Traces the use of the "continuity" motif in the Right to Life movement's rhetoric and its influence on the depiction of the abortion controversy. Analyzes how the motif functions rhetorically to aid the movement in defining its activities and involvement. (PD)

Reviews research on the response of normal women to a variety of aspects of pregnancy. Discusses motivation, physical aspects, emotional response, interpersonal changes, and relationships among response to pregnancy, postpartum reaction, and infant status. Presents a discussion of several theoretical phychological perspectives. (MK)

The Massachusetts court held that the exclusion of pregnant women from a disability program was facially discriminatory because pregnancy alone was the determinative criterion. Available from Suffolk University Law Review Office, 41 Temple Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02114; sc $3.50. (Author/IRT)

The author compares and analyzes American and Taiwanese maternity care systems, discussing the history of midwifery in Taiwan; the process by which a midwife establishes her practice; and her role in childbirth, abortion, adoption, and other services. (Author/DS)

Although fetal alcohol syndrome is a preventable disease, it is hard to control because identification of the alcoholic mother is difficult. (MM)

This report presents nonexperimental retrospective data on the weights, menstrual cycle intervals, pregnancy symptoms, and running programs of two women who exercised intensely during their first two trimesters. Although these two cases suggest that strenuous anaerobic exercise during pregnancy is not harmful, more studies are needed. (IAH)

Examined changes in marital adjustment following birth of first child in longitudinal study of 97 couples. Couples completed questionnaires during pregnancy and at 1 and 6 months postpartum. Both husbands and wives peaked in reported marital adjustment at 1 month postpartum; both showed significant decline in marital adjustment at 6 months…

Examined 43 unplanned pregnancies in 14-21 year olds. Explored alcohol use, amount of alcohol consumed, use of other drugs, planning of intercourse, nonuse of contraception, demographics. Findings suggest that drug or alcohol use may have been factor in pregnancy risk taking for some subjects; that women may be more psychologically vulnerable to…

Describes the Teen Pregnancy Project, which began in Savannah, Georgia, in 1981 as an effort to reduce mortality rates of at-risk infants, and has grown into a multiservice program with many approaches. Stresses the need for a home visitation initiative to reach clients. (SKC)

Presents information from a focus group study conducted by the National Institute for Adolescent Pregnancy and Family Services at Temple University. Discusses in detail the design of the study, outcome, and relevant findings. Included are excerpts from the transcribed sessions held with a group of sexually active teenage males. (Author/BH)

Examined data from Second National Family Violence Survey. Found women under age 25 to be more likely than older women to be both pregnant and to be hit and abused by husbands and partners. Although pregnant women were not particularly vulnerable group, pregnancy did not insulate them from high rates of violence experienced by young women.…

Presents excerpts from interviews with members of family in which four generations of women had been adolescent mothers. Most material presented came from Leticia, 20-year-old mother. Other materials are from Leticia's 39-year-old mother, 63-year-old grandmother, and 83-year-old great-grandmother. Explores psychological difficulties each…

Examined the extent to which maternal smoking before and after pregnancy was associated with disruptive behaviors in childhood. When confounding factors were removed, found that maternal smoking during pregnancy was associated with a small but statistically detectable increase in problem behaviors. Smoking after pregnancy was not associated with…

Surveyed 523 undergraduates regarding drug use during pregnancy. Rank order of relative safety of drugs existed for respondents. Tobacco, alcohol, and aspirin were perceived as similar in their consequences to fetus. Cocaine was considered most deleterious and Accutane was considered least deleterious. Seventy-five percent would imprison pregnant…

Summarizes research from the 1980s on topics of adolescent sexual activity, contraception, abortion, marriage, adoption, and childrearing. Emphasizes research about antecedents of adolescent sexual and contraceptive behavior because they are key risk factors in adolescent pregnancy. Notes advances in data and methods and highlights research gaps.…