Not surprisingly, Nunavut's health and social services minister, Ed Picco, considers the growing numbers of teen pregnancies, and the related issues of family planning and birth control, to be a priority. Picco acknowledged the stresses that these numbers of young teenage mothers put on the health and social service system. And that is not sustainable over the long term. The rule of thumb says that the younger the mother, the greater the risk of complications for both mother and child during childbirth. Young pregnant women are less likely to eat well, get prenatal check-ups and to stop smoking.
Pregnant teens run a risk of anemia, high blood pressure, and premature labour.
Their children have a higher risk of problems related to prematurity and low birth weight. This also means additional health expenses, because these young mothers at risk are generally sent South to deliver. There's also a long-term social cost, say studies on teen pregnancy. The lower the age of the pregnant teen, the less voluntary the sex was likely to be. A teen mother will also be less likely to complete high school, and more likely to receive social assistance.