Citation

Northridge JL, Silver EJ, Talib HJ, Coupey SM. J. Pediatr. Adolesc. Gynecol. 2017; 30(6): 603-608.

Affiliation

Division of Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jpag.2017.06.007

PMID

28668360

Abstract

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of reproductive coercion, a form of intimate partner violence (IPV) including contraceptive sabotage and pregnancy pressure, among urban high-school-aged girls and to examine its associations with reproductive health risks.

DESIGN: and Setting: A self-administered survey completed by high-school-aged girls living in high-poverty neighborhoods while awaiting medical care in a pediatric emergency room, inpatient service, school-based and hospital-based clinics. PARTICIPANTS: 149 sexually active girls aged 14-17 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: To determine the prevalence of reproductive coercion and to examine associations with unprotected sex, STIs, physical IPV, and risk factors for abusive relationships.

RESULTS: 29/149 (19%) of girls reported reproductive coercion, most frequently that a romantic or sexual partner had ever: "told them not to use any birth control" (n=23, 79%); "took off a condom during sex so they would get pregnant" (n=12, 43%); and "said he would leave them if they didn't get pregnant" (n=6, 21%). Girls reporting reproductive coercion were nearly three times more likely than those not coerced to have had chlamydia [OR 2.7 (1.01, 7.19)] and nearly five times more likely to report IPV [OR 4.8 (2.0, 11.8)]. In addition, girls reporting coercion were less likely to have high recognition of abusive behaviors [OR 0.10 (0.01, 0.8)] and less likely to have high comfort communicating with their sexual partners [OR 0.32 (0.1, 0.7)] than girls not reporting coercion.

CONCLUSIONS: Reproductive coercion is experienced by one in five high-school-aged girls in a high-poverty community and is associated with chlamydia infection and IPV. Awareness of the high prevalence and health risks of coercion may allow for intervention.

Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Language: en

Keywords

Adolescent; Chlamydia trachomatis; Intimate Partner Violence; Reproductive Coercion; Reproductive Health; Unprotected Sex