A teen pregnancy is never an ideal situation, even though about 25% of teen pregnancies are planned. Pregnant teens may be hesitant to tell their families about their situation, for fear of upsetting or angering them. Plus, they may postpone telling their families so they just don’t have to deal with the situation.

However, teen pregnancy carries real risks to mom and baby. Teen moms are more likely than older moms to continue to smoke, drink alcohol or use drugs during their pregnancy. The health of mom and baby are dependent in large part on the level of prenatal care she gets. On average, teen moms get less prenatal care than older moms. Babies are more likely to be low-birthweight and be premature, which can lead to long-term health difficulties.

While it isn’t easy, with enough support it is possible for a teen pregnancy to have a successful outcome for everyone involved.