Teenage parents

Teenage pregnancy is considered to be one of the most important adolescent health problems in Western society. It is associated with a high economic cost involving both direct monetary expenditure for public assistance for welfare and child health care as well as negative societal outcomes in terms of child abuse, neglect and poverty (Quinlivan, 2004). Australia now has one of the highest adolescent fertility rates in the world. Teenage mothers may experience a number of adverse outcomes associated with teenage pregnancy including failure to complete schooling, inability to find a job, and increased risk of poor health (Quinlivan, 2004; Social Exclusion Unit, 1999). There is now considerable evidence that many teenagers idealise pregnancy and parenthood and regard it with high expectations. A significant proportion of adolescent pregnancies result as a consequence of positive, idealised attitudes to pregnancy, parenthood and personal change rather than by accident or negative attitudes to contraception (Condon et al., 2001)

Idealization and Reality: Screening for Mother-Child Support Levels in Pregnancy and the Reality Experienced Six Months Postpartum

To evaluate to what extent teenage mothers are able to predict their postnatal support networks in the antenatal period, and the extent to which support correlates with social class and depressive symptomatology

Teenagers who plan parenthood

It is clear that a variable number of teenage mothers have, to some extent, planned parenthood. From an evolutionary perspective, it could be argued that teenage childbearing may in fact be a positive adaptive mechanism for humans raised in a hostile environment. Life history theory suggests that in risky and uncertain environments the optimal reproductive strategy is to reproduce early in order to maximise the probability of leaving any descendents at all. If some teenagers are planning or hoping for pregnancy, it is possible that some positive behavioural changes may be observed. This has proven to be the case with many teenagers altering their risk taking behaviours in the anticipation and expectation of pregnancy. There is now substantial evidence that teenagers who become pregnant were at higher risk than the general population for using cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana. However, once pregnant, rates of consumption are usually lower compared with their non-pregnant peers or even their own personal pre-pregnancy rates of consumption

Time course changes in psychological symptomatology in women with gynaecological cancers

The aim of this study was to explore the wider psychological symptomatology experienced by women with a new diagnosis of a gynaecological cancer at the point of diagnosis and 6 weeks later

Can we identify women who initiate and then prematurely cease breastfeeding? An Australian multicentre cohort study

Background: Health authorities recommend 6 months of fully breastfeeding and continuation of breastfeeding for at least a year. Many women initiate breastfeeding in hospital but discontinue before the six-month period, and therefore do not optimise the public health benefits. The aim of this study was to determine whether these women could be identified at hospital discharge, to enable targeted interventions. Methods: A secondary analysis of women who intended to breastfeed and were enrolled in a large randomized trial was undertaken. Women were enrolled in the antenatal period and antenatal, delivery and six month postnatal questionnaires were completed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were undertaken to determine the variables associated with early cessation of breastfeeding within six months, compared to women who continued to breastfeed. Results: Of 2148 women who initiated breastfeeding in hospital, 877 continued to breastfed either partially (N = 262) or fully (N = 615) until six months postpartum and 1271 ceased breastfeeding early. Median breastfeeding duration in women who ceased early was 3+6 weeks (IQR 1+1 to 11+2 weeks). In multivariate analysis, factors that were significantly associated with early cessation of breastfeeding were maternal factors of lower education (less than 12 years of schooling, no completion of further education), smoking (pre-pregnancy or during pregnancy), and newborn factors of preterm birth and low birthweight (all p \u3c 0.01). These variables correctly identify 83% of women. Conclusion: We can identify women who initiate and then prematurely discontinue breastfeeding prior to hospital discharge. Evaluation of additional interventions to support longer duration of breastfeeding in women at risk of ceasing prematurely is needed

Psychological Implications of Informed Decisions in Prenatal Genetic Screening

Prenatal genetic screening for Down Syndrome through second trimester maternal serum screening is becoming part of routine care in Australia. Public heath policy emphasises the need for decisions to participate in screening programs to be informed. There is little evidence regarding the influence of emotional factors such as anxiety on women’s capacity to comprehend complex information required to exercise informed choice. This may be especially pertinent for younger women who may have no reason to regard themselves as at risk of having a baby with Down Syndrome. Furthermore such decision making occurs in the context of growing attachment to the unborn baby, but systematic investigation of the potential that prenatal screening has to disrupt this relationship is lacking

Dietary component of lifestyle interventions helps obese pregnant women

Approximately 30% of pregnant women in developed countries are overweight or obese.1 Maternal obesity is a major risk factor for maternal and fetal complications, including maternal and fetal mortality, miscarriage, gestational diabetes mellitus, pregnancy-induced hypertensive disorders, infection, thromboembolic disease, induction of labour, macrosomia, caesarean section and stillbirth.2 In 2009, the Institute of Medicine revised its recommendations for weight gain in pregnancy advising that overweight and obese women should restrict gestational weight gain to 15–25 lb (6.8–11.3 kg) and 11–20 lb (4.9–9 kg), respectively.2 The question then became how to achieve this. A meta-analysis of dietary intervention trials reported that dietary interventions, especially when repeated throughout pregnancy, were effective in reducing gestational weight gain in obese pregnant women by 6.5 kg compared to control.3 Another meta-analysis of physical intervention trials also reported a small, but significant, reduction in gestational weight gain of −0.61 kg compared to control.4 A meta-analysis of all intervention types reported a 1.42 kg reduction in gestational weight gain with any intervention compared to control.