Review Articles

Psychosocial Prenatal Interventions for Teenage Pregnant: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Objective: Adolescent pregnancy is a pressing public health issue that significantly impacts the health and well-being of young mothers and their children. This systematic review evaluates the effectiveness of psychosocial prenatal interventions for pregnant adolescents, aiming to identify strategies that enhance maternal and neonatal outcomes.
Materials and methods: Systematic comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and Grey Literature. Studies published from 1996 to January 2023 were included if they focused on pregnant adolescents aged
10-22 years and employed randomized controlled trial (RCT) designs. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool.
Results: Out of 2,450 articles screened, 22 studies met the inclusion criteria, revealing diverse interventions categorized into six main types: antenatal/postnatal educational programs, psychological interventions, home visits, partner support, and social support interventions. Findings indicated that these psychosocial interventions significantly improved maternal mental health, increased prenatal care utilization, and enhanced perinatal outcomes. However, the review highlighted the need for more rigorously designed studies to establish definitive conclusions regarding the most effective intervention strategies.
Conclusion: Results show Educational programs focusing on antenatal and postnatal care effectively enhance knowledge, reduce substance abuse, and boost breastfeeding confidence, leading to better pregnancy outcomes. While psychosocial interventions have improved mental health and school attendance. Home visiting programs have positively impacted maternal well-being and parenting skills. Group prenatal care (GPNC) is beneficial, especially for high-risk adolescents, by combining health evaluations with group education and support. Integrating psychosocial support into prenatal care models can help reduce health disparities among adolescent populations.

1. World Health Organization. Adolescent pregnancy. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-pregnancy
2. Pereira N, Santos M, Araújo E, Tilman E, Obeno O. Impact From Mental Health Problem to Pregnant Woman: A Literatur Systematic Review. Journal of International Multidisciplinary Research. 2024;2:804-15.
3. Moniz MdF, Astuti AW, Hakimi M. Psychological Impact of Adolescent Pregnancy in Developing Countries: A Scoping Review. Women, Midwives and Midwifery. 2024;4(2):1-13.
4. Muthelo L, Mbombi MO, Mphekgwana P, Mabila LN, Dhau I, Tlouyamma J, et al. Exploring mental health problems and support needs among pregnant and parenting teenagers in rural areas Of Limpopo, South Africa. BMC Womens Health. 2024;24(1):236.
5. Ediz Ç, Kavak Budak F. Effects of psychosocial support-based psychoeducation for Turkish pregnant adolescents on anxiety, depression and perceived social support: a randomized controlled study. Rural Remote Health. 2023;23(3):7553.
6. Kay TL, Moulson MC, Vigod SN, Schoueri-Mychasiw N, Singla DR. The Role of Social Support in Perinatal Mental Health and Psychosocial Stimulation. Yale
J Biol Med. 2024;97(1):3-16.
7. Govender D, Taylor M, Naidoo S. Adolescent Pregnancy and Parenting: Perceptions of Healthcare Providers. J Multidiscip Healthc. 2020;13:1607-28.
8. Sterne JAC, Savović J, Page MJ, Elbers RG, Blencowe NS, Boutron I, et al. RoB 2: a revised tool for assessing risk of bias in randomised trials. BMJ. 2019;366:l4898.
9. Kmet LM, Cook LS, Lee RC. Standard quality assessment criteria for evaluating primary research papers from a variety of fields. Canada: Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, 2004.
10. Al-Alawi R, Alexander GL. Systematic review of program evaluation in baccalaureate nursing programs. Journal of Professional Nursing. 2020;36(4):236-44.
11. Gselamu L, Dagne Y, Gebreyohannes M, Kelebe A. Psychosocial effects of teenage pregnancy: Systematic analysis. Psychology and Behavioral Sciences. 2019;8(5):115.
12. Laurenzi CA, Gordon S, Abrahams N, du Toit S, Bradshaw M, Brand A, Melendez-Torres GJ, Tomlinson M, Ross DA, Servili C, Carvajal-Aguirre L, Lai J, Dua T, Fleischmann A, Skeen S. Psychosocial interventions targeting mental health in pregnant adolescents and adolescent parents: a systematic review. Reprod Health. 2020;17(1):65.
13. Ickovics JR, Earnshaw V, Lewis JB, Kershaw TS, Magriples U, Stasko E, et al. Cluster randomized controlled trial of group prenatal care: perinatal outcomes among adolescents in New York City health centers. Am J Public Health. 2016;106(2):359-65.
14. Flynn L, Budd M, Modelski J. Enhancing resource utilization among pregnant adolescents. Public Health Nurs. 2008;25(2):140-8.
15. Phipps MG, Raker CA, Ware CF, Zlotnick C. Randomized controlled trial to prevent postpartum depression in adolescent mothers. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2013;208(3):192. e1-6.
16. Felder JN, Epel E, Lewis JB, Cunningham SD, Tobin JN, Rising SS, et al. Depressive symptoms and gestational length among pregnant adolescents: Cluster randomized control trial of CenteringPregnancy® plus group prenatal care. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2017;85(6):574-584.
17. Thomas DV, Looney SW. Effectiveness of a comprehensive psychoeducational intervention with pregnant and parenting adolescents: A pilot study.
J Child Adolesc Psychiatr Nurs. 2004;17(2):66-77.
18. Rogers MM, Peoples-Sheps MD, Suchindran C. Impact of a social support program on teenage prenatal care use and pregnancy outcomes. J Adolesc Health. 1996;19(2):132-40.
19. Jahdi F, Kaheh A, Haghani H. Effect of attachment behaviors training on maternal competence attainment in nulliparous adolescent women. 2019;21(1):78-84.
20. Sanginabadi R, Kazemi F, Tiznobaik A, Soltani F. The effectiveness of couple-centered counseling on the anxiety and concerns of pregnant adolescents. Journal of Holistic Nursing And Midwifery. 2023;33(1):52-60.
21. Smith PB, Buzi RS, Kozinetz CA, Peskin M, Wiemann CM. Impact of a group prenatal program for pregnant adolescents on perceived partner support. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal. 2016;33:417-28.
22. Riris AAIDC, Purnamayanti NKD. Effectiveness of Peer Education in Decreasing Adolescent Pregnancy:
A Literature Review. Jurnal Kesehatan Reproduksi. 2021;12(1):27-37.
23. Piro SS, Ahmed HM. Impacts of antenatal nursing
interventions on mothers’ breastfeeding self-efficacy: an experimental study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2020;20(1):19.
24. Timberlake B, Fox RA, Baisch MJ, Goldberg BD. Prenatal education for pregnant adolescents. J Sch Health. 1987;57(3):105-8.
25. Gagnon AJ, Sandall J. Individual or group antenatal education for childbirth or parenthood, or both. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007;2007(3):CD002869.
26. Verbeke E, Bogaerts A, Nuyts T, Crombag N, Luyten J. Cost‐effectiveness of mental health interventions during and after pregnancy: A systematic review. Birth. 2022;49(3):364-402.
27. Uriko K, Christoforou A, Motrico E, Moreno-Peral P, Kömürcü Akik B, Žutić M, et al. Paternal peripartum depression: emerging issues and questions on prevention, diagnosis and treatment. A consensus report from the cost action Riseup-PPD. J Reprod Infant Psychol. 2025;43(3):646-664.
28. Barnet B, Liu J, DeVoe M, Alperovitz-Bichell K, Duggan AK. Home visiting for adolescent mothers: Effects on parenting, maternal life course, and primary care linkage. Ann Fam Med. 2007;5(3):224-32.
29. Fatori D, Argeu A, Brentani H, Chiesa A, Fracolli L, Matijasevich A, et al. Maternal parenting electronic diary in the context of a home visit intervention for adolescent mothers in an urban deprived area of São Paulo, Brazil: Randomized controlled trial. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2020;8(7):e13686.
30. Robling M, Bekkers M-J, Bell K, Butler CC, Cannings-John R, Channon S, et al. Effectiveness of a nurse-led intensive home-visitation programme for first-time teenage mothers (Building Blocks): a pragmatic randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2016;387(10014):146-55.
31. Hadian T, Mirghafourvand M, Mohammad-Alizadeh-Charandabi S, Ghanbari-Homayi S, Nahaeii J, Meedya S. The Effect of Prenatal Home visiting for Adolescent Mothers on Maternal and Neonatal outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 2018;6(1):6945-62.
32. Nguyen JD, Carson ML, Parris KM, Place P. A comparison pilot study of public health field nursing home visitation program interventions for pregnant Hispanic adolescents. Public Health Nurs. 2003;20(5):412-8.
33. Stevenson W, Maton KI, Teti DM. Social support, relationship quality, and well-being among pregnant adolescents. J Adolesc. 1999;22(1):109-21.
34. Florsheim P, Burrow-Sánchez JJ, Minami T, McArthur
L, Heavin S, Hudak C. Young parenthood program: Supporting positive paternal engagement through coparenting counseling. Am J Public Health. 2012;102(10):1886-92.
35. Shah MK, Gee RE, Theall KP. Partner support and impact on birth outcomes among teen pregnancies in the United States. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2014;27(1):14-9.
36. Pires R, Araújo-Pedrosa A, Canavarro MC. Examining the links between perceived impact of pregnancy, depressive symptoms, and quality of life during adolescent pregnancy: The buffering role of social support. Matern Child Health J. 2014;18:789-800.
37. Hill LM, Maman S, Groves AK, Moodley D. Social support among HIV-positive and HIV-negative adolescents in Umlazi, South Africa: changes in family and partner relationships during pregnancy and the postpartum period. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2015;15:117.
38. Buldum A, Emül TG. The fear of childbirth and social support in adolescent pregnancy. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2021;34(6):839-846.
39. Fauziah S, Ermiati E, Sari EA. Literature Study: Types of Social Support in Adolescents with Unwanted Pregnancy. Journal of Nursing Science Update. 2021;9(1):116-25.
40. Mohammad KI, Sabbah H, Aldalaykeh M, ALBashtawy M, Z Abuobead K, Creedy D, et al. Informative title: Effects of social support, parenting stress and self‐efficacy on postpartum depression among adolescent mothers in Jordan. J Clin Nurs. 2021;30(23-24):3456-365.
41. Logsdon MC, Birkimer JC, Simpson T, Looney S. Postpartum depression and social support in adolescents. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2005;34(1):46-54.
42. Byerley BM, Haas DM. A systematic overview of the literature regarding group prenatal care for high-risk pregnant women. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2017;17(1):329.
43. Buultjens M, Farouque A, Karimi L, Whitby L, Milgrom J, Erbas B. The contribution of group prenatal care to maternal psychological health outcomes: A systematic review. Women Birth. 2021;34(6):e631-e642.
44. Walton S, Roberson K, Onsomu EO, Hall S, Dearman
C. Evaluating Centering group prenatal care in rural women with low socioeconomic status to promote access to care and improve pregnancy outcomes. Journal of Public Health. 2021;29:285-291.
45. Cohen S. Social relationships and health. Am Psychol. 2004;59(8):676-684.
46. Rosenstock IM, Strecher VJ, Becker MH. Social learning theory and the health belief model. Health Educ Q. 1988;15(2):175-83.
47. Montazeri S, Gharacheh M, Mohammadi N, Alaghband Rad J, Eftekhar Ardabili H. Determinants of Early Marriage from Married Girls’ Perspectives in Iranian Setting: A Qualitative Study. J Environ Public Health. 2016;2016:8615929.
48. Melekoğlu NA, Saraç U. Evaluation of the effect of maternal adolescent age on neonatal outcomes. Cumhuriyet Medical Journal. 2022;44(2):192-7.
49. Mohammadi N, Montazeri S, Ardabili HE, Gharacheh M. Iranian pregnant teenage women tell the story of “fast development”: A phenomenological study. Women and Birth. 2016;29(4):303-9.
50. Baba S, Iso H, Fujiwara T. Area-Level and Individual-Level Factors for Teenage Motherhood: A Multilevel Analysis in Japan. PloS One. 2016;11(11):e0166345.
51. Vanderpuije M. Social support in pregnant teens:
A systematic review of social support interventions. University of Pittsburgh; 2014.
52. Freudenberg N, Ruglis J. Reframing school dropout as a public health issue. Prev Chronic Dis. 2007;4(4): A107.
53. Hodgkinson S, Beers L, Southammakosane C, Lewin A. Addressing the mental health needs of pregnant and parenting adolescents. Pediatrics. 2014;133(1):114-22.
54. SmithBattle LI. Reducing the stigmatization of teen mothers. MCN Am J Matern Child Nurs. 2013;38(4):235-41.
55. Brand G, Morrison P, Down B. How do health professionals support pregnant and young mothers in the community? A selective review of the research literature. Women Birth. 2014;27(3):174-8.
Files
IssueVol 19, No 2 (June 2025) QRcode
SectionReview Articles
DOI https://doi.org/10.18502/jfrh.v19i2.19295
Keywords
Teenage Pregnancy Psychosocial Prenatal Interventions Adolescent Pregnancy Mental Health Systematic Review Public Health

Rights and permissions
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
1.
Montazeri S, Yousefi S, Javadifar N. Psychosocial Prenatal Interventions for Teenage Pregnant: A Systematic Review. J Family Reprod Health. 2025;19(2):69-84.