title: Nursing care for pregnant adolescents.
abstract: Although the physical care of pregnant adolescents is similar to that required by adult women, adolescents have additional unique needs. Adolescents often need more support and extensive teaching during pregnancy and the postpartum. Moreover, adolescents often have fewer life experiences than do adult women, making them less able to cope with the life changes they are experiencing related to pregnancy and birth. Nonjudgmental and developmentally appropriate interactions are essential to the care of pregnant adolescents. This article explores nursing care for the physical, emotional, and educational needs of adolescents during the prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum periods.
authors.affiliation: University of Michigan, School of Nursing, Ann Arbor, USA. krismontgomery@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Kristen S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Montgomery
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D002648:Child; D015400:Clinical Nursing Research; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D009732:Nursing Care / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000523:psychology*; D011275:Pregnancy, Unwanted / Q000523:psychology; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods*; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D011788:Quality of Life; D014481:United States