Teen Mothers: When Stigma Trumps Compassion (and Research)

• By: Jean Wittenberg, MD The Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry
• July 18th, 2025
• adolescence, adversity, discrimination, healthcare, inequality, maternal mental health, pregnancy, social determinants of health, stigma, Summer 2025 Issue, support, teen motherhood
• 1654    0

Key points: Many teen mothers succeed but do so despite the stresses that stigma imposes on them. Stresses on both mothers and babies are associated with severe health consequences, sometimes affecting their entire lives. Healthcare providers are often experienced as stigmatizing by teen...