Background: Low birth weight (LBW) is a public health issue in the United States and around the globe. Although Low birth weight is an important predictor of subsequent health outcomes, the role of maternal age as a LBW risk factor is poorly understood. Determining whether or not maternal age is a risk factor for low birth weight can help reduce the incidence of LBW and maximize the health of offspring. Objective: This study examined the association between young mothers and LBW risk in a representative sample of Non-Hispanic Whites, Non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanic American women. Factors such as mother’s age, smoking status, level of education, income, and marital status were evaluated to assess their associations with LBW outcome. Methodology: The selected study factors were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Data were obtained from the 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Young mothers were defined as females between the ages of 14 and19 years old that have a baby. A live born infant weighing less than 2,500 grams was considered to have LBW. Frequencies for the selected factors were created. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were also run to examine the association between young motherhood and LBW adjusting for maternal age, smoking, education, income and marital status. Results: There was no statistically significant association between young mothers and LBW in Non-Hispanic Whites (OR=.51; 95% CI=.12-2.13), Non-Hispanic Blacks (OR=.21; 95% CI=.03-1.59), and Hispanic Americans (OR=1.48; 95% CI=.74-2.97) women, after adjusting for maternal age, smoking, education, income and marital status. Conclusion: Although, the results of this study indicating the lack of association between young mothers and LBW is consistent with findings by some investigators (Reichman et al., 1997), there are several studies that have reported contrary results (Okosun et al., 2000). In light of these mixed findings, further research is necessary to examine the impact of young mothers on adverse birth outcomes, including, LBW.

Studien belyser hur kvinnor upplever ungt moderskap och möjligheter till att fullfölja gymnasiestudier. Intervjuer har genomförts med fyra kvinnor som blivit föräldrar under sin tid i grundskolan/kring 15/16 års ålder. Undersökningen bygger på kvalitativa intervjuer i form av gruppintervju samt individuell intervju som metod. Resultaten visar att kvinnorna upplever att ansvaret moderskapet medfört har bidragit till att de blivit motiverade till att få ordning på sitt liv och att barnet blivit en symbol för mognad som i flera fall stärkt självbilden. Självkänslan har dock påverkats negativt om man inte lever upp till förväntningarna på sig själv som mamma, vilket dock inte kan kopplas direkt till kvinnornas ålder. En negativ påverkan på självbilden är också om det sociala nätverket kännetecknas av instabila relationer. Resultatet visar att ingen av de intervjuade kvinnorna har fullföljt sina gymnasiestudier. Det har framkommit att den främsta anledningen till avhopp är den ekonomiska situationen. Kvinnornas sociala nätverk som omfattas av både familjemedlemmar, samt aktörer inom utbildningsväsendet möjliggjorde gymnasiestudier för den tid de hade möjlighet att gå. Unikt i denna studie är att mammorna återger att skolorna har anpassats för dem. Vidare har vi analyserat materialet och tolkat att de unga mammorna har skapat sig strategier till hur de förhåller sig till först sina egna föreställningar om andras åsikter och sedan samhällets och omgivningens faktiska åsikter om ungt moderskap. / In this study we examined how Swedish women experience young motherhood in relation to their perceived ability to complete their gymnasium studies. We have interviewed 4 women who became mothers around 15-16 years of age.  The investigation is based mainly on qualitative group and individual interviews. None of the women interviewed had completed their studies, despite that three of the women expressed desire to do so, and the acknowledgement of the existence of a social network of family and community actors making this goal achievable.  Unique to this study’s findings was the perception among the women that the schools themselves had been adapted for them and thus did not present a barrier.  Rather, economic difficulties were cited to be the most common reason for dropping out, with mental health and class identity also cited as complicating factors. We then provide an analysis from feminist and normative perspectives in order to provide a framework for understanding how social norms of gender, age, motherhood can constitute perceived barriers for young mothers who wish to complete their gymnasium education. In particular, this study highlights the importance of further investigation of how economic factors can complicate young parenthood.