Contraceptive Use Among High-Risk Adolescents

Abstract

Despite national awareness of the growing number of pregnant teens, little information exists concerning factors that predict early childbirth among individual girls. To begin to address this issue, the influence of specific life and social factors was examined in 50 adolescent girls with documented histories of good and poor contraception use. Educational history and aspirations, employment, residence patterns, contraceptive history, familial patterns of child bearing, and accessibility to family planning services were examined. Maintenance of employment, school enrollment, and travel time to the clinic were significantly different between the two groups, with other trends noted in educational aspirations, family birth patterns, and clinic accessibility. Results are discussed in light of factors that determine risk for pregnancy in teen contraceptive users.