[RNLaborNurse4U]

What is the youngest age patient you have taken care of or has b een on your L&D unit?

I was floored the other week when we had a 12 year old in labor. Yes, 12 years old. Merely a baby herself, having a baby. That was the same day I was caring for a laboring 14 year old who was having her first baby (a 33 week demise at that).

So very very sad.

[newgrad2004]

I dont get it. At 12 do they even understand fully that a baby can come from sex? I doubt they think that can happen to them, teens think they are invincible. It kills me and frightens me to think of these KIDS having sex so young

[unknown99]

We had a 12 year old mother with a 13 year old father.

[imenid37]

I have taken care of 12 year old PTL pt. Recently we had a 14 year old mother of twins. Easy SVD, at that. The daddy was a mere 13.

[fiestynurse]

...

[rn500]

My youngest patient was 12, and it just makes me ill to think about it. I have a 12 year old daughter, thank God she still thinks sex is gross! I know that won't last much longer though.

[rachhump]

I worked for an OB/GYN office prior to going back to school to get my ADN (currently enrolled). We once had a 10 year old mom et an 11 y.o. dad. The mom had one period, we think, before she got pregnant. The sad part is that the parents religious views were strongly against abortion, as am I, so I don't want anyone to think I am being judgemental either way. However, the doctor I worked for, and the mothers pediatrician (for heaven's sake!!), were highly pushing for an abortion because the mother had not even stopped growing herself. I have no idea what happened because they left our practice. How sad.

[SmilingBluEyes]

11 on our unit, not my patient,thankfully. Geez my SON is about to be 12; can't imagine it.....

youngest I saw myself was 13. THAT is too young as it is.

[nurturing_angel]

I once labored a very sweet and frightened 12 year old that was a victim of rape by her step-father. She still makes me cry when I think about her....all she wanted to do was sit on her mommys lap and be comforted. She cried through the whole process and it broke my heart.
Her mom and her step dad got divorced, he went to jail and the baby was put up for adoption.

[nursesarah]

Originally Posted by newgrad2004

I dont get it. At 12 do they even understand fully that a baby can come from sex? I doubt they think that can happen to them, teens think they are invincible. It kills me and frightens me to think of these KIDS having sex so young

as part of my course, a bunch of us went into a girls grade 9 health class to do some health teaching on pregnancy and contraceptives. these are 14 yr olds. they had no idea how to use some contraceptives, like a diaphragm or cervical cap. heck...they didn't even know where their cervix is! we tried to dispel a lot of myths. also, they seem to view oral sex similar to "a goodnight kiss". fact is, while a lot of us know how to get pregnant, what we need to do to protect ourselves, etc. teenagers this young don't.

abstenance only education in many highschools doesn't help either.