Teenage Pregnancy Summary Most teenage girls don’t plan to get pregnant, but many do. Teen pregnancies carry extra health risks to both the mother and the baby. Often, teens don’t get prenatal care soon enough, which can lead to problems later on. They have a higher risk for pregnancy-related high blood pressure and its complications. Risks for the baby include premature birth and a low birth weight. If you’re a pregnant teen, you can help yourself and your baby by Getting regular prenatal care Taking your prenatal vitamins for your health and to prevent some birth defects Avoiding smoking, alcohol, and drugs Using a condom, if you are having sex, to prevent sexually transmitted diseases that could hurt your baby National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Start Here About Teen Pregnancy Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Having a Baby (Especially for Teens) American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Having a Healthy Pregnancy Nemours Foundation Teenage Pregnancy American Academy of Pediatrics Men Becoming a Father Children’s Hospital Boston Related Issues Can a Girl Get Pregnant If She Has Sex during Her Period? Nemours Foundation Talking Back: What Teens Want Adults to Know about Teen Pregnancy National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy Teen Parents American Academy of Pediatrics Teen Pregnancy and Childbearing Department of Health and Human Services Teenage Pregnancy: Consider the Options Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Telling Parents You’re Pregnant Nemours Foundation Statistics and Research CDC Vital Signs: Preventing Pregnancies in Younger Teens Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC Vital Signs: Preventing Repeat Teen Births Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Characteristics of Pregnant Teen Substance Abuse Treatment Admissions Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Teen Birth Rates Drop, But Disparities Persist Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Teen Childbearing, Single Parenthood, and Father Involvement National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy Prevention and Risk Factors CDC Vital Signs: Preventing Teen Pregnancy Centers for Disease Control and Prevention MedlinePlus: Birth Control National Library of Medicine Ten Tips for Parents to Help Their Children Avoid Teen Pregnancy National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Pregnancy in Adolescence National Institutes of Health Find an Expert March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation National Institute of Child Health and Human Development National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Living With MedlinePlus: Pregnancy and Nutrition National Library of Medicine When Children Have Children American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry When Your Teen Is Having a Baby Nemours Foundation Diagnosis and Tests Pregnancy Tests Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health Journal Articles Teenage Pregnancy Symptoms Symptoms of Pregnancy: What Happens Right Away Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Array Teenage pregnancy Latest News Teen Birth Rate At Record Low in U.S. HealthDay Teen Moms May Ignore Advice for Helping Babies Sleep Safely HealthDay U.S. Teen Birth Rate Continues to Fall, Hits New Record Low HealthDay