Pregnant teenagers are less likely to access maternity care early.
In the UK, women can book an appointment directly with a
midwife or use a general practitioner as the first point of contact.
A number of factors contribute to late booking: the teenager not
realizing she is pregnant, attempts to conceal pregnancy, chaotic
lifestyle, and lack of social support. In addition, teenagers are
more likely to be recurrent non-attendees at antenatal clinics.