Data and information are currently being collected and analyzed to compare differences between marital and non-marital birth rates among 15-19, 15-17, and 18-19 age groupings in the United States. Vital Statistics and the National Survey of Family Growth data are being analyzed in addition to an extensive review of the literature to create a more comprehensive understanding of this issue. The comparisons include trend, cross-sectional, and secondary analyses. Preliminary findings suggest that the decreases in total birth rates to teens in the 1990s were due in major part to a decrease in birth rates among married teenagers, especially in the 18-19 year old category. The data also reveal differences in sexual activity and contraceptive use rates when broken into sub-sets of married versus non-married women. For example, when evaluating the non-marital birthrates only of sexually experienced teen females from 1988 to 1995, the data suggest a 29% increase. This increase is off-set when non-marital births and marital births of teens are combined. Therefore, mixing the two populations results in inaccurate interpretations of the data. Furthering this line of research, a comprehensive secondary analysis of the literature suggests that births occurring among married teens results in fewer negative outcomes (i.e. social, financial, and emotional, etc.) versus births occurring to teens in non-married situations.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to empirically support the differences between married and non-married teen females on 1) birth rates, 2) sexual activity rates, 3) contraceptive use rates, and 4) birth outcomes. In addition, the participant will be able to analyze the differences by age sub-categories of 15-19, 15-17, and 18-19
Keywords: Adolescents, Reproductive Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.