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Unique needs of young pregnant women require special care
Poor prenatal health, postpartum depression and stress can all plague women during and after their pregnancy, but teenagers who become pregnant are especially at risk for these challenges, according to study results.
Dawn Kingston, RN, BSc, MSc, PhD, of the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada, and colleagues used the Canadian Maternity Experiences Survey to study differences in maternity experiences, knowledge and behaviors among 6,421 pregnant Canadian young women.
The researchers grouped the study cohort by age: 15 to 19 years (adolescent group); 20 to 24 years (young adult group); and 25 years and older (adult group).
“One of the most striking findings in this study was the high prevalence of physical abuse reported by adolescents. Our data indicate that physical abuse is a common experience among pregnant adolescents, they are likely to experience multiple forms of abuse, and that while most women who reported abuse indicated their partners were the source of abuse, adolescents also reported high rates of abuse by family members,” the researchers wrote.
Kingston and colleagues also reported that the women who became pregnant early in life were less likely to take folic acid supplements and were late in obtaining prenatal care. The women in the younger group were also more likely to be engaged in poor prenatal health behaviors, such as smoking cigarettes and using drugs. Although adolescents and young adults had fewer cesarean sections than adult women, they were less likely to breast-feed their infants. If they chose to breast-feed, it was for a shorter duration than their older counterparts.
In addition, the women in the younger group were more likely to experience postpartum depression and significant stress. Although adolescents reported that they felt their health was not optimal, both adolescents and young adults said they thought the health of their infant was suboptimal.
Kingston and colleagues concluded that this research demonstrates that specific needs of young pregnant women must be addressed for better health outcomes for themselves and their children.
Disclosure: Dr. Kingston reports no relevant financial disclosures.
