Investigated the ontogeny of fetal autonomic, motoric, state, and interactive functioning in 31 healthy fetuses from 20 weeks through term. Found that male fetuses were more active than female fetuses, and that greater maternal stress appraisal was associated with reduced fetal heart rate variability. Found that an apparent period of…

Defines community level interventions for prevention and health promotion, describing their appeal, offering examples of community level interventions that demonstrate their promise, summarizing literature reviews that document that the promise is not realized regularly, and proposing that models to bridge the gap between science and practice via…

Reviews the literature to identify the most important antecedents associated with adolescent initiation of sex, contraception use, and pregnancy. Results indicate that over 100 antecedents create a complex, detailed picture of the correlates of adolescent sexual behaviors. They describe characteristics of adolescents themselves, their partners,…

Examined the relationship of gender to adolescents' educational and childbearing plans, interdependence of plans, and differential effects of gender and social context. Data from the High School and Beyond Sophomore Cohort Study indicated that girls, but not boys, expected the timing of childbearing to affect educational attainment. Educational…

Examined prevalence of depression in 360 women during pregnancy and after delivery. At both assessments, approximately 25 percent reported elevated levels of depressive symptomatology. Ten percent met diagnostic criteria for depression during pregnancy; 6.8 percent were depressed postpartum. One-half of postpartum depression cases were new onset.…

Estimates impact of liberalization of New York State abortion law in 1970 on adolescent childbearing in New York City. Analyzes monthly data on number of births to White and Black adolescents from 1963-87. Findings indicate that level of births to Black adolescents fell 18.7 percent and births to White adolescents fell 14.1 percent after the law…

Interviewed delayed (N=32) and younger (N=32) childbearers and their spouses during the last trimester of pregnancy and at 3, 6, and 12 months postpartum. Found groups to differ in demographic characteristics, but found no differences between delayed and younger childbearers, either initially or developmentally, in marital adjustment, self-esteem,…

Examines medical literature describing relationship between maternal age and pregnancy outcomes. Describes literature exploring links between heightened emotionality during pregnancy and negative outcomes, suggesting that fear-induced stress during pregnancy may place certain middle-aged women at higher risk for complications. Proposes strategies…

No differences in goal orientation or locus of control were apparent among 151 New Mexico adolescents: 37 long-term GRADS (Graduation, Reality, and Dual Role Skills) participants, 46 new to GRADS, and 68 controls. Pregnant and nonpregnant girls differed in their ranking of most important goals. (SK)

Qualitative study of 27 couples who experienced pregnancy loss and infant death explored emotional support that spouses give to partners. In most couples, support was described by both couples as mutual. Among all who provided mutual support, most perceived fairly even exchange. Couples who provided little support to each other were helped by peer…

Assessed short-term consequences of parenting versus placing for adoption among 527 young, unmarried, pregnant women interviewed during final trimester of pregnancy and again at 6 months postbirth. Both groups were relatively comfortable with their pregnancy resolution decisions. Placers were less comfortable with their decision, fared better on…

Describes how one teacher continued to teach after becoming pregnant, even though this was against school policy. Reminds teachers that Henry Thoreau claimed it is moral to disobey an immoral law. (HB)

Examined sex and race bias in recent research on adolescent pregnancy prevention. Descriptive statistics from 71 citations showed that, of 33 articles focusing on single sex, one was on males. Of remaining articles, majority did not differentiate between sexes or provided minimal data on sex differences. Discusses consequences of research that…

Pregnancy and delivery complications in the birth of 23 high-functioning autistic females and 23 high-functioning autistic males of similar intelligence quotient and age were compared with those of 54 normally developing siblings. Findings suggest that these factors may be less significant in high-functioning individuals than in severely retarded…

Discusses the need for maternity benefits for working women. Suggests that although most countries provide paid maternity leave by law, there is a gap between that law and practice. Includes a chart depicting maternity protection (length of leave, cash benefits, who pays) around the world. (JOW)