Babies of adolescents in CPS care more likely to be taken into care

(HealthDay)—Teen mothers who are in the care of child protection services (CPS) when they gave birth have more than a seven times higher likelihood that their child will be taken into care before age 2 years, compared to teen mothers not in CPS, according to a study published online May 29 in Pediatrics.

Elizabeth Wall-Wieler, from the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada, and colleagues determined if adolescent mothers who were in the care of CPS (576 mothers) when they gave birth to their first child were more likely to have that child taken into CPS care before the child's second birthday than adolescent mothers who were not in the care of CPS (5,366 mothers; April 1998 through March 2013).

The researchers found that adolescent mothers who were in care had greater odds of having their child taken into care before the child's second birthday (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 7.53). Their children had higher odds of being taken into care during multiple specific time periods, including in their first week of life (aOR, 11.64), between 1 week and their first birthday (aOR, 3.63), and between their first and second birthday (aOR, 2.21).

"Findings support an intergenerational cycle of involvement with CPS," the authors write. "More and better services are required for adolescent mothers who give birth while in care of CPS."