Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between neonatal behavior and prenatal and perinatal risk factors in infants of teenage and older mothers in Puerto Rico and Mainland United States. The sample included approximately 300 newborn infants;half were examined in Puerto Rico, the other half in Florida, using the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale. Comparisons by maternal age and the number of obstetrical complications showed that for the Puerto Rican group, infants with fewer obstetrical complications were better able to regulate their crying and active states. Infants of teenage mothers with fewer complications had a higher level of arousal than infants of older mothers with fewer complications. Infant behavior in the Mainland sample did not vary by maternal age or complications. Multiple regression analysis indicated that the combination of biomedical variables significantly predicted neonatal behavior in both cultures. Mother's age was not separately correlated with neonatal behavior, but was repeatedly combined with other variables in the significant regressions. The findings suggest that infants of teenage mothers may differ from infants of older mothers, particularly in the organization of state behavior, and that the effects of maternal age on neonatal behavior are increased in the presence of biological outcome factors.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baizerman, M., Sheehan, C., Ellison, D. L., and Schlesinger, E. R. (1974). A critique of the research literature concerning pregnancy in adolescents, 1960–1970.J. Youth Adoles. 3(1): 61–75.
Baldwin, W. H. (1976). Adolescent pregnancy and childbearing — Growing concerns for Americans.Populat. Bull. 31(2): 1–33.
Baldwin, W. H., and Cain, V. S. (1980). The children of teenage parents.Fam. Planning Perspect. 12(1): 34–43.
Battaglia, F. C., Frazier, T. M., and Hellegers, A. E. (1963). Obstetric and pediatric complications of juvenile pregnancy.Pediatrics 32: 902–908.
Braen, B. B., and Forbush, J. B. (1975). School-age parenthood—A national overview.J. Schl. Hlth. 45: 257–271.
Brazelton, T. B. (1973).Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale, Spastics International Medical Publications, London; Lippincott, Philadelphia.
Coates, J. B. (1970). Obstetrics in the very young adolescent.Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 108: 68–72.
Coll, C. G., Sepkoski, C., and Lester, B. M. (1981). Cultural and biomedical correlates of neonatal behavior.Dev. Psychol. 14: 147–154.
De Lissovoy, V. (1973). Child care by adolescent parents.Children Today 35: 22–25.
Dott, A. B., and Fort, A. T. (1976). Medical and social factors affecting early teenage pregnancy.Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 125: 532–536.
Field, T. M., Windmayer, S. M., Stringer, S., and Ignatoff, E. (1980). Teenage, lowerclass, black mothers and their pre-term infants: An intervention and developmental follow-up.Child Dev. 51: 426–436.
Grant, J. A., and Heald, F. P. (1972). Complications of adolescent pregnancy: Survey of the literature on fetal outcome in adolescence.Clin. Pediat. 11: 567–570.
Israe, L. L., and Woutersz, T. B. (1963). Teenage obstetrics: A comparative study.Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 85: 659–668.
Lester, B. M. (1979). A synergistic process approach to the study of prenatal malnutrition.Int. J. Behav. Dev. 2: 377–393.
Lester, B. M., Als, H., and Brazelton, T. B. (1982). Regional obstetric anesthesia and newborn behavior: A reanalysis toward synergistic effects.Child Develop. 53: 687–692.
Lester, B. M., Emory, E. K., Hoffman, S. L., and Eitzman, D. V. (1976). A multivariate study of the effects of high risk factors on performance on the Brazelton Neonatal Assessment Scale.Child Dev. 47: 515–517.
Marchetti, A. A., and Menaker, J. S. (1950). pregnancy and the adolescent.Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 59: 1013–1021.
McAnarney, E. (1975). Adolescent pregnancy.Clin. Pediat. 14: 19–22.
McLaughlin, F. J., Sandler, H. M., Herrod, K., Vietze, P. M., and O'Connor, S. (1979). Social-psychological characteristics of adolescent mothers and behavioral characteristics of their firstborn infants.J. Populat. 2(1): 69–73.
Mednick, B. R., Baker, R. L., and Sutton-Smith, B. (1979). Teenage pregnancy and perinatal mortality.J. Youth Adoles. 8: 343–357.
Miller, H. C., and Hassanein, K. (1971). Diagnosis of impaired fetal growth in newborn infants.Pediatics 43: 511–515.
Niswander, K. R., and Gordon, M. (1972).The Women and Their Pregnancies, Saunders, Philadelphia.
Osofsky, H. (1970). Nutritional status of low income pregnant teenagers.J. Reproduct. Med. 5: 18–24.
Osofsky, H. R., and Osofsky, J. D. (1971). Adolescents as mothers: Results of a program for low income pregnant teenagers with some emphasis upon infant development. In Chess, S., and Thomas, A. (eds.),Annual Progress in Child Psychiatry and Child Development, Brunner/Mazel, New York.
Plionis, B. (1975). Adolescent pregnancy: A review of the literature.Soc. Work 20: 302–307.
Prechtl, H. F. R. (1968). Neurological findings in newborn infants after pre and paranatal complications. In J. Jonxis, H. Visser, and J. Troelstra (eds.),Aspects of Prematurity and Dysmaturity, Stenfert Korese, Leiden.
Sarrel, P., and Klerman, L. (1969). The young unwed mother.Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 105: 575–578.
Sepkoski, C., Coll, C. G., and Lester, B. M. (1982). Cumulative effects of obstetric risk variables on newborn behavior.Infant Behav. Development.
Thompson, R. J., Cappleman, M. W., and Zeitschel, R. A. (1979). Neonatal behavior of infants of adolescent mothers.Dev. Med. Child Nuerol. 21: 474–482.
Yogman, M., Cole, P., Als, H., and Lester, B. M. (1983). Behavior of newborns of diabetic mothers.Infant Behav. Dev.
Zachau-Christiansen, B., and Ross, E. M. (1975).Babies: Human Development During the First Year, Wiley, London.
Zanckler, J., Andelman, S., and Bauer, F. (1979). The young adolescent as an obstetric risk.Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 103: 305–312.
Zanckler, J., and Brandstadt, W. (eds.) (1975).The Teenage Pregnant Girls, Charles C Thomas, Springfield, Ill.
Zeskind, P. S., and Lester, B. M. (1981). Analysis of cry features in newborns with differential fetal growth.Child Dev. 52: 207–212.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This article is based on a final report to the NICHD Center for Population Research, Contract N01-HD-7283.
Received Ph.D. from Michigan State University. Main research interests are determinants of neonatal and infant development, assessment of preterm and at risk infant.
Received Ph.D. from Harvard University. Main research interests are sociocultural aspects of development, teenage pregnancy, infant temperament and psychophysiology.
Received M.A. from University of Florida. Main research interests are prenatal and prenatal factors on development, maternal obstetric medication, and behavioral teratology.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lester, B.M., Coll, C.T.G. & Sepkoski, C. Teenage pregnancy and neonatal behavior: Effects in Puerto Rico and Florida. J Youth Adolescence 11, 385–402 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01540376
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01540376