“I'm pregnant?” Emergency department utilization by newly pregnant adolescents: A community-based study

Teen pregnancy and birth rates in the United States remain among the highest of industrialized nations, with approximately 25% of girls becoming pregnant before age 20 [1]. Early diagnosis of pregnancy in this age group is of utmost importance. Adolescents are at an increased risk for many complications during pregnancy such as high blood pressure, anemia, having low birthweight babies and premature birth, and adolescents also tend to have lower rates of prenatal care [2, 3]. Delayed or absence of prenatal care for pregnant adolescents has been shown to correlate with higher rates of preterm birth, increased infant mortality rates, and other adverse pregnancy outcomes [4, 5].
Source: The American Journal of Emergency Medicine - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Source Type: research