Abstract
This study examined whether the presence of the father of the baby (FOB) at the first prenatal ultrasound study (US) visit of pregnant adolescents and young adults (AYA) is a marker for improved pregnancy outcomes. Charts of 400 pregnant AYA aged 14–22 years seen at an academic maternity hospital were assessed retrospectively for support persons brought to prenatal US visits. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between FOB presence and gestational age and birth weight. Of 400 charts with support person recorded, 298 charts with first US visit data, singleton birth, and complete gestational data available were analyzed. FOB was present at 30.2% of visits, while the parent of the mother was present at 34.2% of visits. With FOB present, 3.3% of infants were born preterm (gestational age < 37 weeks) compared with 10.5% of infants with FOB absent (p = 0.04). Patients with FOB present also had significantly earlier gestational age at the first US visit (15 weeks) than those who did not (19 weeks; p = 0.02). For AYA, the presence of FOB at initial prenatal US visits is a predictor of improved pregnancy outcome and likely represents increased support during the pregnancy.
Highlights
Even though the national teen pregnancy rate is declining [1], adolescent pregnancies continue to be a problem for individuals and society [2]
Feldman found that support expectation, “knowing that others would be available after the birth of the child,” predicted prenatal attachment between the adolescent mother and infant during pregnancy and hypothesized that improved prenatal attachment would lead to increased prenatal care [9]
To our knowledge this study is one of the first to look at the association between the father of the baby at adolescent and young adult ultrasound study visits and pregnancy outcomes
Summary
Even though the national teen pregnancy rate is declining [1], adolescent pregnancies continue to be a problem for individuals and society [2]. Adolescents are at risk for a number of pregnancy complications, including preterm labor, premature delivery, low birth weight infants, and maternal morbidity [3], all of which can contribute to both immediate and long-term costs. Inadequate prenatal care for adolescents is strongly associated with prematurity [6], and adolescents are more likely than older women to receive late or no prenatal care [7]. Explanations for this discrepancy include difficulty accessing health care, unplanned or denied pregnancy, and lack of social supports [8]. Social support interventions have been shown to reduce the incidence of low birth weight in adult at-risk populations [10]
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