Health Effects of Adolescent Pregnancy: Implications for Social Workers

ABSTRACT: Adolescent pregnancy carries significant risks to the health of the pregnant adolescent and her child. These risks, which include pregnancy complications, low birth weight, and infant mortality, are due in large part to the behavior of the adolescent and her socioeconomic circumstances. Early and cumistent use of health care can min-imize risks by permitting the detection and management of serious problems. Human service professionals should use every opportunity to encourage good prenatal care, whik keeping in mind the dewelopmental and personal needs of the pregnant adolescent. OTH PROFESSIONALS and the public agree B that pregnancy is undesirable for adoles-cents. This consensus holds true even when adolescents are married, although the issue takes on additional controversy when the ado-lescent mother is not married, because of the public costs. Adolescent pregnancy carries many nega-tive consequences, such as reduced educational achievement and earnings potential for adoles