SUS ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY SUS By Joanne E. Cox Reviewed by S. Jean Emans

SUS Adolescent Pregnancy Statistics 1 Million pregnancies/year in girls < 20 years old 500,000 births 175,000 births to mothers < 17 years 72% of these births are to single mothers

SUS Adolescent birth rate trends Birth rates declined through the 1970s Birth rates leveled off during the 1980s Declining rates since births/1000 to girls age 15-19

SUS US birth rates higher than other developed countries 1996 birth rates for year olds Canada /1000 US - 36/1000

SUS Consequences for the Children of Adolescent Mothers:

SUS Low-birthweight Infants Risk increased for mothers <15 years old Risk increased with poor prenatal care Teen centered prenatal programs improve outcomes

SUS Childhood Health Problems Receive less medical care and treatment Increased risk for childhood accidents Child abuse and neglect Foster care

SUS Behavioral and School Issues As infants, receive less verbalization Do well as preschoolers In school, increased behavioral problems School dropout rates high Cycle of teen childbearing

SUS Consequences for Adolescent Mothers 30% teen mothers vs. 76% adult mothers earn a HS diploma by age 30 Welfare reform now mandates school Earning are not markedly different from their adult counterparts Overall 50% increase in welfare dependency over time Most single parents

SUS Risk Factors for Adolescent Pregnancy Intro-familial factors –Parent who became pregnant during adolescence –Sibling who is a teen parent –Family dysfunction –Chronic multi-generational poverty –Personal beliefs

SUS Social-cultural factors –Peers who are teen parents (cultural norms) –Educational failure –Hopelessness for the future –Depression –Pressure from young men who consider fatherhood equivalent to masculinity –History of sexual abuse Risk Factors for Adolescent Pregnancy (cont)

SUS Teen Pregnancy Prevention now a National Priority National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy –formed by President Clinton in January 1996 Multifaceted interventions are critical

SUS General Categories of Prevention Abstinence based Community/school-based which are improve knowledge Skills building Clinic based directed at contraceptive knowledge and availability Media campaigns

SUS Important Caveats for Effective Strategies Strong support from a responsible adult Attention to basic cognitive skills and educational achievement Attention to the world of work Attention to the specific skills necessary to avoid pregnancy

SUS Other Factors which Influence Teen Pregnancy Risk Roles of older males in teen pregnancy Relationships between teen pregnancy- related behaviors and other risk behaviors Sexual abuse associated with teen pregnancy

SUS Other Factors which Influence Teen Pregnancy Risk (cont) Continuous media messages received by teens about sexuality and pregnancy Shifts in social norms on out-of-wedlock pregnancies General worsening of economic conditions for teens with more growing up in poverty