The Skriker Actor Packet

Stacking the Odds Against Teen Moms
Pregnancy, childbirth, and caring for a newborn present an enormous amount of
stress and struggles even for the most prepared of couples. For young, single
parents without support systems, the financial cost, health risks, and emotional
changes of pregnancy and childbirth can be almost unbearable.
• Teen mothers are less likely to complete high
school (only one-third receive a high school
diploma) and more likely to end up on
welfare. Nearly 80% of unmarried teen
mothers end up on welfare.
• Teens are least likely of all maternal age
groups to get early and regular prenatal care.
• A teenage mother is at greater risk than
women over age 20 for pregnancy
complications such as premature labor,
anemia, high blood pressure.
• The children of teenage mothers have lower
birth weights, are more likely to perform
poorly in school, and are at a greater risk of
abuse and neglect.
• Babies of teenage mothers are more likely to die in the first year of life than
babies of women in their 20s and 30s.
• The sons of teen mothers are 13% more likely to end up in prison while teen
daughters are 22% more likely to become teen mothers themselves.
Facts and statistics from The March of Dime’s 2009 Teenage Pregnancy Fact Sheet as well as
from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy (NCPTP)’s Facts and Stats sheet.
http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/14332_1159.asp#head1_mothershealth
http://www.theodora.com/teddy/newyork/teenage.html
• A Cycle of Depression and Violence? According to recent studies, women
“who were themselves aggressive as teens were [found] more likely to get
depressed during pregnancy” (Bryner). It was also found that “teens born to
mothers that were depressed during pregnancy were four times more likely
than others to show violent [but not deviant behaviors like shoplifting, etc.]
behaviors by age 16” (Bryner). The study’s findings held true even when other
factors like like a mother’s anxiety/depression, health habits, smoking/drinking
prior to pregnancy were taken into account. Scientists are still trying to find out
what the link may be (Bryner).