Pregnancy wantedness among pregnant adolescent couples

Background: Pregnancy wantedness has been shown to be predictive of inconsistent contraception and pregnancy among adolescent females. Her partner's pregnancy wantedness, as perceived by the young woman, has also been shown to be an important indicator of sexual risk behavior. Less is known, however, about actual pregnancy wantedness among adolescent males and concordance among young couples. This study therefore aims to examine predictors of pregnancy wantedness among adolescent females, males, and couples. Methods: Adolescent pregnant women (ages 15-22) and their partners were recruited to participate in a larger prospective cohort study examining their transition from pregnancy into parenthood. This analysis uses interview data from both partners (N=200 couples) collected during the third trimester of pregnancy. Results: Approximately 52.5% of subjects reported wanting their current pregnancies; 21.6% were unsure, and 25.9% did not want their current pregnancies. Multivariate analysis suggested the strongest correlates of wantedness were perceived partner wantedness (p<0.01), relationship satisfaction (p=0.02), and not being in school (p=0.04). Sixty-five percent of couples reported similar pregnancy wantedness. In 16% of couples, only the female partner reported wanting to be pregnant. In these relationships, females reported significantly higher social support (p=0.05) and worse mental health (p<0.01) than their partners. In 19% of couples, only the male partner reported wanting the pregnancy. These males reported significantly greater quality of life (p=0.02) and higher optimism (p=0.05) than their female partners. Conclusion: This analysis continues to validate the need for practitioners to ascertain pregnancy wantedness among both male and female adolescents and their partners.