Teenage Pregnancy? We are here to help
According to the American Pregnancy Association, teen pregnancy is defined as a pregnancy that occurs when a woman is under the age of 20. While going through a teen pregnancy is not the easiest, it is surely possible. It may come with a lot of negative consequences for both – the teen who is pregnant and the baby, but taking the right steps can help counteract them.
Young women who end up becoming victims of teenage pregnancy have to jump a lot of hurdles and are tested every day. Being a teenager is already difficult enough, a pregnancy and all the challenges that it comes with can make this age even more trying.
To make this experience easier for you, here are some of the common challenges that young girls face while experiencing teen pregnancies and how they can overcome them.
There are a lot of risks that come with having a child in the early teen years, even though women get the ability to give birth as soon they start menstruating. Some of them include:
- Preterm birth
- Anemia
- High blood pressure
- increased rate of infant mortality
To avoid these risks as much as possible, it is important that the pregnant teen:
- gets regular prenatal care
- takes prenatal vitamins to stay healthy during the pregnancy and also avoid birth defects
- avoid drugs, smoking, and alcohol
- use a condom if they are planning to engage in sex, in order to prevent sexually transmitted diseases that could affect the baby