Adolescent pregnancy and childbearing: New data, new challenges

A literature-based commentary considers 3 major consequences of adolescent childbearing: low birth weight, adolescent mothering, and the financial dependency of adolecent mothers. The incidence of infants weighing 2.5kg or less at birth increases with decreasing age from young adulthood to young adolescence, but this is related to maternal weight and height, and maternal weight gain during pregnancy. Studies also have found no relationship between adolescents maternal age and maternal mothering behavior. However, adolescent are less likely to teach skills to their youngsters during the later portion of the childs' first year of life. Financial support studies indicate that adolescent mothers enter the welfare system earlier and leave sooner than mothers over age 20 of similar socioeconomic backgrounds. Some of the urgent challengers presented by pregnant adolescents and adolescent mothers also are discussed. (wz)