Rapid Genotyping of Hepatitis C Virus

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Fraser et al. (April 27 issue)1 contend that the higher risk for low birth weight and premature birth associated with young maternal age may reflect an underlying inherent biologic risk. However, the contribution of environmental factors, not accounted for in their analysis, may not have been fully appreciated. For example, nutritional factors have a significant influence on birth weight.2 Adolescent women not only tend to be underweight but are also very conscious of their body image and tend to gain less weight during pregnancy than older women.2 This may be especially true for well-educated women from economically stable backgrounds. Some teenagers actually try to avoid revealing their pregnancies by not putting on weight. The authors also downplay the important role of adequate psychosocial support in these frequently unintended pregnancies. We found good pregnancy outcomes in teenagers from the ultraorthodox Jewish community of Jerusalem, where pregnancy is encouraged and the women strongly supported.3 It would be interesting to know whether the adolescents in Utah1 received similar support from the Mormon church. We also wonder whether some of the differences in the rate of prematurity may be attributed to poor determination of gestational age in a greater proportion of these unplanned pregnancies in adolescents than in the pregnancies of older women.