Back to Annual Meeting

Back to Annual Meeting

APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Celeste A. Lemay, RN, BSN¹, Suzanne Cashman, ScD¹, Dianne S. Elfenbein, MD², and Marianne Felice, MD². (1) Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester, MA 01655, 508-334-7519, calrn@charter.net, (2) Division of Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Massachsetts, 55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester, MA 01655

Due to adverse consequences of rapid repeat pregnancy, delaying birth of a second child to an adolescent mother for 2 years following a first birth is a national priority. Nevertheless, between 24% and 31% of adolescent mothers experience a second birth within 24 months of delivering their first child. Interventions promoting return to school and consistent use of contraception are difficult to implement and are not always effective. The purpose of this study was to understand the factors influencing use of contraceptive methods among primipara adolescent mothers. Four focus groups were conducted with adolescent mothers recruited from a medical care program providing services to mothers and their children. Fifty-eight percent were White, 25% Hispanic, 17% Black. Mean age was 20 (SD1.3), mean age at conception was 16.7 (SD .88). Participants listed several factors influencing teens' failure to use contraception prior to first pregnancy including denial, lack of information, embarrassment, and concern regarding confidentiality. Different factors influenced contraception use after first pregnancy including convenience, familiarity, and side effects. While convenience was identified as the major factor in method selection, side effects consistently trumped convenience and contributed to method changing. Participants were knowledgeable about Depo-Provera, oral contraceptives and condoms, but knew less about the Nuvo Ring and IUD. To encourage proper and consistent use of contraception, teens suggested two approaches: providers raising the topic with patients when they reach the age of 13; engaging teen mothers in outreach to their peers to provide accurate and realistic information about being a young mother.

Learning Objectives: