Childhood predictors of becoming a teenage mother among Finnish girls

Abstract

Objective: To study predictive associations between psychosocial factors at age 8 and becoming a mother under the age of 20.

Design: Prospective follow-up study.

Setting: Finland.

Population: 2867 girls born in 1981.

Methods: Information on family background and psychiatric symptoms was collected at age 8. The associations between these factors and becoming a teenage mother were analyzed using logistic regression analysis.

Main outcome measures: Data on births by the age of 20 collected from the hospital discharge register.

Results: 128 girls (4.8%) had given birth at the age of 15-19 years. Childhood conduct problems and hyperactive problems, having young mother and family structure other than two biological parents had an independent association with becoming a teenage mother.

Conclusions: Girls with externalizing type of problems in childhood have an increased risk of becoming teenage mothers. These problems may also complicate their motherhood.