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 https://doi.org/10.47488/dhrp.v3iS2.89 

 

 
 

 
DHR Proceedings ǀ http://dhrproceedings.org 45 2023, Vol. 2 No. S2 45-50 

 

COMMENTARY 

The Effects of Teenage Pregnancy on 

Maternal Mental Health 
 

Isabella Bechtold1,2, Gouri Menon1,2, Helena Solis1,2, Jesus Perez1,3, Sarai Rios1,3, Jaclyn 

Rodriguez1,3,  Lorenzo Rubio1,3, Leslie Salgado1,3, Emily Paz1,4, Laura Ramirez1,4, Angelina 

Trevino1,4, Siya Vinoj1,5, Debora Santoyo Rustrian1,5 

 
1 3rdAnnual Junior Clinical Research Internship, South Texas Academy for Education & Training in Research, DHR Health  

   Institute for Research and Development 
2 McAllen Memorial High School, McAllen, TX 
3 Edinburg High School, Edinburg, TX 
4 Raymondville High School, Raymondville, TX 
5 Mathematics and Science Academy, Edinburg, TX 

 

Received: August 3, 2023 

Accepted for publication: November 3, 2023 

Published: November 16, 2023

 
 
Introduction 

 
Teen pregnancy can have long lasting effects on a 

person's mental health, even after the child is born.1 

Approximately 16 million teenage girls ages 15-19 

years old, and 2 million girls younger than 15 years old 

get pregnant each year around the world.2  Teenage 

mothers are at increased risk for adverse social 

outcomes and short-term health problems, but long-

term impacts on mental health are poorly understood. 

It has been stated that psychological distress and 

suicidal behaviors affect 13.3% to 20% percent of 

adolescent pregnant females.3 This goes to show that 

mental health can be very dangerous mentally, 

emotionally, and physically.4 Whether these 

pregnancies are planned or unplanned, this age group 

of females have long-term implications. Adolescent 

mothers and their children are exposed to multiple 

psychosocial risk factors and represent a high-risk 

group for adverse developmental outcomes.5  

 

Background Information 
 

Mental health is the state of being 

emotionally and mentally healthy, which is 

demonstrated by the lack of mental disease and by 

appropriate adjustment, particularly as shown by 

emotions of self-confidence, positive attitudes toward 

others, and the capacity to handle day-to-day tasks.6   

 

From 2011 to 2021, female teens who 

experienced mental health challenges increased from 

36 % to an astounding 57%.7 Teenagers experience 

changes in the social, emotional, and cognitive 

aspect.8 Female teens reported challenges that 

pertained to LGTBQ, suicidal attempts, and sexual 

violence.7 Among these many mental health 

challenges, teen pregnancy can greatly affect those 

who do not have a reliable support system. 

 

Mental disorders are common in adolescence 

with one in four teenagers suffering from a disorder, 

according to national comorbidity data.9 Furthermore, 

low economic status can affect the development of any 

mental disorder leading them to be at a higher risk.9 

Moreover, those who live in a less ideal environment, 

could have negative outcomes on pregnant adolescent  

women throughout their pregnancy  journey. They are 

most likely to gain stress and anxiety due to frequent 

crime and trauma occurrence.9  

 

Teen pregnancy can be defined as anyone 

from 13 years of age to 20 years of age who becomes 

pregnant.10  In addition, teenage pregnancy has 

declined in recent years due to encouragement of 

contraception use and less teenagers engaging in 

sexual intercourse.10 Teen pregnancy greatly attributes 

to decline in mental health and can severely affect 

teenage pregnant girls. 



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Adaptations: Neurobiological and Cognitive 

  

Neurobiological 

 
Two pivotal stages of a young woman’s life 

are adolescence and pregnancy. While adolescent 

females are going through puberty and transitioning to 

adulthood, pregnant women are preparing for 

childbirth by supporting the development of the fetus. 

Despite limited research over the neurobiological 

changes during teenage pregnancy, some studies 

suggest that adolescence and pregnancy share a 

similarity in that an increase in sex steroid hormones 

can lead to structural and functional changes in the 

brain.11 For instance, the age at which the volume and 

thickness of cortical gray matter is reduced closely 

relates to gonadarche, the pubertal onset of secondary 

sexual characteristics.12 

 

Various studies have used structural 

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to view the gray 

and white matter components of the adolescent brain. 

As shown in Figure 1, gray matter volume growth 

peaks in adolescence and decreases in adulthood with 

the strengthening of neuronal communication 

beginning to form within the prefrontal cortex 

region.13 

  

 

 
Figure 1. From 5 to 20 years: Gray matter volume 

development over the prefrontal cortex.14 

 

The prefrontal cortex is essential for complex 

behavioral performance, as this region of the brain is 

logical and precise.14 Working alongside the limbic 

system, which is responsible for emotion and impulse, 

these processes work together to allow for a greater 

cognition.15 In Figure 2, the limbic system matures 

earlier than the prefrontal cortex, allowing it to form a 

steeper curve than the prefrontal cortex.14 This graph 

demonstrates the gap between these two regions is 

greatest during adolescence as one system is fleshed 

out while the other is still developing. As a result, there 

is an imbalance of hormones as there is a bias towards 

emotional responses over rational decision making.14 

Hence, since the prefrontal cortex is the last to mature, 

the adolescent brain is in a vulnerable state to risky 

behaviors such as environmental stress, unprotected 

sex, and unplanned pregnancies.16  

 

 
Figure 2. A Neurobiological Model of 

Adolescence: prefrontal cortex and subcortical 

limbic region development.14 

 

In the postpartum phase of pregnancy, 

adolescent mothers experience significantly higher 

rates of depression than adult mothers and their 

nonpregnant peers.17 Due to the dramatic rise and drop 

in progesterone and estrogen levels to support fetal 

development, these hormones have modulated areas of 

the brain, such as the amygdala, which are responsible 

for emotional regulation.18 Therefore, behaviors that 

are exhibited during the pregnancy including mood 

swings and prolonged anger appear to have a longer 

duration, even when the hormones have leveled out in 

the body.12 Thus, it is vital to consider the 

neurobiological adaptations adolescents experience 

prior and during pregnancy in order to understand the 

underlying mechanisms of depressive symptoms that 

may be disregarded. 

 

Cognitive 
 

    During pregnancy, some women may 

experience cognitive changes, usually referred to as 

“pregnancy brain”.19 Symptoms that are related to this 

include periods of forgetfulness as well as memory 

disturbances.19 

 

  According to studies, hormonal effects have 

a great impact on cognitive functions.20 A teenager 



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already experiences many cognitive changes, 

considering that their mind and body is still readily 

developing.21 Therefore, impulsive and risky 

behaviors are common among this age group. During 

this time period, a transition from literal thinking to 

processing and operating occurs.21 Due to this, 

pregnancy may affect the teen negatively, hindering 

the capability to meet physiological needs of 

pregnancy.22  

 

When speaking of decreased cognitive 

ability, not only is the mother at risk, but the child as 

well. A study proved that children of teenage mothers 

(ages 18 and younger), had a significantly lower 

cognitive score than those whose mothers were aged 

23-34 years. There was a clear and notable difference 

in scores for verbal, non-verbal, and spatial ability.23  

 

Changes in Mental Health Through The 

Pregnancy 
 

Prenatal 
 

The term perinatal depression describes a 

type of disorder that occurs during pregnancy and after 

child birth perinatal depression is linked to changes in 

reproductive hormones, stress hormones, neurosteroid 

hormones (chemical compound).24 During the 

perinatal stage”, a  mother prepares her body for the 

development of the fetus. Vitamin D and omega-3, and 

well as maintain a good diet that includes good fatty 

acids, iron, and probiotics.25 Approximately 26% of 

mental disorders are fundamentally linked to a number 

of physical health conditions; these actions would also 

reduce inequalities. Furthermore, pregnant teens still 

attending school can experience school troubles, 

bullying from fellow classmates, and family issues 

“which “can also contribute to trauma which results in 

a decline of their results in a decline in their “mental 

health.”. These issues cannot only affect the mother 

but the newborn as well 38% mothers experience 

stress during pregnancy, which later lead to infant 

infections and complications.26  

 

Postnatal 
 

The postnatal period is a time of immense 

physical and emotional changes for teen mothers, 

influenced by hormonal fluctuations and the 

challenges of motherhood at such a young age. 

Understanding the various mental health conditions 

that can arise during this time, such as postpartum 

depression, postpartum anxiety, and PTSD is crucial 

for healthcare professionals and caregivers to provide 

appropriate support and interventions.27 Most 

adolescent pregnancies live a complex life, having to 

be a student and being a mother which can deeply 

affect their mental health in education and their future. 

Changes in mental health symptoms throughout 

pregnancy and postnatal may have an impact on a teen 

woman's experience during a critical period. In spite 

of that, few studies have investigated these changes 

throughout the perinatal and postnatal period, notably 

changes in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).27 

PTSD is known as a mental disorder that emerges in 

response to a traumatic event that happened in an 

individual’s life. To better grasp an understanding of 

the role of PTSD in postnatal health, a study looked at 

the association between PTSD and associated 

postnatal behavioral risk factors to gain a better 

understanding of the impact of PTSD in postnatal 

health.28 PTSD and subclinical PTSD during the 

postpartum period were linked to behavioral health 

concerns, with PTSD at the start of pregnancy 

becoming a three-fold predictor of postpartum PTSD. 

Women with PTSD and subclinical PTSD were more 

inclined to suffer stress (73%), anxiety (64%), and 

depression (73%), compared to those without PTSD, 

during the postpartum period.28 Regardless of race or 

PTSD status, one out of every four women in the 

sample experienced a probable mental health issue or 

risk behavior during the postpartum period. Given the 

prevalence of mental health risk factors associated 

with PTSD, these results call for more investigation 

into the changes of PTSD symptomatology through 

each pregnancy trimester to assess its role as a 

potential mediator during the perinatal period.28  

 

Abortion and PTSD 
 

The termination of a pregnancy, also known 

as an abortion, can contribute as a risk factor for 

mental illness in young mothers, with PTSD being one 

of the many. Furthermore, long term PTSD has shown 

to have more of a psychological effect on young 

mothers who go forward with abortions rather than 

women who do not, which justifies the psychological 

impact that abortions cause to maternally young 

women. 29 However, there is no evidence that abortion 

necessarily causes PTSD, there is evidence that it may 

be an influence, given the fact that going through with 

the procedure can mentally scar a young woman.29 An 

abundance of guilt post-abortion can be a contributing 

factor to the PTSD that maternally young women 

experience, although this pertains to personal beliefs 

or values relating to abortion.30 Studies have shown 

that abortions are higher in teen mothers, which relates 

to the fact that abortions are having a mental effect on 

young mothers. Abortions not always being a choice, 

can also be a contributing factor to PTSD, young 



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DHR Proceedings ǀ http://dhrproceedings.org 48 2023, Vol. 2 No. S2 45-50 

mothers are often forced into abortion due to being 

shunned by society and/or family which can lead to 

guilt and trauma.29 

 

Available Resources and Support 
 

Pregnancy is the number one reason for high 

school dropouts; only 50% of teen mothers receive a 

high school diploma before the age of 22.31 The 

majority of these women leave school due to the lack 

of support that they had both inside and outside of 

school.32 This section outlines preventative strategies, 

coping mechanisms, and post-natal education for teen 

mothers. 

 

Preventative Methods 
 

“Fewer than half of American women have 

been taught about contraceptives”.33 That leaves a big 

gap of women who are uneducated or unaware of types 

of contraceptives. Abstinence is something to teach 

and encourage, for it is one hundred percent effective 

and can help slow down the start of teenagers being 

sexually active.34 As for teens who are sexually active, 

contraceptives are an effective way to lower the risk of 

pregnancy such as: condoms, IUD, oral pills, and 

barrier methods. It is important to make an effort that 

involves the family, health providers, community, and 

school to prevent unintended pregnancies. As a parent 

or family member, it is beneficial to be active in a 

teen's social life and be aware that as they develop, 

they are likely to engage in sexual activities. They can 

use this as a time to educate and enforce the practice 

of contraceptives. Health care providers can inform 

the teen patients on reproductive health services that 

they offer.35 Pamphlets, infographics, and services 

available to educate the community on preventing teen 

pregnancy are essential. A good source that provides 

people an array of preventative health services and 

family planning is a website called The Title X Family 

Planning Clinic Locator.35 As a community, there 

should be programs with a wide range of teachings 

including contraceptive methods. Now, most schools 

provide teachings on an extensive sex education 

curriculum that has shown to reduce teenage 

pregnancy rates by 3 percent. However, teenagers can 

still be inconsistent or choose not to use 

contraceptives, which can lead to unintended 

pregnancies. This can lead to the question whether 

they are going to keep the baby, put it up for adoption, 

or have the fetus aborted. 

 

 

 

 

Opportunities for Teenage Mothers 
 

Once a teenager has made the decision to take 

the baby to full term, there are many things the mother 

needs to consider. These can range from healthcare 

options during the pregnancy to educational options 

after.  

 

There are many options to consider in terms 

of healthcare for teenage mothers. There are options 

for teenagers who need help to handle the 

psychological side of teenage pregnancy, programs for 

teenagers whose pregnancy was the result of being 

assaulted, and many more, but the most notable option 

is a Nurse-Family Partnership.36 A Nurse-Family 

Partnership is a program where specially trained 

nurses regularly visit the future mothers from the 

beginning of the pregnancy through the baby's second 

birthday. In this program, the expectant teens get the 

support that they need alongside with the tests and 

assessments necessary to keep the baby healthy. 

Programs like this can help the expectant mothers to 

keep themselves and the baby healthy throughout the 

entirety of the undoubtedly stressful pregnancy. 

 

Another important consideration is whether 

the teenager will return to school after the baby is born. 

For those who decide to return to school there are 

multitudes of opportunities for them. There are many 

alternative pathways that teenage mothers can take to 

further their education. The most common option 

would be the General Education Development Test, or 

GED. The GED exam allows people who did not earn 

a high school diploma to receive a diploma and 

recognition that they have a high school level of 

education.37 Other alternative programs include 

alternative high schools that are specifically geared 

towards teenage mothers and their babies. 

 

Conclusion 
 

Teen mothers must adjust to, not only the 

demands and responsibilities of parenting, but 

navigate the developmental process into adulthood. 

With dramatic hormonal changes leading to differing 

structures of the brain and certain stressors such as 

guilt and bullying, teenage pregnancy can contribute 

to a range of mental health problems such as PTSD 

and depression. By educating adolescents on 

preventative methods and postnatal opportunities, 

there is a possibility of decreasing the prevalence and 

mental toll on teenage mothers.  

 

 

 



Special Edition: Junior Clinical Research (2023), Vol. 3 No. S2 
 https://doi.org/10.47488/dhrp.v3iS2.89 

 

 
 

 
DHR Proceedings ǀ http://dhrproceedings.org 49 2023, Vol. 2 No. S2 45-50 

Acknowledgements 

 
Monica Betancourt-Garcia, MD, Program Director; 

Melissa Eddy, MS, Program Manager  

 

Funding 

 
Funded by DHR Health Institute for Research & 

Development; DHR Health; Region One ESC 

GEARUP College Ready, Career Set!; Region One 

ESC GEARUP College Now, Career Connected; 

Region One ESC PATHS; Region One ESC Upward   

Bound Math & Science; Benavides ISD; and Jubilee 

Academy-Brownsville 

 

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