Teenage Pregnancy

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Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Symptoms
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Prevention and Risk Factors

Learn More

• Living With
• Related Issues

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Research

• Statistics and Research
• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

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For You

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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 diseases that could hurt your baby

Start Here

• (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) Also in
• (Nemours Foundation) Also in
• (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in

Symptoms

• (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)

Diagnosis and Tests

• (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health) Also in

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Birth Control: FreeFacebookCredits2012 Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in
• (National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy) - PDF

Living With

• Pregnancy and Nutrition: FreeFacebookCredits2012 Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) - PDF Also in
• (Nemours Foundation) Also in

Related Issues

• (Nemours Foundation)
• (National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy) - PDF
• (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in
• (Department of Health and Human Services)
• (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• (Nemours Foundation) Also in

Statistics and Research

• (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in
• (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in
• (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF
• (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Clinical Trials

• (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Find an Expert

• (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in
• Also in

Men

• (Children's Hospital Boston)

Patient Handouts

• Teenage pregnancy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish