Bearing a child as a teenager is often associated with many difficulties for the mother and her child, as teen parents are generally not ready for the responsibilities of raising a child.  Teen parents are generally less prepared financially to support a child and poverty carries its own set of risk factors for children as described elsewhere on this website.  Babies born to teen mothers are also at a higher risk of low birth weight and infant mortality. In 2007, there were 348 births to unwed mothers in Pinellas County age 10-17.

The rate of births to unwed mothers 10-17 years of age in Florida and Pinellas County has begun to increase after years of steady decline. In 2007, births to unwed mothers age 10-17 per 1000 female population in Pinellas County was 8.6, fractionally above the state average and lower than other counties of similar size except Palm Beach County.