Differences in Pregnancy Desire Among Pregnant Female Adolescents at a State‐Funded Family Planning Clinic

Abstract

We wished to examine variables associated with pregnancy desire among pregnant adolescents from low socioeconomic backgrounds. This study analyzed 335 charts at a state-funded family planning clinic. Participants were adolescents who had a positive pregnancy test at the clinic on the day of the survey. Logistic regression was utilized to determine differences in pregnancy desire. We found that Hispanic teens were more than twice as likely to desire pregnancy as African American teens (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.22; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.22-3.65), and adolescents who were not in school were almost twice as likely as those who were in school full-time to desire pregnancy (AOR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.08-3.09). Hispanic teens who were not in school were 12 times more likely to desire pregnancy than African American teens who were in school full-time (odds ratio [OR], 11.47; 95% CI, 3.68-35.75). Adolescent pregnancy desire is significantly associated with educational status and racial background. Developing culturally appropriate interventions to encourage continued education and asking about community and familial norms are essential steps in addressing this issue.

Violence, Teenage Pregnancy, and Life History

“…The effect of poor education on teenage conceptions may also be to reduce career opportunities and enhance the attractiveness of motherhood. Younger mothers are more likely to 22 have disliked school (Haldre, Rahu, Rahu & Karro, 2009), spent fewer years in school (Hofferth, Reid & Mott, 2002), or to have dropped out altogether (Heavey, Moysich, Hyland, Druschel & Sill, 2008).…”

Adolescent Pregnancy Desire and Pregnancy Incidence

“…Although adolescent pregnancies are largely unintended or unplanned, several studies have found that a significant proportion (24%-65%) of adolescents feel some desire or ambivalence about becoming pregnant, suggesting the importance of these feelings in understanding sexual risk behavior (Cowley & Farley, 2001; Davies et al, 2003; Finer, 2010; Heavey, Moysich, Hyland, Druschel, & Sill, 2008a; Hellerstedt et al, 2001; Kelly, Sheeder, & Stevens-Simon, 2004). …”

“…Much of the research examining the relationship between pregnancy desire or ambivalence and sexual risk or pregnancy incidence has relied on cross-sectional designs (Davies et al, 2004;Heavey et al, 2008a; Kelly et al, 2004; Kinsella, Crane, Ogden, & Stevens-Simon, 2007; Raine, Harper, Paukku, & Darney, 2002). These study designs, however, can be subject to several types of biases.…”

“…For instance, cross-sectional designs cannot indicate temporality. Although it may be assumed that desire precedes pregnancy, young women who receive positive pregnancy test results may increase their desire from natural tendencies to feel positive about a new pregnancy (Bankole & Westoff, 1998; Heavey et al, 2008a). Likewise, adolescents who use contraception inconsistently may modify their desire according to their perceived risk of pregnancy (Kelly et al, 2004).…”

Predictive Ability and Stability of Adolescents’ Pregnancy Intentions in a Predominantly Latino Community

“…This pattern holds for male teenagers as well: 10 percent of Latinos, 1 percent of non-Latino blacks, and 6 percent non-Latino whites report that they would be “very pleased” to make a girl pregnant (Abma et al 2004). Other studies examining adolescent pregnancy intentions have found more positive attitudes toward pregnancy among blacks as well as Latinos (Cowley and Farley 2001; Jaccard et al 2003; Rosengard et al 2004; Heavey et al 2008). Quantitative data are supported by ethnographic studies, which suggest that Latino culture can be highly supportive of early motherhood and that some Latina girls may feel that becoming pregnant wins them respect from their community (Oropesa 1996; Unger and Molina 1998).…”