Your daughter is pregnant. Now what? (Or your son got a girl pregnant. Again, now what?) You had the sex talk with them, they allegedly paid attention during sex ed class, and still, this happened. You may be feeling a lot of things right now, but what’s done is done — and you need information for the next step of this journey. Your child is going to be scared right now, so here are some teenage pregnancy risks that you should know about in order to get ahead of the fear and make smart decisions.
1. Premature Birth
Teen pregnancies carry a greater risk of premature birth, which often goes hand in hand with low birthweight. This type of birthing experience can create serious medical complications for the baby, which may end up requiring days or even weeks in a specialized ICU (intensive care unit). Premature birth can cause difficulties with learning and brain function later in life, as well as respiratory problems such as asthma.
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