Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Prevalence and Characteristics of Teen Motherhood in Canada

  • Published:
Maternal and Child Health Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The study aims to examine the prevalence and characteristics of adolescent mothers throughout the provinces of Canada. The analysis was based on the Maternity Experience Survey targeting women aged ≥15 years who had singleton live births during 2005/2006 in the Canadian provinces and territories. The main dependent variable in this study was the mother’s age at the time of delivery divided into teen mothers (<20 years) and average-aged mothers (≥20 and <35 years). Socio-economic factors, demographic factors and pregnancy related factors were considered for a logistic regression analysis comparing teen mothers to average-aged mothers. Bootstrapping was performed to account for the complex sampling design. The sample size was 6,188 weighted to represent 76,110 Canadian women. The proportion of teen mothers in the MES study was 2.9%, and their average age was 18.1 years (SD = 1.1). As compared to average-aged mothers, teen mothers were more likely to have low socio-economic status, be non-immigrants, have no partner, reside in the Western Prairies, have previously experienced physical or sexual abuse and have preferred to have had their pregnancies later into their adulthood. Despite the above, teen mothers were more likely to attend prenatal classes than average-aged mothers (Odds ratio = 2.54, 95% confidence interval: 1.74–3.71). Intervention studies should aim to raise awareness among teens to prevent teen pregnancies. Since teen mothers are very likely to attend prenatal courses, the focus of these classes should be tailored to the needs of teen mothers. More in depth qualitative studies should aim to understand their individual needs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. World Health Organization (WHO). (2006). Pregnant adolescents: Delivering on global promises of hope. Geneva, Switzerland: WHO Document Production Services.

    Google Scholar 

  2. World Health Organization (WHO). (1999). Health in Italy in the 21st century. Available at: http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/127415/WA540G1899HE.pdf. Accessed May 19, 2010.

  3. Singh, S., & Darroch, J. E. (2000). Adolescent pregnancy and childbearing: Levels and trends in developed countries. Family Planning Perspectives, 32(1), 14–23.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Statistics Canada. (2006a). Canadian vital statistics, birth database. Available at: http://cansim2.statcan.ca/cgi-win/cnsmcgi.pgm?Lang=E&RootDir=CII/CII_ASUM&ARRAY_SUMM=1&ARRAYID=1024503&RESULTTEMPLATE=CII/CII_ASUM&ARRAY_SUMM=1&ARRAYID=1024503. Accessed May 19, 2010.

  5. Chen, X. K., Wen, S. W., Fleming, N., Demissie, K., Rhoads, G. G., & Walker, M. (2007). Teenage pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes: A large population based retrospective cohort study. International Journal of Epidemiology, 36(2), 368–373.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Klein, J. D. (2005). Adolescent pregnancy: Current trends and issues. Pediatrics, 116, 281–286.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Maynard, R. (1997). Kids having kids: Economic costs and social consequences of teen pregnancy. Washington, D.C.: The Urban Institute Press.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Coley, R. L., & Chase-Lansdale, P. L. (1998). Adolescent pregnancy and parenting: Recent evidence and future directions. The American Psychologist, 53, 152–166.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Hellerstedt, W. L. (2002). Economic, psychosocial, and health risks associated with adolescent childbearing. In M. Story & J. Stang (Eds.), Nutrition and the pregnant adolescent: A practical reference guide (pp. 17–23). Minneapolis: University of Minnesota.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Hoffman, S. D. (2006). By the numbers: The public costs of teen childbearing. Washington DC: National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Singh, S., Darroch, J. E., Frost, J. J. (2001). Socioeconomic disadvantage and adolescent women’s sexual and reproductive behavior: The case of five developed countries. Family Planning Perspective, 33(6), 251–258, 289.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Ruusuvaara, L. (1997). Adolescent sexuality: An educational and counselling challenge. Annals New York Academy of Sciences, 17(816), 411–413.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Rome, E. S., Rybicki, L. A., & Durant, R. H. (1998). Pregnancy and other risk behaviors among adolescent girls in Ohio. Journal of Adolescent Health, 22(1), 50–55.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Jacono, J. J., Jacono, B. J., St Onge, M., Van Oosten, S., & Meininger, E. (1992). Teenage pregnancy: A reconsideration. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 83(3), 196–199.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Bowman, K. G. (2007). When breastfeeding may be a threat to adolescent mothers. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 28(1), 89–99.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Cinq-Mars, C., Wright, J., Cyr, M., & McDuff, P. (2003). Sexual at-risk behaviors of sexually abused adolescent girls. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 12(2), 1–18.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Millar, W. J., & Wadhera, S. (1997). A perspective on Canadian teenage births, 1992–94: Older men and younger women? Canadian Journal of Public Health, 88(5), 333–336.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Dryburgh, H. (2000). Teenage pregnancy. Health Report, 12(1), 9–19.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Statistics Canada. (2006b). Microdata user guide: Maternity experiences survey, 2006. Available at: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/imdb-bmdi/document/5019_D1_T1_V1-eng.pdf. Accessed May 19, 2010.

  20. Dzakpasu, S., Kaczorowski, J., Chalmers, B., Heaman, M., Duggan, J., Neusy, E., et al. (2008). The Canadian maternity experiences survey: Design and methods. JOGC, 30, 207–216.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Hemminki, E., & Gissler, M. (1996). Births by younger and older mothers in a population with late and regulated childbearing: Finland 1991. Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, 75(1), 19–27.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Ayotunde, T., Mary, O., Melvin, A. O., & Faniyi, F. F. (2009). Maternal age at birth and under-5 mortality in Nigeria. East African Journal of Public Health, 6(1), 11–14.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG). (2009). RCOG Statement on later maternal age. Available at: http://www.rcog.org.uk/what-we-do/campaigning-and-opinions/statement/rcog-statement-later-maternal-age. Accessed May 19, 2010.

  24. Murdock, L. (2009). Young aboriginal mothers in Winnipeg. Winnipeg, Manitoba: The Prairie Women’s Health Centre of Excellence.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Start, Best. (2007). Update report on teen pregnancy prevention. Toronto, ON: Best Start: Ontario’s Maternal, Newborn and Early Child Development Resource Centre.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Bissell, M. (2000). Socio-economic outcomes of teen pregnancy and parenthood: A review of the literature. Canadian Journal of Human Sex, 9, 191–204.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Kalil, A., Ziol-Guest, K. M., & Levine Coley, R. (2005). Perceptions of father involvement patterns in teenage-mother families: Predictors and links to mothers’ psychological adjustment. Family Relations, 54, 197–211.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Noria, C. W., Weed, K., & Keogh, D. (2007). The fate of adolescent mothers. In J. G. Borkowski, J. R. Farris, T. L. Whitman, S. S. Carothers, K. Weed, & D. A. Keogh (Eds.), Risk and resilience: Adolescent mothers and their children grow up. Mahwah, N.J.: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Smythe, S. (2007). Child and youth development and income inequality: A review of selected literature. British Columbia: First Call BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Kennedy, A. C., & Bennett, L. (2006). Urban adolescent mothers exposed to community, family, and partner violence: Is cumulative violence exposure a barrier to school performance and participation. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 21, 750–773.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Kennedy, A. C. (2005). Resilience among urban adolescent mothers living with violence: Listening to their stories. Violence Against Women, 11, 1490–1514.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Curry, M. A., Perrin, N., & Wall, E. (1998). Effects of abuse on maternal complications and birth weight in adult and adolescent women. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 92, 530–534.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Spence, S. A., & Holliman, D. C. (1996). Exploring the relationship between purpose in life and African American adolescents’ use of prenatal care services. Social Work and Health Care, 22, 43–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Windle, M., et al. (2010). Parenting predictors of early-adolescents’ health behaviors: Simultaneous group comparisons across sex and ethnic groups. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 39, 594–606.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada

    Ban Al-Sahab & Hala Tamim

  2. Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada

    Marina Heifetz, Yvonne Bohr & Jennifer Connolly

Authors
  1. Ban Al-Sahab
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Marina Heifetz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hala Tamim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yvonne Bohr
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jennifer Connolly
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hala Tamim.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Al-Sahab, B., Heifetz, M., Tamim, H. et al. Prevalence and Characteristics of Teen Motherhood in Canada. Matern Child Health J 16, 228–234 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-011-0750-8

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-011-0750-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation