Teen mothers more likely to have premature babies

Early birth risk is more pronounced if 14 to 17-year-olds have a second child, the study found.

In a two-year study of 50,000 women in north-west England, it emerged younger mothers were more likely both to have a premature birth and a baby with low birth weight than women in their 20s.

The early birth risk increased for 14 to 17-year-olds having a second baby, the study found.

It monitored 3,636 mothers between 14 and 17 at the time of birth, 7,506 aged 18 or 19, and 45,211 who were between 20 and 29.

Under-17s were 21% more likely to have a premature baby, rising to 93% for their second baby.

With over one third of the teenage mothers coming from the most socially deprived areas, the study found teenage pregnancy rates rose with increasing social deprivation.

Professor Louise Kenny, a health research board clinician scientist and consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at Cork University Maternity Hospital, who led the study, said, “These results highlight the importance of ensuring pregnant teenagers have appropriate antenatal care.

“Moreover, a vital component of this care is post-natal contraception to prevent a second teenage pregnancy with potentially higher risks of adverse outcomes. A first pregnancy may be the first and only time a pregnant teenager interacts with health services and this opportunity should not be overlooked.”

Researcher Dr Ali Khashan, from University College Cork in Ireland, said “biological immaturity” could be the reason for the higher risk of premature birth in younger mothers.

He added: “It is also possible that the increased risk of poor pregnancy outcome in the second teenage pregnancy is related to numerous complicating factors such as greater social deprivation and less prenatal care.”

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