Medical Utilization of 6-Month-Old Infants Born to Adolescent Mothers: Results of the Taiwan Birth Cohort Study

Abstract

Background: Adolescent pregnancy is known to cause serious consequences for the health of the mother and her infant. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate birth outcomes and medical utilization factors for 6-month-old infants born to adolescent mothers compared to those born to adult mothers. Methods: Data were obtained from the Taiwan Birth Cohort Study (TBCS), a nationally representative population-based cohort study in Taiwan. The present analysis used data collected between July 1, 2005 and June 30, 2006. A total of 818 adolescent mothers (younger than 20 years old) and 16,996 adult mothers (20 - 34 years old) and their infants with complete birth information were included. Results: Six-month-old infants born to adolescent mothers had a higher outpatient visit rate when compared to infants born to adult mothers. Some immunization rates were significantly lower among infants born to adolescent mothers. The investigation of birth outcomes of adolescent mothers and factors resulting in a higher health utilization rate of infants may assist in future medical service and public health planning. Conclusions: Infants born to adolescent mothers showed higher outpatient visit rates and lower immunization coverage compared to those born to adult mothers, underscoring the need for targeted healthcare support and educational interventions for adolescent mothers. These findings should be interpreted in light of the observational study design and are primarily generalizable to similar populations and healthcare contexts.