Programs to help teen mothers

The most commonly used and least expensive forms of contraception, oral contraceptives and condoms, have high failure rates due in large part to problems with adherence Trussell et al. Substance use further impairs proper adherence due to intoxication at time of use, forgetfulness, and lack of structure in lifestyle. Reduction of substance use is here considered an important target for contraceptive adherence, or for those not using contraceptives, for supporting self-efficacy in abstinence or limiting sexual activity to safe, committed partners with whom family planning has been fully addressed.

Increased use of long-acting methods that minimize risk of human error such as the intrauterine device IUD and hormone implants could play an important role in preventing pregnancy among substance users Winner et al.

One major barrier to using these longer term methods is the upfront out-of-pocket cost for uninsured or underinsured women despite the fact that they are significantly cost-effective over time. As lower-income women have higher rates of unintended pregnancy resulting in childbirth Finer and Zolna, , providing financial access to health care options including family planning and pregnancy prevention, substance use treatment when indicated, and prenatal care are especially important in a population that is more difficult to engage in comprehensive health care.

Unplanned pregnancy is a significant public health issue with rates being highest among adolescents. A main risk factor for unplanned pregnancy is alcohol and drug use. Adolescents are poorly trained to anticipate and recognize unplanned pregnancy. Fetal exposure to substances and late prenatal care may occur for many continuing to childbirth. It is recommended that primary care clinicians, including pediatricians and obstetrician-gynecologists, routinely screen adolescent patients for substance use.

It is recommended that substance abuse treatment centers incorporate contraception and family planning education into their comprehensive treatment programs. Motivational interviewing effectively engages substance using adolescents in treatments to reduce substance use, and may also enhance pregnancy prevention in high-risk youth.

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Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. National Center for Biotechnology Information , U. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am. Author manuscript; available in PMC Jun 1. Hilary S. Connery , M. Albright , M. Rodolico , Ph. Brittany B.

John M. Author information Copyright and License information Disclaimer. Connery, M. Copyright notice. See other articles in PMC that cite the published article.

Synopsis Substance use among adolescents increases the risk of unplanned pregnancies, which then increases the risk of fetal exposure to addictive, teratogenic substances.

Open in a separate window. Does MI reduce substance use in adolescents? Can MI reduce risk of unplanned teen pregnancy? Pregnancy diagnosed in the context of substance abuse treatment Women and teens with active substance use diagnosed with an unplanned pregnancy should be referred to an obstetrician for prenatal care and more intensive substance abuse counseling if the patient elects to continue her pregnancy. Figure 2.

Strategies to increase perceived risks of unplanned pregnancy and substance use. Footnotes Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication.

American Journal of Public Health. Institute of Medicine. In: Brown Sarah S. National Academy Press; Washington, D. Baydar N. Consequences for children of their birth planning status.

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Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. This tip sheet provides strategies for using both programs together to improve outcomes for pregnant and parenting youth in out-of-home care. Challenges, Benefits Found in Providing Home Visiting Services for Pregnant and Parenting Foster Youth Chapin Hall Presents the results of a study that shows adolescent parents in foster care needing additional support, and one way to provide this support is through community-based home visiting programs.

Outcomes from these interventions show positive effects in the areas of parent-child attachment, child and maternal health and development, parenting skills, and social support. Connecting the Dots: A Resource Guide for Meeting the Needs of Expectant and Parenting Youth, Their Children, and Their Families Center for the Study of Social Policy Offers information on interventions and services for expectant and parenting youth involved with the child welfare system to help improve parent and child well-being outcomes.

Casey Family Programs Examines challenges faced by child welfare agencies that are working with pregnant and parenting teens in foster care and discusses effective programs for this population that aim to ensure the healthy development of the teen parent and the child. The website includes information on what parents may be feeling, what teens may be feeling, and special considerations for pregnant teens.

Standards of care for teen parents and their children have not been established. Dr Hodgkinson drafted sections of the manuscript and arranged and edited contributions prepared by the coauthors; Drs Beers and Southammakosane drafted sections of the manuscript and reviewed and revised the manuscript; Dr Lewin drafted sections of the manuscript and critically reviewed and edited the manuscript; and all authors approved the final manuscript as submitted.

The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. National Center for Biotechnology Information , U. Author information Article notes Copyright and License information Disclaimer. Corresponding author. E-mail: gro. Accepted Aug This article has been cited by other articles in PMC. Abstract Adolescent parenthood is associated with a range of adverse outcomes for young mothers, including mental health problems such as depression, substance abuse, and posttraumatic stress disorder.

Keywords: teen pregnancy, teen parenting, mental health, mental health interventions. This is the 2nd in our series on Adolescent Health. Prevalence of Mental Health Concerns Among Teen Mothers In addition to navigating the developmental tasks of adolescence, teenage mothers must also adjust to the responsibilities and demands of parenting, often in the context of economic and social disadvantage.

Understanding the Relationship Between Teen Motherhood and Mental Health The direction of causality in the relationship between teen parenthood and mental health problems is complex and not elucidated by existing research. Mental Health and Parenting Behavior Abundant research links maternal depression and other forms of distress to impairments in parenting and to problem behavior in children.

Mental Health Interventions for Teen Mothers Mental health interventions targeting adolescent parents are limited. General Mental Health Interventions in the Medical Setting Mental health interventions for children and adolescents administered in the general medical setting are scarcely described in the literature; 1 study described mental health training for nurses in a practice over 4 months with additional ongoing supervision.

Pediatric Primary Care: The Teen—Tot Model The core component of the Teen—Tot model is the provision of comprehensive primary care for both teen parents and their children together in the medical home. Coparenting Two interventions to strengthen positive coparenting in teen parents have been developed and implemented collaboratively with health care providers.

Conclusions and Recommendations for Pediatric Providers The pediatric primary care setting is a universal, nonstigmatizing source of services to teen mothers and their children.

Footnotes Dr Hodgkinson drafted sections of the manuscript and arranged and edited contributions prepared by the coauthors; Drs Beers and Southammakosane drafted sections of the manuscript and reviewed and revised the manuscript; Dr Lewin drafted sections of the manuscript and critically reviewed and edited the manuscript; and all authors approved the final manuscript as submitted.

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