title: Age at First Birth and Psychiatric Disorders in Low-Income Pregnant Women.
abstract: Young maternal age at first birth has been associated with poor mental health. However, few studies directly compared the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among adolescent versus adult mothers at first birth using a comprehensive diagnostic tool. This study examined the association between age at first birth and 22 current and lifetime psychiatric disorders in a cohort of low-income pregnant women.
  
  
  
  The sample consisted of 744 low-income currently pregnant women who were Medicaid-eligible and enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in Saint Louis City and 5 rural counties in Southeastern Missouri. Current (previous 12 months) and lifetime psychiatric disorders were assessed using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule IV (DIS-IV). Logistic regression analyses tested the association between women's age at first birth and psychiatric disorders, controlling for potential confounders, including relative poverty.
  
  
  
  When adjusting for confounders, mothers giving birth in their teens had 2.5 times the odds of having a lifetime behavior disorder (odds ratio [OR] 2.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.35-5.24) and current posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (OR 2.54, 95% CI 1.38-4.70) and almost twice the odds of having at least one anxiety disorder compared to older women at first birth (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.10-2.85).
  
  
  
  Low-income women who have their first birth in adolescence have higher odds of psychiatric disorders and should be the target of psychiatric screening during their pregnancy. Mothers beginning childbearing before age 19 should be screened during pregnancy for anxiety disorders, including PTSD, and behavior disorders.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Epidemiology, College for Public Health and Social Justice, Saint Louis University , St. Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tabet
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Epidemiology, College for Public Health and Social Justice, Saint Louis University , St. Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Louise H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Flick
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Family and Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Saint Louis University , St. Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Cynthia A L
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Epidemiology, College for Public Health and Social Justice, Saint Louis University , St. Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xian
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Epidemiology, College for Public Health and Social Justice, Saint Louis University , St. Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Jen Jen
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008423:Maternal Age; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008923:Missouri / Q000453:epidemiology; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010298:Parity; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012424:Rural Population; D012946:Social Welfare; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult