Original articleAdolescent Pregnancy Desire and Pregnancy Incidence
Section snippets
Introduction and Background
Since the 1990s, the United States has experienced significant declines in teenage pregnancy and birth rates. Between 1991 and 2005, birth rates among women 15 to 19 years old dropped 34% from 61.8 to 40.5 births per 1,000 women. More recently, however, national data have suggested increases in the annual rate and number of births to teenage women. Over 445,000 babies were born to young women 15 to 19 years old in 2007 alone (Hamilton, Martin, & Ventura, 2009).
It has been commonly assumed that
Sample
Participants were adolescent females recruited through 10 hospital clinics, community health care centers, and high school-based clinics in New Haven, Bridgeport, and Hartford, Connecticut. These three cities have the highest rates of teenage pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, and sexually transmitted diseases in the state (Connecticut Department of Public Health, 2006). Between June 1998 and March 2000, adolescent women were approached in the clinic waiting rooms by study staff, referred by an enrolled
Participant Characteristics
Participant demographic and psychosocial characteristics at baseline are shown in Table 1. The mean age of participants was 17.2 years (standard deviation, 1.46). Approximately 40% were non-Hispanic black, 33% were Hispanic, and 16% non-Hispanic White. Most were still in school and not working at baseline. Approximately one third of participants were involved in relationships lasting longer than 1 year. Seventy-six percent of participants disagreed with the statement, “You would like to get
Discussion
Approximately 24% of participants reported feelings of desire or ambivalence toward pregnancy within the next year. Our analysis demonstrates that some desire for pregnancy in this sample of adolescents is significantly associated with pregnancy incidence over the 18-month follow-up period. This study, therefore, is among the first to suggest that expressions of desire for pregnancy indicate higher risk for subsequent pregnancy among a racially and ethnically diverse sample of young women.
Ms. Sipsma's research interests include adolescent reproductive health and maternal and child health more broadly, with a focus on both domestic and international settings.
References (31)
- et al.
Depressive symptoms as a predictor of sexual risk among African American adolescents and young adults
Journal of Adolescent Health
(2006) - et al.
Adolescents’ ambivalence about becoming pregnant predicts infrequent contraceptive use: A prospective analysis of nonpregnant African American females
American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
(2002) - et al.
Predictors of inconsistent contraceptive use among adolescent girls: Findings from a prospective study
Journal of Adolescent Health
(2006) Unintended pregnancy among U.S. adolescents: Accounting for sexual activity
Journal of Adolescent Health
(2010)- et al.
Differences in pregnancy desire among pregnant female adolescents at a state-funded family planning clinic
Journal of Midwifery and Womens Health
(2008) - et al.
Female adolescents’ perceptions of male partners’ pregnancy desire
Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health
(2008) - et al.
Characteristics of adolescent women who stop using contraception after use at first sexual intercourse
Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology
(2007) - et al.
Adolescent sexual risk behavior: A multi-system perspective
Clinical Psychology Review
(2001) - et al.
Race, adolescent contraceptive choice, and pregnancy at presentation to a family planning clinic
Obstetrics and Gynecology
(2002) - et al.
Syndemics, sex and the city: Understanding sexually transmitted diseases in the social and cultural context
Social Science and Medicine
(2006)
Couples’ shared participation in novel and arousing activities and experienced relationship quality
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
The consistency and validity of reproductive attitudes: Evidence from Morocco
Journal of Biological Science
The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistic considerations
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
You want to measure coping but your protocol’s too long: Consider the Brief COPE
International Journal of Behavioral Medicine
A global measure of perceived stress
Journal of Health and Social Behavior
Cited by (39)
“I can try and plan, but still get pregnant”: The complexity of pregnancy intentions and reproductive health decision-making for adolescents
2021, Journal of AdolescenceCitation Excerpt :In another study conducted among socioeconomically disadvantaged black young men ages 18 to 25, participants reported “having a child meant I had a real life” (Alexander et al., 2019). Similarly, findings were reported among American Indian/Alaska Native youth who expressed early childbearing as an escape from limited opportunities due to adverse experiences (Hanson, McMahon, Griese, & Kenyon, 2014; Sipsma, Ickovics, Lewis, Ethier, & Kershaw, 2011). These findings suggest a need for a holistic continuum of efforts to support young people and their reproductive decision making that incorporates the significant role of social context on childbearing.
Trauma exposure and adolescent attitudes toward having a baby: An exploratory survey
2021, Contraception: XCitation Excerpt :Understanding adolescent attitudes about teen parenthood is essential for the development of effective teen pregnancy prevention programs [7]. Although three-quarters of teen pregnancies are unintended [9], a substantial proportion (15%−30%) of adolescents report neutral/indifferent (e.g., not endorsing positive or negative) attitudes toward becoming pregnant [8], which increases risk of pregnancy [10]. Not surprisingly, teens who report a desire for pregnancy are most at risk for a subsequent pregnancy [11,12].
Factors associated with Interest in same-day contraception initiation among females in the pediatric emergency department
2016, Journal of Adolescent HealthCitation Excerpt :A multidisciplinary team developed the assessment tool, based in large part on national surveys and review of the pertinent literature. The survey included questions on demographic factors (4) [26], use of medical care (4) [27], sexual and dating practices (9) [26,28], pregnancy likelihood and intentions (3) [29,30], pregnancy history and contraception use (5) [28], concerns about contraception initiation (7) [31], interest in contraception initiation (4), and violence victimization (ARA [5] [9,32], reproductive coercion [10] [33], and forcible rape [1] [26]). Medical insurance type (dichotomized into commercial vs. other) and previous ED or primary care hospital system visits in the previous 12 months (dichotomized into none vs. any) were determined by medical record review during the visit; all other responses were self-reported.
Pleased to be pregnant? Positive pregnancy attitudes among sexually active adolescent females in the United States
2014, Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent GynecologyCitation Excerpt :Having a casual sexual partner in the last 6 months, using condoms inconsistently, not using hormonal contraception, not using contraception at last sexual activity, having an older partner, and reporting having limited options other than dating the current partner were associated with a positive pregnancy desire among urban African-American sexually active adolescents.5 A prospective study of sexually active adolescent females in 1 urban area demonstrated that age, age at sexual debut, and involvement in a current relationship of <6 months duration were associated with a positive pregnancy desire.6 Another study of urban African-American and Latino young adults found that relationship duration, cohabitation, and higher frequency of sexual activity were associated with being pleased with a future pregnancy with a current partner.7
Developmental pathways from child maltreatment to adolescent pregnancy: A multiple mediational model
2023, Development and PsychopathologySocial Norms of Pregnancy and Pregnancy Attitudes Among Youth Experiencing Homelessness
2023, Youth and Society
Ms. Sipsma's research interests include adolescent reproductive health and maternal and child health more broadly, with a focus on both domestic and international settings.
Dr. Ickovics' research lies at the intersection between public health and psychology. She investigates the interplay of the complex psychological, medical, and social factors that influence the health of the person and of the community.
Ms. Lewis' areas of interest lie in adolescent pregnancy, reproductive and behavioral health, and HIV prevention.
Dr. Ethier's research has included psychosocial, behavioral, organizational and clinical factors related to women's health, maternal health and adolescent sexual and reproductive health.
Dr. Kershaw's research revolves around the intersection of sexual, reproductive, and maternal child health in young women, men, and couples.
Supported by Award Number T32MH020031 from the National Institute of Mental Health. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIMH or the NIH.