Pregnancy in adolescence has been linked with increased risks of mortality and life-threatening complications in young mothers and their newborn babies. New research suggests that biology alone does not explain the high incidence of these adverse outcomes.
In a Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology analysis of all relevant published studies, investigators found that African American race, rural residence, inadequate education, low socioeconomic status, unemployment, and lack of social support are associated with poor pregnancy outcomes in adolescent mothers.
The findings suggest that certain social determinants of health—conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age—may place subgroups of adolescent mothers at a high risk of poor pregnancy outcomes.
Source: Read Full Article