The association between prepregnancy parental support and control and adolescent girls' pregnancy resolution decisions

J Adolesc Health. 2013 Sep;53(3):413-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.04.016. Epub 2013 Jun 12.

Abstract

Purpose: To examine the influence of prepregnancy parental support and control on adolescent girls' pregnancy resolution decisions.

Methods: Data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health were analyzed. Girls whose first pregnancy reported in wave IV occurred after wave I and before age 20 were included (n = 1,107). Participants self-reported pregnancy disposition (abortion, ectopic or tubal pregnancy, miscarriage, stillbirth, live birth) for each pregnancy; responses were dichotomized as abortion versus other. Girls' perceptions of parental support and control were measured at wave I. Controls were included for wave I age, age at pregnancy, year at the end of pregnancy, race/ethnicity, and parent characteristics (i.e., education, religious affiliation, age at first marriage, and educational expectations). Weighted multivariable logistic regression models were performed.

Results: Approximately 18% of girls reporting a teen pregnancy reported having an abortion. In crude analyses, parental support was marginally negatively related to abortion (odds ratio [OR] = .83, p = .06) and parental control was significantly negatively related to abortion (OR = .78, p = .02). In multivariable analyses, higher parental control was significantly negatively related to abortion versus other pregnancy outcomes (adjusted OR .80, 95% confidence interval .66-.98). Perceived parental support was unassociated with pregnancy resolution decisions. The only other factor associated with abortion decisions was parent education: odds of choosing abortion versus other pregnancy outcomes were significantly higher for adolescent girls whose parents had a bachelor's degree or greater versus those with lower educational attainment.

Conclusions: Pregnant adolescents with less educated parents or parents exercising greater control were less likely to have an abortion.

Keywords: Abortion; Adolescent pregnancy; Parent control; Parent support.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Abortion, Induced / statistics & numerical data*
  • Adolescent
  • Decision Making
  • Educational Status
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interviews as Topic
  • National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health
  • Parent-Child Relations*
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Outcome*
  • Pregnancy in Adolescence*
  • Young Adult