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Childbearing and childrearing among the very young.

1984; National Institutes of Health; Volume: 13; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

Miller Sh,

Reproductive Health and Technologies

The question of how younger teenagers differ from older ones in their abilities to bear and raise healthy children and deal with competing demands of being parents prompted the Research Center of the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) to initiate, in 1979, a longitudinal study of 12 to 15 year old mothers. Although the number of births to younger teenagers is quite small compared to older ones, younger teenagers experienced greater growth in fertility between 1950 and 1975. 200 mothers mostly blacks, from Chicago, Cleveland and Minneapolis/St. Paul, under the age of 16 at their 1st pregnancy were followed until their child was 2 years old. Information was obtained by long interviews. 13% reported initial positive reactions to their pregnancy; whites were more likely than blacks to consider adoption. Only 46% obtained prenatal care in the 1st trimester, but averaged more prenatal visits than older teenagers. The delivery-related outcomes for young adolescent mothers were poorer than those for older women in general. 16% of the babies had low birthweights. 16% did not go home from the hospital with their mothers. Most had medical problems like prematurity and jaundice. Although the younger teenagers were less likely to be using contraceptives prior to pregnancy, 75% were using them at the time of the 1st interview. By the 2nd interview 19% of the young mothrs were pregnant again. The incidence of repeat pregnancies was not significantly related to educational commitment. The very young mothers were more likely to agree that abortion wasright. The young mothers' most common source of information about childcare and development was their own mothers. At 18 months, the babies were found physically, socially and cognitively advanced, especially in social and self-help abilities. Fathers were typically 2 years older than the mothers. The younger mothers had high educational aspirations. The information indicates both similarities and differences between younger and older adolescent mothrs. Several programs for teenage parents have been designed, which meet the specific needs of younger adolescent parents, keeping the study results in mind. Many programs offer alternative schooling, medical care, individual counseling, educational classes and preemployment training.