Examined heterosexual behavior among 908 18-year-olds in Glasgow, Scotland. Proportion who reported having experienced sexual intercourse was slightly lower than that reported in studies elsewhere. Found marked sex differences, with males reporting being significantly younger at first intercourse and having had more sexual partners than females.…

Focuses on efforts in Connecticut to combat teenage pregnancy. Describes a model program that emphasizes a collaborative venture between a state-funded community-based pregnancy prevention program and a regional vocational-technical high school located in a rural setting. Describes Northeast Connecticut Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program and the…

Responses from 170 Louisiana family-and-consumer science teachers indicated that those with more open-mindedness, greater knowledge of teen pregnancy, and more inservice training had more positive attitudes toward pregnant teens. Those who taught more pregnant teens or were married/widowed had less positive attitudes. Many schools did not offer…

Assessments of schools and community agencies with teen pregnancy prevention programs (n=23) in three California counties were conducted using surveys, interviews, and site visits. Best practices identified included youth development programs, Involvement of family and other caring adults, and culturally appropriate and locally relevant…

This study examined mothers' attitudes toward pregnancy and outcomes of unwanted pregnancies in 1,454 women in Moscow (Russia). Unplanned and unwanted pregnancies greatly increased the risk of unfavorable pregnancy outcomes (especially prematurity and intrauterine developmental delay). The principal factor contributing to an unwanted pregnancy was…

Women having an induced abortion in an urban clinic were studied. First, second, and third time aborters (N=150) were interviewed. Variables including reasons for choosing abortion, life situations, contraceptive risk-taking, and ease of becoming pregnant were examined. Related studies and suggestions for postabortion counseling are discussed.…

Expands an existing nonlinear dynamic epidemic model of onset of social activities (EMOSA), motivated by social contagion theory, to quantify the likelihood of pregnancy for adolescent girls of different sexuality statuses. Compares five sexuality/pregnancy models to explain variance in national prevalence curves. Finds that adolescent girls have…

After participating in 6 to 10 sex education sessions, six adolescent and adult men with mild mental retardation showed minimal increases in their knowledge of friendship, contraception, pregnancy, sexual interaction, and social skills. Following sex education, negative feelings developed about marriage, having children, and being present during…

Describes a workshop designed to assist pregnant and parenting adolescents through the use of journaling techniques. Concludes that journaling can increase the adolescents' receptivity to social and emotional introspection and may be beneficial as an opening exercise to clinical interventions. (JDM)

Investigates the potential impact of statutory rape laws on teen fertility and initiation of sexual activity. Shows that misleading conclusions about the extent to which teen girls engage in sexual activities with older men may be drawn if these conclusions are based simply on data on births. States that successful enforcement of statutory rape…

Suggests that preventing early childbearing among those who are still young and unmarried is likely to yield significant social benefits, including the restoration of marriage, discussing whether marriage is the solution to the problem of early motherhood. Explains the need for strong efforts to prevent early childbearing, examining teen pregnancy…

Background: Prenatal screening for chromosomal abnormalities is routinely offered to all pregnant women who present for care by their 20th gestational week. Not all women, however, choose to undergo one of these tests, and choice of which test(s) to undergo also vary. The reasons for variation in screening test behavior have not been fully…

Sex differences in play are apparent in a number of mammalian species, including humans. Prenatal testosterone may contribute to these differences. The authors report the first attempt to correlate gender-typed play in a normative sample of humans with measurements of amniotic testosterone (aT). Testosterone was measured in the amniotic fluid of…

Life history theory provided a framework for examining the relations among child sexual abuse (CSA), childhood adversity, and patterns of reproductive development and behavior. A community survey that assessed CSA, life history variables (e.g., age of menarche), and social and family background was administered to 623 women (mean age=26.9 years).…

Two of the most significant changes affecting U.S. society during the 20th century were transformations in family structure and the transition from a nonmetropolitan/farm society to a largely metropolitan society. In this study, classic sociological theory, developed to understand differences between metro and nonmetro society, was employed.…