Children born to teenage mothers

Mothers aged under 20 years are classified as teenage mothers¹. There are a range of risk factors associated with a maternal age under 20, for both mother and baby¹.

Young mothers are at a higher risk of social stigma and are more likely to experience barriers to engagement in education and employment^1,2. They are also more likely to live in areas with low socioeconomic status, as well as in remote or regional areas^1,3. Teenage mothers tend to have higher rates of smoking during pregnancy and diabetes^1,3. Further, the stigma and disadvantage associated with being a young mother can exacerbate the typical challenges associated with motherhood².

The higher incidence of disadvantage and social stigma experienced by mothers of this age group is associated with a range of negative health consequences for both mother and baby^1-3. Babies born to teenage mothers are at an increased risk of morbidity and mortality¹. They are more likely to be born pre-term and low birthweight for gestational age and to have poorer ongoing emotional, behavioural and cognitive outcomes than their peers¹.

Though not all teenage pregnancies are unintended, many are in Australia³. Therefore, rates of teenage pregnancy are also related to sexual education and contraceptive use³.

The combination of these factors means that understanding teenage pregnancy rates by region has important implications for policy in a range of fields including clinical care, health promotion and education^2,3. For example, prior policy recommendations regarding supporting teenage mothers and preventing unintended pregnancies include providing sufficient health education, reducing stigma and, ensuring non-judgemental and appropriate antenatal and postnatal care is accessible to young mothers^2,3.

REFERENCES 

1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare [Internet]. Canberra ACT. Teenage Mothers in Australia 2015. Available from: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/mothers-babies/teenage-mothers-in-australia-2015/contents/table-of-contents 
2. McArthur M, Barry E. Younger mothers: Stigma and support. ACU Canberra: Institute of Child Protection Studies Research to Practice Series [Internet], 2018 [cited 2018 May 22];(3). Available from: http://www.acu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/589673/Practice_Series_3_Sept2013_YoungerMothers.pdf
3. Marino J, Lewis L, Bateson D, Hickey M, Skinner S. Teenage mothers. Australian Family Physician, 2016; 45(10):712. Available from:
   https://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2016/october/teenage-mothers/

Data Source 

Compiled by Telethon Kids Institute based on Midwives Notification System, Department of Health Western Australia

Numerator

Number of live births to mothers aged 15-19 years

Denominator 

All live births

Unit of Measure 

Per cent (%)

Geography

SA2, SA3, LGA, HR, RDC

Data Confidentiality

Areas with count values 1 to 4 and where population is less than 50 have been suppressed.

Prior moving averages combine a sequence of 3 or 5 years of data prior to, and including, the selected year. The series are presented as overlapping sequences until the most recent year is included. Moving averages make it possible to combine more years of data to maximize sample size at each point while maintaining data confidentiality.

Notes

Includes children born in Western Australia only.