But what risks do teenage to-be mothers face? In fact, being a teenage mother is truly difficult, even compared to regular pregnancy. For example, teens are at a high risk of not getting appropriate prenatal care, as they are often afraid to tell their parents about pregnancy, and cannot afford prenatal care themselves. Pregnant teens often get high blood pressure, or pregnancy-induced hypertension, as well as preeclampsia–much more often than pregnant women who are in their 20s or 30s. Teens are also more likely to give birth to premature babies, meaning that the pregnancies do not last for the regular 40 weeks; also, teenage mothers are exposed to higher risks of having low-birth-weight babies (usually 1,500 to 2,500 grams, and sometimes even less). A very-low-birth-weight baby weighs less than 3.3 pounds. Among other risk factors for teen mothers are STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases), postpartum depression, and so on (WebMD).
Along with health problems, teenage mothers are usually less likely to finish high school, which decreases their chances to get adequate higher education, and then find a job to sustain themselves, and their child. It means, in its turn, that teenage mothers are more likely to live in poverty, be a single parent (and also divorce, if they get married to the father of their child). Also, since teenage pregnancy is often unwanted and unexpected, teenage mothers are often more likely to abuse or neglect their babies (Sutter County).