An adolescent is capable of reproduction. However, the reproductive maturity is reached only when a teenager is fully developed physically and physiologically. In India, because of early marriage, there are large number of adolescents or teenage pregnancies. If pregnancy occurs before reaching complete reproductive maturity, girls may risk their own health and that of the fetus (developing embryo).
Risks involved in adolescent pregnancy are mentioned below —
- An adolescent mother is not mentally prepared for motherhood.
- An adolescent mother is likely to be anemic.
- An adolescent mother is more prone towards maternal death while giving birth.
- Infant death are more among teenage mothers.
- There is likelihood of developing complications during giving birth.
- The baby born from teenage mother requires greater care which the teenage mother may not be able to give.
- The reproductive tract may be damaged during childbirth.
- Early pregnancy and motherhood delays development of education and career of adolescent mother.
- There may be economic problems and also problems due to psychological immaturity of the adolescent mother. This may hamper proper care of the infant.
