Baylor University receives grants to study the capabilities of its teen pregnancies programs

By Staff Writer

Officials from Baylor College of Medicine recently announced that they have received $2.8 million to study the effectiveness of its program for pregnant teens, according to the school's website.

The program provides enhanced health and social services to pregnant teens. Officials were quoted on the website saying that the goal of the grant is to improve the outcomes of adolescents after they give birth by reducing subsequent pregnancies in teen mothers, depression and partner violence as well as increasing vaccinations for infants and returning to school after birth.

The five-year grant from the Department of Gealth and Human Service's Office of Adolescent Pregnancy Programs will help support a study of 360 pregnant teens between ages 15 and 18. Furthermore, half the women will be enrolled in a program that provides them enhanced services while the other half will receive standard care.

The enhance services will include a positive youth development approach. Officials added that this program promotes qualities such as confidence and character in adolescents, which will continue in the postpartum period.

Reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that in 2008, a total of 435,000 infants were born to teens between ages 15 and 19.