Infant Mortality
In Virginia in 1998, the infant mortality rate was 7.2 per 1000 live teen births; the rate for black teen births is 13.2.
Low Birth Weight
Babies born weighing less than 5.5 pounds are 50 times more likely to die in the first 28 days of life. Those who survive are twice as likely as normal
weight babies to suffer from physical and mental handicaps.
Repeat Teen Pregnancy
Increasing the spacing between pregnancies increases positive health outcomes for mother and infant.
School Drop Outs
Completing high school enhances the teen's ability to provide a stable and nurturing home environment.
High Medical Expenses
The average direct program annual cost per family is $1680. The teens visited by a resource mother have lower rates of low weight births than those teens
not in the program.
Babies born too small or too early can require increased medical interventions at a cost of $1,000 to $2,500 per day. Cost of a complicated birth can range from $20,000 to $400,000 compared to $6,400 for a normal birth.
Lifetime medical costs for one premature baby are conservatively estimated to average $500,000.
Smoking
Smoking is the major contributor to low weight births. Decreased smoking, even in the third trimester, will improve birth outcomes.