A recent comprehensive study conducted in Canada has uncovered a troubling correlation between teen pregnancy and premature death among women. Published in JAMA Network Open, the study highlights the heightened risk of premature mortality faced by women who experienced pregnancies during their teenage years, regardless of pregnancy outcome.
Led by Dr. Joel G. Ray, an obstetric medicine specialist and epidemiologist at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, the study analyzed data from a provincial health insurance registry covering approximately 2.2 million teenagers in Ontario, Canada, spanning from April 1991 to March 2021.
The findings underscored a stark reality: Women who had pregnancies during adolescence faced significantly increased odds of premature death before their 31st birthday. Even after adjusting for pre-existing health conditions, income, and education levels, teenagers who carried pregnancies to term were over twice as likely to experience premature death compared to their counterparts who had not been pregnant during their teenage years.
Moreover, the risk persisted among women who experienced ectopic pregnancies, stillbirths, miscarriages, or terminated pregnancies during adolescence, albeit to a lesser extent. Alarmingly, the highest risk of premature death was observed among women who became pregnant before the age of 16 and those who had multiple pregnancies during their teenage years.
The study further revealed that injuries, both unintentional (e.g., accidents) and self-inflicted (e.g., suicides), were the leading causes of premature death among women with a history of teen pregnancy. These individuals were more than twice as likely to die from unintentional injuries and self-inflicted injuries compared to those who did not experience teenage pregnancy.
While the study sheds light on the association between teen pregnancy and premature mortality, Elizabeth L. Cook, a scientist with Child Trends, emphasized that teen pregnancy might serve as a proxy for a range of other adverse influences, including adverse childhood experiences, that elevate the risk of early death. Cook advocated for additional research to better understand the underlying factors contributing to this phenomenon.
The study’s findings underscore the critical need for comprehensive support systems to educate, guide, and empower young people, particularly those at risk of unintended pregnancies. Addressing the stigma and isolation often faced by pregnant teens is paramount to ensuring their well-being and fostering healthy outcomes in adulthood. While more research is needed to fully elucidate the underlying mechanisms, this study serves as a stark reminder of the profound impact of teen pregnancy on women’s health and longevity.
