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Teenage Pregnancy | Teen Pregnancy | MedlinePlus

️@medlineplus
️Mon Jul 19 1999

Also called: Adolescent pregnancy

Summary

Most teenage girls don't plan to get pregnant, but many do. Teen pregnancies carry extra health risks to both the mother and the baby. Often, teens don't get prenatal care soon enough, which can lead to problems later on. They have a higher risk for pregnancy-related high blood pressure and its complications. Risks for the baby include premature birth and a low birth weight.

If you're a pregnant teen, you can help yourself and your baby by:

Getting regular prenatal care
Taking your prenatal vitamins for your health and to prevent some birth defects
Avoiding smoking, alcohol, and drugs
Using a condom, if you are having sex, to prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs) that could hurt your baby. If you or your partner is allergic to latex, you can use polyurethane condoms.

Start Here

Symptoms of Pregnancy: What Happens First (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Pregnancy Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish

Birth Control: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish

Having a Baby (For Teens) (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
Pregnancy and Nutrition: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
When Your Teen Is Having a Baby (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

ClinicalTrials.gov: Pregnancy in Adolescence (National Institutes of Health)

Becoming a Father (Boston Children's Hospital)

Teenage pregnancy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish