Adolescent age at first pregnancy is one of the single most important risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes. Adolescent women have higher rates of abortion, often this is utilized as a means of contraception. Adolescents also have a higher frequency of low birth weight and preterm births, as well as fetal and neonatal death(s). The important risk factors which have been shown to be associated with poor pregnancy outcomes in adolescents include biological and behavioral factors: inadequate prenatal care, maternal smoking, maternal drug and alcohol use, poor pregravid nutritional status, acute/chronic medical conditions, inadequate education, as well as shortened spacing (
