouble eating, and difficulty sleeping for 1-2 weeks after giving birth.
- Depression: If a mom has a baby before 37 weeks or experiences complications, depression risks can increase.
- Postpartum depression: Involves more severe symptoms than baby blues and teen moms are twice as likely to experience this.
Additional symptoms of postpartum depression include:
- difficulty bonding with your baby
- overwhelming fatigue
- feeling worthless
- anxiety
- panic attacks
- thinking of harming yourself or your baby
- difficulty enjoying activities you once did
Risk factors that increase chances of mental illness include:
- having parents with low education levels
- a history of child abuse
- limited social networks
- living in chaotic and unstable home environments
- living in low-income communities

Stigmas

Adolescent pregnancy can have negative social and economic effects on the parents, their families, and communities.
Unmarried pregnant adolescents may face stigma or rejection by parents and/or peers and threats of violence.
If the teenage parent decides to drop out of school to care for their child, they may be rejected and thought of differently by their friends.
The teenage parents may be shamed by their church if their views are strongly against teenage pregnancy and are not understanding of the situation.