Expectant teenage mothers ‘require different type of care’

Expectant teenage mothers in the UK require a different type of care to that currently available, it has been claimed.

The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) reports that matters relating to support and access can be different for younger people compared to older pregnant women, noting that it can be frightening for these expectant mothers to seek help or access to health professionals.

Noting that in many cases, pregnancies in teenagers are not planned, the RCM describes midwives as vital workers in this area, as expectant teenage mothers can sometimes have difficulties with parents and other family members regarding their pregnancies.

Mervi Jokinen, practice and standards development adviser for the RCM, said: “It’s quite frightening for them to find any help, or access any health professionals. So midwives often start the work early on.

“We do recognise that they do need a different type of care and also approaches and accesses are different with that population.”

She added that the financial restrictions and cutbacks currently being experienced by the NHS have resulted in concern by some regarding the provision of this care.

The RCM is a trade union and professional organisation run by midwives for midwives and seeks to provide leadership, education, representation and influence on behalf of its members.