Citation

Romans SE, Martin JL, Morris EM. N. Zeal. Med. J. 1997; 110(1037): 30-33.

Affiliation

Department of Psychological Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1997, New Zealand Medical Association)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

9066564

Abstract

AIM: To examine the relative importance of child sexual abuse as a risk factor for adolescent pregnancy. METHOD: Postal survey and interview of a community sample of New Zealand women. RESULTS: Four preceding familial and psychosocial factors were associated with adolescent pregnancy; these included living in nonnuclear family or one in which the parents had frequent rows, being physically punished after the age of 12 and not having a confidante as a child. Whilst women who reported child sexual abuse were more likely to become pregnant under 19, this variable was confounded by these other characteristics. Only when child sexual abuse was of the most intrusive subtype, ie intercourse, did it independently predict adolescent pregnancy. Some interesting negative (nonsignificant) findings such as the type of high school attended, coeducational or single sex, were found. Material deprivation, as measured by parental socioeconomic and educational status, seemed less important in leading to adolescent pregnancy than has been reported from overseas. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescent pregnancy does not occur randomly in the community but was found in women who came from families with preexisting psychosocial problems. This suggests that preventive strategies aiming to reduce adolescent pregnancy should focus on measures which improve the general functioning of family units, in addition to providing good sexual information.

Language: en