Got pregnant by a teenager. At what age can you get pregnant, and at what age should you do it? I have a boyfriend with whom we regularly have sex. Which contraceptive method is best for us?

Having a child is a great happiness for every person. It’s not for nothing that long-awaited babies are called the flowers of life. They are cherished, surrounded with care and love. It’s only when these “flowers of life” present a surprise in the form of early teenage pregnancy that parents simply fall into a stupor. What to do if your daughter becomes pregnant? Why is early motherhood dangerous? Will a schoolgirl be able to carry and give birth to a healthy child? You can find answers to all these and many other questions in our publication today.

Teenage pregnancy: relevance of the problem

Unfortunately, today the problem of early motherhood is at the peak of its relevance. One of the main causes of teenage pregnancy is lack of sex education. It may be absent altogether or may be incorrect. Parents do not always find time to devote it to their daughter and explain the dangers of sexual life in adolescence. In addition, there is virtually no sex education in educational institutions.

According to statistics, more than 40% of illegitimate children are born to teenagers. Every year, about 10 thousand cases of young pregnancy are recorded. Pregnant teenage girls represent 10-15% of the total number of expectant mothers. And these are not only children from disadvantaged families. Today, cases of early pregnancy are also relevant for quite prosperous, wealthy families. Psychologists attribute this to the fact that teenagers often experience a lack of attention from their parents or want to stand out from the crowd in this way and prove something to others.

We emphasize that today the average age of teenage pregnancy is 15-16 years. Moreover, about 90% of young people by the age of 20 have sexual experience in extramarital relationships. This is facilitated by alcohol, erotic advertising, as well as the desire to stand out inherent in young age.

Of course, the main reason for teenage pregnancy is simple ignorance of the rules of contraception. Children are afraid and embarrassed to buy condoms at the pharmacy, and they don’t even think about going to the doctor for recommendations on contraception.

It should be noted that in our society the problem of violence in adolescence is also relevant. As a result of this horrific situation, girls often become pregnant. This fact is often influenced by an unfavorable family atmosphere. Neglected teenagers often look for care and love on the side.

We should not lose sight of the socio-economic side of the problem. According to statistics, a large percentage of such situations occur in our country due to the possibility of receiving financial benefits after the birth of a child.

Based on the foregoing, we can conclude that teenage pregnancy and its consequences are a pressing problem for our country. Therefore, it is very important to pay due attention to your children and do not hesitate to tell them about the consequences and complications of conceiving a child in adolescence. We'll talk about this topic in more detail later.

What are the dangers of teenage pregnancy: complications

First of all, you should understand that adolescence begins at about 10 years old and lasts until 18 years old. Pregnancy that occurs between the ages of 13 and 16 is called teenage pregnancy. Unfortunately, expecting a child at such a young age poses a threat not only to the development of the fetus, but also to the young mother.

It is no secret that during the period of gestation the mother's body experiences multiple changes and restructuring. The physical immaturity of a young mother is fraught with the development of many complications in her health.

The main destructive actions for the health of a teenager are as follows:

Unpreparedness of the body to fully bear a child. While pregnant, a young mother is forced to “share” calcium with the developing child inside. Hence the lack of the element and, as a consequence, a disturbance in the structure of the girl’s bones.
Negative effect on internal organs. The growing fetus puts pressure on organs located near the uterus. Due to the fact that a teenager’s body is just developing, such pressure can lead to deformation of some organs.
Risk of miscarriage. Often this situation occurs when there is a lack of nutrients in the body of a young mother. There is a high probability of uterine rupture, toxicosis, and placental insufficiency.
Death during childbirth. Unfortunately, such an outcome is not excluded, since a teenager’s body cannot always cope with such a load, especially if delivery is accompanied by complications.
Infertility. Abortion is a decision that pregnant teenagers often make. And this leads to further infertility and a number of other diseases of the girl’s reproductive system.

Teenage pregnancy: features

As we have already found out, the main feature of early motherhood is the physical immaturity of the teenage girl. In addition, a young mother needs to take calcium supplements and follow a nutritious diet, otherwise the risk of losing the fetus and becoming the owner of many “sores” is very high.

It should be noted that in young girls the figure is not fully formed, so the pelvic bones are not expanded enough. And this poses a serious threat to the birth of a child naturally. Underdevelopment of the uterus in teenage girls often leads to spontaneous abortion.

Let us remind you that the hormonal levels in girls under 20 years old are still unstable. Lack of progesterone can lead to the development of hypoxia - oxygen starvation of the fetus. That is why teenage pregnancy is managed by several specialists. Typically, young mothers are observed in the hospital at least three times during the entire pregnancy, and by 36 weeks they are sent to the maternity hospital, since at this age births can occur prematurely.

And of course, the peculiarity of such a pregnancy lies in the psychological unpreparedness of the teenager to become a mother and raise a baby. Very often, schoolgirls abandon their child in the maternity hospital, after which they become depressed, withdrawn and unsociable. Those girls who decide to continue the pregnancy and raise the baby after birth need serious psychological support not only from their parents, but also from professional psychotherapists.

Teenage pregnancy: what to do?

This question is asked not only by teenagers faced with early pregnancy, but also by their parents. Of course, the first step in this situation should be to seek help from a gynecologist. This specialist will help you make the right decision.

It is no secret that many parents consider artificial termination of pregnancy the only way out of this situation. For some indications, a doctor can prescribe an abortion. As a rule, this operation is performed early in pregnancy to avoid complications. But abortion is always a risk to the mother's health. Very often, after an artificial termination of pregnancy, girls' menstrual cycle is disrupted and serious hormonal imbalances occur, causing the development of infertility.

Sometimes during an abortion the mouths of the fallopian tubes are injured and adhesions occur. After such an operation, a teenage girl may face serious disorders in the endocrine, nervous, and immune systems. In addition, artificial termination of pregnancy is always accompanied by psychological trauma. If you do not want your child to suffer from psychosis, neurosis and other mental disorders, then try to avoid an abortion.

As for childbirth in adolescence, it can also be accompanied by serious complications, for which the young mother should be prepared. Usually, during early pregnancy, expectant mothers suffer from severe toxicosis, anemia, and hypertension. During childbirth, there is a high risk of perineal or cervical rupture. A child may be born with low weight and problems with mental and physical development.

The consequences of early pregnancy are:

Changes in lifestyle. People around will look at a pregnant teenage girl with condemnation. And these are unnecessary and unnecessary experiences for the expectant mother. Communication with peers will no longer be the same as before. During this period, it is very important that the girl feels supported by people close to her.
Psychological trauma. Unpreparedness for the birth of a child, fear of childbirth and condemnation from classmates often cause the development of psychosis and depression in young mothers. The participation of parents in this situation is simply necessary, otherwise mental problems in the child cannot be avoided.
The guy's betrayal. Not all young guys behave decently when they learn about their girlfriend’s pregnancy. Often they pretend that this does not concern them at all. As a result, the young mother is left with the problem alone. The unstable psyche of a teenager is very unpredictable, so support from parents and psychologists must be present.
The problem of financial security. Often a young mother raises and raises a child alone, without financial help from the child’s father. In such a situation, one has to rely only on the help of the state and relatives.
Irresponsibility. Due to the fragile psyche and lack of life experience among adolescents, children of young mothers do not receive proper care, attention, and affection. Often a girl takes out her anger and resentment for her “wrong” life on the child.

Of course, not all teenage pregnancies occur with complications and are fraught with such consequences. Everything can end quite well. The main thing is to approach this issue responsibly. The support of relatives and proper management of pregnancy by a doctor will help you carry, give birth and raise a healthy child. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not scold the young mother, but try to find the right way out of this situation.

Take care and love your children, regardless of the circumstances!

Especially for - Nadezhda Vitvitskaya

Perhaps every girl at least once in her life imagined a fairy tale in which she would play the leading role of a young, light, charming and carefree heroine. Each pictured a future for themselves, devoid of dark spots and dramas, full of events, accomplishments: studies, dates, parties, first love, wedding, and so on.

What a pity that not all girls will have these dreams come true. Due to their naivety, gullibility or ignorance, and perhaps life circumstances and the situation in the family, many girls find themselves faced with the completely non-child problem of teenage pregnancy.

Teenage pregnancy, but adult consequences

Adolescence itself is full of contradictions and uncertainty. On the one hand, the child is already completely independent and can be responsible for his actions, but on the other hand, they are still children who require care and tutelage from adults, their advice and support, and most importantly, understanding.

According to literary sources, teenage pregnancy occurs if the expectant mother is between 13 and 18 years old. Risk factors in this case are not only the physiological characteristics of a still fragile organism, but also socio-economic and psychological unpreparedness for motherhood.

Teenage pregnancy is perceived and valued differently in developing countries with low levels of education and strong religious beliefs. Unlike developed countries, there is no problem of early pregnancy here, since teenage girls become pregnant within the framework of marriage. Accordingly, they are not subject to criticism or any censure from the public, and they themselves perceive their motherhood differently, more maturely.

As for developed countries, the situation here is completely opposite. Most often, underage mothers are not married, do not receive an education, and cannot provide a decent life for themselves or their baby. In addition, they are attacked and condemned at almost all levels of the social environment, with the exception of special services designed to help teenagers cope with such a difficult burden as early pregnancy and motherhood. It turns out that the teenage girl is left alone with her situation against the whole world. In this case, it is not surprising that in cases of teenage pregnancy there are so many abortions or abandonment of newborn babies.

What are the causes of early pregnancy?

Like any process, teenage pregnancy has its causes and consequences. The essence of the problem is that a teenager often does not have reliable information regarding the proper organization of sexual life and contraception, on the one hand, and on the other, there is a lack of openness and acceptance in relations with parents.

In the specialized literature on developmental psychology and pedagogy, there is information that early pregnancy among girls aged 14 to 17 years is mainly associated with a lack of information and carelessness. As for pregnancy in girls under 14 years of age, the circumstances here are more serious, because most often it is violence or seduction by adults.

The reasons for early pregnancy are several factors:

Information ignorance

The problem of lack of information both about the characteristics of the teenage body and sexual life, and about measures to protect against unwanted pregnancy and infectious diseases is, perhaps, the main and priority one.

This raises the age-old question of who bears the responsibility for educating teenagers about the sensitive issues of puberty and sexual hygiene. On the one hand, a child is raised in a family that should be interested in the harmonious development of its child and his health. On the other hand, at the age of 6–7 years, parents share the educational function with the educational institution, and issues of information and prevention of early sexual activity and its consequences become the prerogative of the school.

In reality, everything is even worse: parents believe that there is no need to talk with their child about these sensitive and embarrassing topics, that the child himself will learn about everything one way or another at school or from friends. And the school, having conducted a couple of classes on sex education, devoid of information content due to the complexity of the material with redundant terms and teacher mentoring, considers its duty to society fulfilled. As a result, while adults decide and argue about who should educate a teenager on all these issues, teenagers themselves are declaring their adulthood through early and unsafe sex.

Social factors

Another important reason is the unfavorable social and economic situation of a teenage girl. According to statistics provided by various literature sources, high rates of teenage pregnancy are typical for underdeveloped and economically bankrupt countries. Often, the birth of a child becomes a source of income for the family through benefits.

The desire to become an adult

The next reason is the sexual liberation of adolescents. Magazines, talk shows, and the Internet are literally flooded with images of seductive and confident women, who often become objects of imitation and identification for teenage girls. They want to be adults. It seems to them that they are already adults and independent, they can make decisions themselves and be responsible for them. The latter is where the problem most often arises.

Her friends will sympathize, love, with rare exceptions, will disappear somewhere, and the girl will be left alone with reality, with parental anger, with her fears and with responsibility for a new life.

Teenage sex is a rebellion, proof of maturity and/or love, risk and prestige in the eyes of peers, this is the very same independent decision. Unfortunately, quite often it leads to serious consequences, such as pregnancy. This is where the problem with responsibility for one’s actions arises, the awareness of helplessness and insecurity, unpreparedness comes. Her friends will sympathize, love, with rare exceptions, will disappear somewhere, and the girl will be left alone with reality, with parental anger, with her fears and with responsibility for a new life.

This is not all, but only the main reasons why very often girls rush into sex like into a pool, and quite often drown in this pool.

No mutual understanding in the family

There is perhaps one more, very important point on which I would like to dwell in more detail. The fact is that often a teenage girl is pushed into intimacy by the lack of emotional closeness in the family, the lack of a feeling of acceptance and love from significant adults. Often in such cases, a child at all ages feels the need to do something for which he will be loved. The logic comes down to the fact that a growing person believes that love must either be earned or proven, otherwise he will be abandoned, rejected, and not loved. Therefore, with age, this pattern of behavior is transferred to significant people in the environment, to friends or the object of teenage love. The problem does not end there, the person will grow up, but his pattern, the principle of building relationships with people will remain the same.

As you can see, the problems of teenage pregnancy are multidisciplinary, multidisciplinary and concern not only various aspects of a person’s life, but also all age stages through which he passes.

Signs of pregnancy in a teenager

Most often, the clarification of the reasons begins after the occurrence of a precedent, and there are cases when its occurrence is detected with the first tremors of the baby. And this is again a factor in the extremely low awareness of the teenager himself and the parents’ perception of their child. Many parents do not even think about the possibility of their daughter having sex. In their minds, she is still a foolish child, a smart girl - a daughter immersed in studies and toys. Such a refusal to accept the natural development and maturation of their child often results in a shock for loving parents.

Therefore, it is better for both the girl and the parents to have information about the main signs of pregnancy in a teenager:

Perhaps the most common and well-known sign of pregnancy is menstrual delay. In the case of a teenage body, this sign is not as obvious and obvious as it seems at first glance. At a young age, the menstrual cycle is just beginning to establish itself and does not yet have such a clear periodization as in a mature adult woman. Of course, if a teenage girl is over 15 years old, then her cycle is already quite established and a delay is a clear signal of pregnancy.
The next most obvious sign is causeless nausea and vomiting. However, there are pitfalls here too. The fact is that toxicosis is not always a companion to the onset of pregnancy. Quite often it occurs in the second half and becomes not a sign, but a companion to the period of bearing a child.
Disgust is another matter. Such a reaction to previously favorite dishes is quite suitable as a diagnostic sign of pregnancy.
Another point is breast swelling and the appearance of pain in the nipple area.
Increased urge to urinate.
Change in general well-being. Severe drowsiness and lethargy.
You should also add such a moment as a change in psycho-emotional state. Under the influence of hormonal changes during pregnancy, mood swings, tearfulness, hysteria and increased irritability are often observed.

In order to verify the presence or absence of pregnancy, it makes sense to purchase it at the pharmacy and take a pregnancy test. If the test result is positive, as well as if the above signs of pregnancy appear in a teenager, you should immediately consult a gynecologist.

Article on the topic:Signs of pregnancy

Teenage pregnancy itself is associated with a large number of risks, both for the girl herself and for the baby she is carrying, and they are most often associated with the immaturity of the teenage body.

For pregnant teenage girls, there are two possible outcomes: childbirth or abortion. In both cases, the consequences can be serious and even fatal.

Often, due to the pressure exerted by parents, teachers and peers, artificial termination of an unwanted pregnancy becomes the only way out in the eyes of a teenage girl. There are often cases when parents themselves push their daughter to take this risky step. In an effort to protect her from possible problems in the future, they, without knowing it, contribute to the emergence of these problems. After all, abortion is fraught not only with enormous stress, but also with very serious physiological disorders:

First of all, there is a risk of injury and puncture of the uterine wall, as well as the mouths of the fallopian tubes. As a result of such damage, the formation of adhesions and scars is possible, which can subsequently lead to infertility. In addition, there is a high risk that during an abortion, part of the fertilized egg will remain in the uterus. All these side effects are associated with the immaturity and immaturity of the teenage reproductive system;
The next problem is disruption of the menstrual cycle for a long time. If in an adult sexually mature woman the cycle after childbirth or termination of pregnancy is restored in approximately 3 - 4 months, then in the case of adolescents this process can take up to 1.5 - 2 years;
There is also a risk of an inflammatory process in the internal genital organs, which can subsequently also lead to the inability to have children;
It is possible to develop systemic disorders of the central nervous system and endocrine system, as a consequence of a sharp decrease in the body’s immune function and hormonal metabolism;
With this option for solving teenage pregnancy, there is a high probability that in the future the girl will face the problem of miscarriage;
In addition, it is necessary to take into account the impact of stress associated with experiencing the fact of pregnancy and the decision to have an abortion on the adolescent’s psyche. Such a shock will undoubtedly remain with the girl for the rest of her life in the form of psychological trauma, which can result in serious mental disorders of a neurotic and even psychotic nature.

If the girl and her family manage to overcome the first impulse and approach the issue judiciously, most often the decision is made to give birth. This path is also a priority from a medical point of view. However, even in this case, the expectant mother faces risks and certain problems of early pregnancy:

As a rule, pregnant teenage girls have a rather difficult time with pregnancy, which is accompanied by obvious toxicosis, acute iron deficiency, high blood pressure and poor weight gain;
At such a young age, not every girl can give birth on her own, so the percentage of births by cesarean section is high;
Often teenage pregnancy is fraught with placental pathology (placenta percreta, placental insufficiency, etc.), miscarriages and premature birth;
It happens that, due to the immaturity of their bodies, teenage mothers give birth to low-weight children with delays in physical and mental development;
Another critical issue for pregnant teens is the birth process itself. Often, delivery is difficult and is accompanied by complications such as ruptures of the perineum and cervix, and bleeding.

Unfortunately, the problems of a pregnant girl are not limited to the severity of the process of carrying a child and bringing it into the world.

After the birth of the baby, the young mother will face difficulties in breastfeeding. They are determined by the same circumstances: physical and mental. On the one hand, due to her age and physical development, a teenage girl often does not have milk to feed her newborn baby. On the other hand, she has no motivation for this process. After all, a newborn child is more a source of problems and negative emotions for her than a long-awaited gift of fate.

The next problematic aspect is the child himself. After all, he requires attention, care and education from the young mother, which she herself sorely lacks. Therefore, the girl’s parents often take on this mission. Often, but not always. In recent years, early pregnancy and its outcome are increasingly becoming a headache for the teenager himself.

As a consequence, a third problem area arises, the social status of the teenage mother. Without support and help from her family, she is simply not able to financially provide for herself and her child, get an education and a qualified well-paid job in the future.

In order not to encounter the problem of teenage pregnancy and not to solve the problems arising from it in the future, it makes sense to take preventive measures.

First of all, the prevention of teenage pregnancy consists of increasing the level of awareness among adolescents regarding the safety of sexual life, the physiological characteristics of their body and contraceptive measures. The leading role in this process is played by the relationship between parents and child, which should be built on mutual trust and respect. Imposing one's will and stereotypes on the part of parents is often ineffective and leads only to nominal obedience and hidden internal rebellion. Avoiding any topics in conversations most often pushes a teenager to go to the Internet and girlfriends for more information. The information received in this way is not always correctly perceived; more often than not, it only aggravates the teenage girl’s distorted ideas about the sacraments of adult intimate life. Parents will make their life much easier and protect their child if they are open to dialogue on any topic of interest to the teenager. Even if the child does not initiate this type of conversation, parents should raise this topic on their own and explain to their child that they are always open to dialogue.

The next level of teenage pregnancy prevention is without a doubt the institute of education. The school needs to take a responsible approach to the issue of sex education for students and reconsider the current state of affairs. Since the classes conducted in schools today and the presentation of information, to put it mildly, leave much to be desired. It is difficult to interest teenagers in abstruse, boring moral lectures or instruction-like activities. If you present information more vividly, providing it with good presentations and illustrating life examples, teenagers will willingly join in the learning process and adjust their views on many “taboo issues.”

The most basic vector of information, both in the family and in educational institutions, should be measures and rules of contraception, and not calls for chastity. Lack of knowledge about the means and methods of protection in intimate life leads to sad consequences, expressed not only in teenage pregnancy, but also in various sexually transmitted infectious diseases.

There is, perhaps, one more significant point in this issue. Since cases of pregnancy in adolescents due to violent or seductive actions on the part of adults, including family members, are not uncommon, children should be informed about how to identify these actions and where to go with this problem. It is very important that the child understands that he has somewhere to turn for help and find protection.

Summing up

The topic of teenage pregnancy will probably never cease to be relevant. Adults can set the vector of development and instill norms of behavior, but they are not able to turn back the wheel of progress.

The age at which teenagers become sexually active is getting younger, and many factors contribute to this. And, if getting information about sex is now easier than ever, finding support and understanding is becoming increasingly difficult.

Perhaps the most important thing for the harmonious development of a teenager and the successful formation of an adult and full-fledged person from him is the climate within the family, the openness of parents, their acceptance and care, support and love.

Teenage pregnancy has been a serious problem in recent decades. An unformed body is often unable to bear a healthy, full-fledged child, and childbirth is accompanied by many complications. To avoid serious consequences, girls need to remember about contraception. But the best solution would be to delay the onset of sexual activity until age 18.

Is it possible to get pregnant at 13 years old?

The main phase of puberty for girls occurs at the age of 11-13 years. It is during this period that, under the influence of hormonal changes, the mammary glands grow, the figure takes on a feminine shape, and menstruation begins. Around this time, teenagers experience their first loves, and some of them begin to have an active sex life.

Often, inexperience and lack of basic knowledge about contraception can lead to undesirable consequences. One of the leading queries from teenage girls in search engines is: “Is it possible to get pregnant at 13?” Parents, educators and sex education specialists should do everything possible to make this question sound different: “How to avoid getting pregnant at an early age?”

When can you get pregnant?

According to the laws of biology, pregnancy is possible only during reproductive age, which lasts from the moment of the first menstruation (menarche) until the onset of menopause (menopause).

The earliest pregnancy was recorded by doctors in a five-year-old girl with abnormalities in the development of the reproductive system, the latest - in an elderly woman in deep menopause. Despite the fact that these cases are rather exceptions to the rule, the vast majority of girls can become pregnant at the age of 12-15 years or earlier. However, even the absence of monthly bleeding is not a complete guarantee of safety.

The situation is aggravated by the fact that when the body’s physiological ability to conceive is formed, adolescents are not ready for motherhood, either physically or psychologically. That is why pregnancy before the age of 18 is considered early and extremely undesirable.

Pregnancy and childbirth at an early age

Unfortunately, teenage pregnancy is most often detected in the later stages, because girls hide their situation out of fear of relatives or are unaware of the changes occurring in the body for a long time.

Parents and girls should be alert to the following signs:

cessation of menstruation;
vomit;
mood swings;
changes in appetite;
the appearance of swelling, skin pigmentation;
swelling of the mammary glands;
weight gain for no apparent reason.

It has been established that early pregnancies are usually quite difficult. This is due to the fact that girls’ bodies undergo enormous physical and hormonal changes, requiring significant energy expenditure and the consumption of large amounts of nutrients. Conception becomes a shock for the reproductive system that is not fully formed and slows down the maturation process of the expectant mother. As a result, not only all systems of her body suffer, but also the growing fetus itself.

A significant proportion of such pregnancies end in early miscarriage or the birth of children with severe pathologies.

If a girl nevertheless decides to carry and give birth to a child, she needs to register with the antenatal clinic as early as possible for a full examination and constant monitoring by gynecologists and specialists. Ignoring their recommendations can end disastrously for both the mother and the child.

According to statistics, almost half of teenage pregnancies detected in late stages lead to the birth of babies with abnormalities and developmental defects due to the lack of timely completion of all necessary studies. In this case, it is no longer possible to have an abortion, and many mothers leave their disabled children in maternity hospitals.

Pregnancy during adolescence is often accompanied by the following complications:

Severe toxicosis.
Preeclampsia.
Placental insufficiency.
Fetal hypoxia.
Delayed fetal development.
The birth of a low birth weight child with various developmental disabilities.
Anemia.
Incommensurate load on the kidneys, heart, lungs and spine, leading to the occurrence of their pathologies.
Severe metabolic disorders.

The expectant mother will have to go to the hospital several times for a full examination and treatment. In most cases, it will not be possible to give birth naturally at 12-15 years of age due to a narrow pelvis and a high risk of tissue ruptures. The birth canal is not ready for a baby to pass through it, so there is a high risk of injury to newborns. This is why two thirds of early pregnancies are resolved by elective caesarean section.

Natural childbirth often occurs rapidly and is accompanied by early rupture of water. One of the most dangerous complications is hypotonic bleeding. Unfortunately, the percentage of mortality and disability among young women giving birth is twice as high as that of adult women. Among newborns, the likelihood of death due to asphyxia is high.

Consequences of early onset of sexual activity

Most conceptions among minors are interrupted in the early stages. Abortion has an extremely negative impact on the teenage body, leading to chronic diseases and infertility. In addition, early onset of sexual activity can contribute not only to unwanted pregnancy, but also to infection with dangerous sexually transmitted infections.

Don't forget about the psychological aspect of pregnancy at a young age. In the overwhelming majority of cases, girls who find themselves in difficult situations are left without support from their loved ones, and young people abandon them, afraid of responsibility, including criminal responsibility.

Teenagers who decide to give birth most often remain single mothers, unable to give their baby the necessary minimum of care and education. Their fragile psyche faces too many challenges, and motherhood does not bring happiness and becomes an unbearable burden.

The best contraception is abstinence

Very often, the pregnancy of a teenage daughter is the direct or indirect fault of her parents. Not only dysfunctional and single-parent families, where no one is involved in raising children, are at risk, but also families that are overly strict and conservative, in which there is a strict taboo on the topic of sex.

The lack of trusting relationships with loved ones and knowledge about their own bodies often push girls down the wrong path. The task of parents is not only to teach their children to protect themselves and take responsibility for their lives and health, but also to convey to them information about the dangers of early sexual relations.

The birth of a child is a responsible step for which you need to be prepared not only physically, but also mentally. Psychologists and doctors recommend thinking about motherhood at the age of 20-27, when the expectant mother has ideal health and has solid ground under her feet.

Teenagers should remember about contraception, so as not to wonder later whether it is possible to get pregnant and give birth at 13 years old. You should not shift the responsibility for buying condoms to your partner, because you will have to bear the consequences yourself.

The best solution and the only guarantee against unwanted pregnancy is a complete abstinence from sex until the age of 18. Life is beautiful even without sex in adolescence, because there is so much interesting in it: study, friends, creativity, travel. You shouldn’t give up all this for the sake of questionable relationships and risks to your own health and future.

The state of carrying a developing embryo and fetus by a minor teenage girl. Clinically, it manifests itself with the same symptoms as gestation in adults: absence of regular menstruation, causeless nausea and vomiting, changes in taste habits, engorgement of the mammary glands, hyperpigmentation of the areolas and nipples, weight gain, and increase in abdominal circumference. When making a diagnosis, data from a gynecological examination, pregnancy test results and ultrasound of the uterus are used. When a patient decides to keep the child, management tactics are aimed at timely identification and correction of complications, and selection of an appropriate method of delivery.

General information

Teenage pregnancy is not only a medical problem, but also a social one. In developed countries, its prevalence reaches 12 cases per 1,000 adolescents; in Russia this figure is 8-9 times higher. According to WHO, about 16 million girls aged 15-19 years give birth to children every year, which accounts for up to 11% of all births in the world. 95% of such cases are detected in countries with low and middle incomes. The level of teenage pregnancy is significantly influenced by national and religious traditions - in Islamic countries it is much less common. According to statistics, up to 30% of pregnancies in girls end in artificial termination, 14% in miscarriage, and 56% in childbirth. Two thirds of minors give birth outside of marriage. According to social status, 72% of patients study at school, vocational school or are housewives.

Causes of teenage pregnancy

Physiological opportunities for fertilization of an egg arise in a girl after the onset of her first menstruation (menarche). However, the real reasons for early pregnancy are not related to the biological, but to the social aspect. Provoking factors differ in different countries and are largely determined by the level of economic development, organization of education and medical care, local norms and traditions. According to experts in the field of obstetrics and gynecology, pregnancy in adolescence is facilitated by:

Insufficient sex education and awareness. Teenagers are not always fully aware of the consequences of unprotected sex, the need and rules of contraception. This is caused by the lack of targeted sex education programs for schoolchildren, the sanctimonious attitude of adults, and examples of an antisocial lifestyle led by parents.
Sexual liberation. 9 out of 10 girls have their first sexual experience before the age of 20. This is facilitated by the availability of low-alcohol drinks, narcotic substances, and pornographic materials. According to research, teenagers who watch TV shows and movies with sex scenes double their risk of early pregnancy.
Prejudice towards contraception. There is still a persistent stereotype in society that the use of male barrier contraceptives reduces the intensity of pleasure and affects the romanticism of relationships. As a result, some girls and young women, in fear of losing their partners, are embarrassed to approach them with a request for protection with condoms.
Sexual violence. About 10% of pregnant adolescents under 15 years of age report that their first sexual relationship was forced. Often, forced sex is caused by a girl being in an unfavorable social environment; much less often, it is an element of blackmail on the part of a partner who threatens to end the romantic relationship.
Poor socio-economic situation. This reason is one of the most significant for states with low income levels. For some teenagers, financial benefits at the birth of a child and social assistance allocated until the child reaches a certain age become a significant argument in favor of early motherhood, and sometimes the only source of income.

Some of these reasons are relevant for poor countries with high unemployment, inaccessibility of educational and medical services, and low incomes. However, the increase in the frequency of early pregnancy in developed countries indicates shortcomings in the implemented government policy and the lack of targeted efforts aimed at solving this problem.

Pathogenesis

Although in general the development of teenage pregnancy is based on the same mechanisms as usual, it has a number of features that affect the course of the gestational period and childbirth. First of all, these features are associated with the functional immaturity of the genital organs and endocrine regulation systems. During adolescence, pregnancy complications are more common, and the likelihood of injury during childbirth increases. The onset of gestation in a teenager leads to an acceleration of the processes of sexual and somatic maturation - the size of the bony pelvis increases to that typical for 16-18 year old girls, which, combined with sufficient hydrophilicity and elasticity of the ligamentous apparatus, makes the bone ring more pliable.

Classification

To predict the development and select the optimal tactics of support, it is advisable to systematize teenage pregnancy, taking into account a number of medical, physiological and social factors. Such a classification makes it possible to identify in advance the risks of the gestational period, prevent possible complications and determine the optimal option for delivery. The main criteria for systematizing teenage pregnancy are:

Menstrual age (MA). Taking into account the time of onset of menarche, groups of pregnant adolescents with menstrual age up to 1 year, 2 years, 3 years or more are distinguished. The lower the MV, the greater the likelihood of a pathological course of pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period.
Pregnant age. Girls under 9 years of age with accelerated sexual development are called “super-junior primiparas”, at the age of 9-15 years with incomplete puberty - “young primiparas”, at 15-18 years old - teenagers ready for the implementation of childbearing function.
Health status. Depending on the presence of concomitant pathology, categories of completely healthy pregnant teenagers, young pregnant women suffering from extragenital diseases, and teenage girls with complications of the gestational period are distinguished.
Circumstances of pregnancy. There are first-time girls with a desired pregnancy from prosperous and intact families, young pregnant women with an unwanted pregnancy from dysfunctional and single-parent families, and teenagers who became pregnant as a result of rape.

Symptoms of Teen Pregnancy

The key sign of the onset of gestation is the absence of regular periods, although girls with an unsteady monthly cycle may underestimate the significance of this symptom. Possible pregnancy is indicated by the appearance of causeless nausea and vomiting, changes in taste and food preferences, breast engorgement, and pain in the nipple-areolar area. As the uterus grows, the urge to urinate becomes more frequent, weight gain and an increase in abdominal circumference are observed. Teenage pregnancies are characterized by sudden, sharp mood swings with emotional lability, tearfulness, and hysterics. Often girls complain of unusual drowsiness, general weakness and fatigue.

Complications

Gestation and childbirth place increased stress on the immature teenage body. In addition, in recent years there has been a significant deterioration in the somatic and reproductive health of girls - up to 75-86% of adolescents suffer from chronic somatic diseases, from 10 to 15% have genital pathology that affects fertility. As a result, teenage pregnancy often has a complicated course. Pregnant minors are three times more likely to suffer from treatment-resistant anemia. Every second girl experiences preeclampsia, which manifests itself on average 12-14 days earlier and mostly has a moderate or severe course. Due to the presence of concomitant genital infections in the teenage age group, the likelihood of developing an ectopic pregnancy increases.

In pregnant girls of menstrual age 1-2 years, fetoplacental insufficiency with hypoxia, antenatal distress and delayed fetal development is more likely to develop. Insufficient secretion of steroids by the fetoplacental system leads to abnormalities in labor. With teenage pregnancy, the risk of spontaneous abortion and premature birth increases. Hypoglobulinemia and insufficient reserve potential of phagocytes provoke immune failure, which is manifested by an increase in infectious and inflammatory processes during the gestational and postpartum stages.

The course of labor directly depends on the menstrual age of the minor. With CF up to 1-2 years, anatomical or functional narrowing of the pelvis is observed in 50-66% of first-time mothers, breech presentation occurs more often, labor is complicated by spastic irregular contractions in the preliminary period, violent labor, primary weakness of labor forces, soft tissue trauma, hypotonic postpartum hemorrhage arising due to pathological attachment of the placenta. Girls with 3-year-old CF often give birth quickly or rapidly, they show signs of primary weakness or incoordination of labor, and there are ruptures in the birth canal, especially the perineum and cervix. After childbirth, postpartum endometritis, uterine subinvolution, hypogalactia and agalactia are detected twice as often in minor mothers.

Diagnostics

A feature of teenage pregnancy is its late diagnosis, due to the fact that up to 35-55% of girls do not suspect that they are carrying a child or hide it. Often, teenagers turn to an obstetrician-gynecologist only in the later stages, and 8-11% of underage pregnant women do not register at all. The “golden” standard for diagnosing the condition is based on identifying the same presumptive, probable and reliable signs as in the adult reproductive group. To definitively confirm pregnancy in a girl with delayed menstruation, the following is carried out:

Examination on the chair. Bimanual palpation determines enlargement of the uterus before the probable gestational age, softening of its isthmus, and increased mobility of the cervix. Examination in the mirrors allows you to identify possible signs of genital infection (inflammation of the vaginal mucosa, discharge from the cervical canal).
Pregnancy test. Laboratory diagnosis is based on the determination of human chorionic gonadotropin in the urine - a specific hormone that begins to be secreted from the time of implantation of the fertilized egg in the uterus. Modern inkjet tests are highly sensitive, and their reliability reaches 99%.
Ultrasound of the uterus. Sonographic examination is the most popular and accessible method that reliably confirms the fact of pregnancy in a teenager. Using ultrasound, the fetus, placenta, and membranes are detected in the uterine cavity. Regular screening allows you to dynamically monitor gestation, and fetometry allows you to assess fetal development.

To exclude possible infectious and inflammatory pathology of the genital organs, microscopy of a vaginal smear, bacteriological culture on nutrient media, TORCH complex, RIF, ELISA, and PCR diagnostics are performed. Subsequently, CTG is recommended for early detection of signs of fetoplacental insufficiency. Differential diagnosis is carried out with neoplasms of the abdominal cavity and pelvis, malformations of the uterus, hypothalamic-pituitary disorders, primary ovarian insufficiency, metabolic and endocrine disorders in diabetes mellitus, hypofunction and hyperfunction of the thyroid gland, and other diseases accompanied by amenorrhea. According to indications, the patient is counseled for adolescent

Pregnancy with natural delivery. The tactics for managing young primigravidas do not differ significantly from standard protocols and require timely correction of emerging complications. In more than 90% of cases, a teenage girl is able to give birth to a child on her own. Even with an anatomically narrow pelvis, a clinical discrepancy between the sizes of the fetal head and the maternal pelvis is observed in only 10% of patients, which is associated with the frequent occurrence of premature birth.

Pregnancy and caesarean section. The decision to operate in each case is made individually, and the patient’s young age should not be perceived as an obstacle to timely surgical intervention. Indications for surgical delivery in teenage women giving birth are the same as in adult women. A caesarean section is performed when anomalies of labor, clinically narrow pelvis, and signs of intrapartum fetal hypoxia are identified that are resistant to conservative therapy.

When caring for a girl carrying a child, an obstetrician-gynecologist pays attention to both the medical aspects of pregnancy and the correction of the patient’s lifestyle. Since representatives of the teenage age group often eat irregularly and unbalancedly, awareness-raising work is carried out on the importance of a rational diet and adherence to food intake. Particular attention is paid to discussing issues of smoking, drinking alcohol and drugs, preventing sexually transmitted infections, and psychoprophylactic preparation for the upcoming birth. Given the increased risk of complications during childbirth, pregnant adolescents are advised to be hospitalized in highly qualified obstetric hospitals at 37-39 weeks of gestation.

Prognosis and prevention

The prognosis for proper management of teenage pregnancy and the choice of the optimal method of delivery is favorable. The average duration of gestation in the adolescent group is shorter than in adults, averaging 37.9 weeks. Providing adequate medical support can significantly reduce the risks of possible complications. Preventive measures should be aimed at preventing the early onset of sexual activity, the use of contraceptives, targeted educational work with schoolchildren and especially girls at risk (living in asocial families, using alcohol and drugs).

An early pregnancy is one that occurs before the age of 18. This situation is very dangerous for the health of the girl and her unborn baby, because her body is not yet fully formed and continues to grow. The concept of “early pregnancy” arose not so long ago, since people used to become mothers when it was possible. But at that time, infant mortality was also high, which is why women sought to give birth as early as possible. Nowadays, teenage pregnancy is a very serious problem.

Causes of early pregnancy

Very often people discuss and turn away from very young mothers because they consider them too promiscuous. However, in this case there may be other reasons:

Rape. Unfortunately, today this happens quite often and in most cases is committed not by maniacs, but by men around the girl (sometimes even friends of the mother). Typically, rape can be caused by: the wrong social circle, late walks alone, an unfavorable home environment, or an unfortunate combination of circumstances;
Connection with “bad companies.” According to statistics, young ladies become pregnant after getting involved with the “wrong” people. To prevent this from happening, parents need to communicate with the child more often, pay more attention to him, and monitor who he is communicating with;
Lack of knowledge. Although today all such information is available to many, girls understand little about sexual issues. For example, they mistakenly think that it is impossible to conceive a child after the first sexual intercourse, and also do not always know how to use contraception;
Protest. It happens that a teenage girl is purposefully trying to get pregnant. This is usually due to the fact that she wants to assert herself, tries to tie her loved one, and protests against excessive parental care.

Consequences of early pregnancy

Every young girl should know the dangers of early pregnancy. But because of it, serious complications can occur:

hormonal disbalance;
delayed fetal development;
miscarriage;
risk of death of a pregnant woman during childbirth;
pathologies, anomalies or diseases in the newborn;
gestosis;
low weight of the child;
premature birth;
circulatory disorders;
risk of stillbirth;
placental insufficiency;
the struggle for calcium between the pregnant woman and the fetus.

Moreover, the younger the girl is, the more severe the consequences may appear.

Early pregnancy: what to do

To begin with, the expectant mother should decide whether she will give birth (by the way, termination of pregnancy is also very dangerous for the young body). So, if she decides to keep the child, then she needs careful medical monitoring and compliance with all medical recommendations. In addition, she will need to consult a psychologist.

Parents should convince the girl that she is not alone - this will relieve her of fears and possible negative consequences. For example, they can offer a partner birth (with a friend, sister, mother) to support her. A pregnant woman does not need negative emotions, so there is no need to sort things out if the future father does not want to participate in the fate of the newborn.

In addition, the teenager will need help not only during pregnancy, but also after the baby is born. As soon as the baby is born, the girl can continue her studies. She also needs to plan the day so that there is time for rest and personal matters.

To prevent early pregnancy, parents should tell their child about pregnancy, childbirth, contraception and how it all might end.