The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the factors that contributed to Latina teenagers' decisions to remain sexually abstinent or to become sexually active. The participants in this study included four Latina women between the ages of 20-30 years from a major southwestern metropolitan area. Specifically, two of the participants who…

There is increasing concern about risky behaviors and poor mental health among school-aged youth. A critical factor in youth well-being is school attendance. This study evaluates how school organization and structure affect health outcomes by examining the impacts of a popular urban high school reform -- "small schools" -- on youth risky…

Motivations for bisexual Latino men to have sex have been often overlooked in sexuality education research. This analysis examined the associations between motivations for sex (using the AMORE questionnaire) with a sample of 148 bisexual Latino men. We found that (1) depression was positively associated with sex to relieve stress; (2) machismo was…

We examined information on pubertal changes provided by school nurses to adolescent girls, the methods, and media of communication. We also examined the challenges faced by the nurses in the course of communication. The study setting was five private high schools located in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Participants were 10 school nurses and 420 school…

Women are at greater risk of exposure to interpersonal violence during pregnancy. The influence prenatal violence has on children's behavioral adjustment is generally understood to stem from its impact on mothers, but there is a dearth of prospective research to test these models. The current study evaluated the influence of interpersonal violence…

Although Ghana's comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) program has been lauded, no study has examined its association with the sexual health outcomes of Ghanaian youth. Using data collected from 2,982 in-school youth (male = 1,820 and female = 1,162) aged 15 to 17 years in three administrative regions of the country, we applied discrete-time…

Prior research studies suggest that maternal polyunsaturated fatty acids could have protective effects on neurodevelopmental outcomes. The objective of this study was to examine associations between maternal polyunsaturated fatty acid intake during pregnancy and risk for autism spectrum disorder and other non-typical development in a prospective…

This essay explores the vulnerability of enslaved African Canadian Black women by examining the death of Diana Bastian, an enslaved Black teenager who in 1792 was raped by George More, a member of the Governing Council of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Though Bastian begged for assistance during the resultant pregnancy, More denied her such aid and…

Background: This article provides an overview of the rationale and process for incorporating trauma-informed approaches into US school-based programs, using school-based adolescent pregnancy prevention programs as an example. Methods: Research literature is reviewed on the prevalence and outcomes of childhood trauma, including the links between…

Mutations can cause genetic diseases and the vast majority of these have no effective treatment. They raise some difficult questions on the boundaries of science and social science. Selective breeding to "improve" the human race (eugenics) is often regarded as a Victorian relic or Nazi fantasy. Yet, three fetuses with Down syndrome are…

Teenage pregnancy of school-going girls is a persistent concern, not only in South Africa, but globally. Despite various curricular responses aimed at educating young people about prevention, the numbers continue to rise. While recognising the intersectionality of teenage pregnancy, we believe that school-based prevention measures can play an…

This critical phenomenological study investigates the lived experiences of young women returning to secondary school after pregnancy in Malawi. Through the lens of "Ubuntu," an African philosophy on humanness, the article conducts an analysis of the driving and restraining forces affecting student mothers' schooling experience. The data…

Teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections remain a major health concern and are linked to a number of poor outcomes. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) youth are particularly at risk for these issues. Although evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention (TPP) programs exist, they are not necessarily tailored…

A double-blind randomized controlled trial of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 LCPUFA) supplementation or matching placebo during third trimester of pregnancy was conducted within the COPSAC[subscript 2010] mother-child cohort consisting of 736 women and their children. The objective was to determine if maternal n-3 LCPUFA pregnancy…

Abortion is common, yet stigmatized. In some cases, abortion patients may experience feelings of sadness, guilt, anger, and other signs of emotional distress after their pregnancy is terminated. This article offers guidance for counselors seeking to provide nonjudgmental support to promote adaptation and recovery among abortion patients…