Unplanned pregnancy in adolescents: association with family structure, employed mother, and female friends with health-risk habits and behaviors

An exploratory study of the factors associated with use of contraceptive methods in young Chilean women aged 17-29 years

OBJECTIVE

To explore factors related to the use of contraceptive methods in young Chilean women with higher education.

METHODS

Using the 9th Chilean National Youth Survey, multinomial models were conducted to predict contraceptive methods used during the last intercourse among sexually initiated female college students aged 17-29 years who had already completed high school (n = 1828).

RESULTS

The results indicate that using contraceptive methods at onset sexual activity was positively associated with the use of all contraceptive methods (relative risk ratio [RRR]immediate = 3.97, RRRdaily = 2.95, RRRlong-term = 1.82, P < 0.05). Having a previous unintended pregnancy increased the odds of using long-term contraceptive methods (RRR = 2.13, P < 0.05). Increased age of sexual initiation was associated with increased odds of using immediate contraception methods (RRRadolescence = 2.57, RRRyoung adulthood = 3.75, P < 0.05). Substance use was not associated with contraception methods used. Medium socioeconomic status, compared with high, decreased the odds of using immediate and daily contraceptive methods (RRR = 0.26, P < 0.05 for both). Low socioeconomic status was associated with decreased odds of using daily contraception (RRR = 0.39, P < 0.05). Finally, incomplete (RRR = 2.21, P < 0.05) or complete (RRR = 2.38, P < 0.05) professional education increased the odds of immediate contraceptive methods.

CONCLUSIONS

To generate family planning policies aimed at university students, individual factors related to sexual behavior should be addressed in accordance with the local reality and with a gender focus.

Individual and contextual factors associated with mistimed and unwanted pregnancies among adolescent girls and young women in selected high fertility countries in sub-Saharan Africa: A multilevel mixed effects analysis

Introduction

Unintended pregnancies are associated with a number of risk factors such as malnutrition, mental illness, unsafe abortion, maternal mortality and horizontal transmission of HIV to children. These risks are predominant among adolescent girls and young women compared to older women. This study examined the individual and contextual factors associated with unintended pregnancy among adolescent girls and young women in selected high fertility countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Materials and methods

Data for this study was obtained from recent Demographic and Health Surveys carried out between 2010 and 2018 in 10 countries in sub-Sahara Africa. The sample size for this study was made up of 6,791 adolescent girls and young women (aged 15–24), who were pregnant during the surveys and had complete responses on all the variables considered in the study. Unintended pregnancy was the outcome variable in this study. Descriptive and multilevel logistic regression analyses were performed and the fixed effect results of the multilevel logistic regression analysis were reported as adjusted odds ratios at 95% confidence interval.

Results

Unintended pregnancy in the selected countries was 22.4%, with Angola, recording the highest prevalence of 46.6% while Gambia had the lowest prevalence of 10.2%. The likelihood of unintended pregnancy was high among adolescent girls and young women aged 15–19 [aOR = 1.48; 95% CI = 1.26–1.73], those with primary [aOR = 1.99; 95% CI = 1.69–2.33] and secondary/higher [aOR = 2.30; 95% CI = 1.90–2.78] levels of education, single (never married/separated/divorced/widowed) adolescent girls and young women [aOR = 9.23; 95% CI = 7.55–11.28] and those who were cohabiting [aOR = 2.53; 95% CI = 2.16–2.96]. The odds of unintended pregnancy also increased with increasing birth order, with adolescent girls and young women having three or more births more likely to have unintended pregnancies compared to those with one birth [aOR = 1.99; 95% CI = 1.59–2.48]. Adolescent girls and young women who had ever used contraceptives (modern or traditional), had higher odds of unintended pregnancies compared to those who had never used contraceptives [aOR = 1.32; 95% CI = 1.12–1.54]. Finally, adolescent girls and young women who belonged to the rich wealth quintile were more likely to have unintended pregnancy compared to those in the poor wealth quintile [1.28; 95% CI = 1.08–1.51].

Conclusion

The study found that age, marital status, level of education, parity, use of contraceptives and wealth quintile are associated with unintended pregnancy among adolescent girls and young women in high fertility sub-Saharan African countries. These findings call for the need for government and non-governmental organisations in high fertility sub-Saharan African countries to restructure sexual and reproductive health services, taking into consideration these individual and contextual level characteristics of adolescent girls and young women.

Prevalence of and factors associated with unplanned pregnancy among women in Koshu, Japan: cross-sectional evidence from Project Koshu, 2011-2016

Background

Unplanned pregnancy is a public health issue with adverse consequences for maternal and neonatal health. In Japan, the prevalence of unplanned pregnancy was 46.2% in 2002. However, few studies have investigated this topic, and there is little recent data from Japan. We described and examined the prevalence and determinants of unplanned pregnancy among rural women in Japan from 2011 to 2016.

Methods

We used cross-sectional data from a community-based cohort study (Project Koshu). Data were collected from 2011 to 2016 via a self-report questionnaire included in the Maternal and Child Health Handbook of Japan. Pregnancy intention was measured as a binary variable (planned or unplanned). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to examine factors associated with unplanned pregnancy, with results reported as odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We conducted sensitivity analyses with different definitions of pregnancy intention to assess the robustness of the results. The significance level was set at 5%.

Results

Of the 932 participants (mean ± standard deviation age at baseline: 31.3 ± 5.2 years), 382 (41%) pregnancies were reported as unplanned. The multivariate analyses showed that maternal age (+ 1 year: OR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.92–0.97, p <  0.001), ‘other’ family structure (OR = 2.76, 95% CI: 1.12–6.76, p = 0.03), three or more pregnancies (OR = 2.26, 95% CI: 1.66–3.08, p <  0.001), current smoking (OR = 2.60, 95% CI: 1.26–5.35, p = 0.01), balanced diet (OR = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.47–0.83, p <  0.001) and current depression (OR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.24–2.16, p <  0.001) were strongly associated with unplanned pregnancy. These associations were consistent across definitions of pregnancy intention, supporting the robustness of our results.

Conclusions

The prevalence of unplanned pregnancy in the study population was high (41%). Risk factors for unplanned pregnancy were age, number of pregnancies, smoking, having a balanced diet and current depression. These results suggest greater efforts are needed to enhance sex education for young people, improve access to family planning services and provide comprehensive health care for high-risk women to help reduce unplanned pregnancies.

What has reproductive health decision-making capacity got to do with unintended pregnancy? Evidence from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey

INTRODUCTION

Women's reproductive health decision-making is indispensable for improving their reproductive health and achieving Sustainable Development Goal three. This study explored the association between reproductive health decision-making capacity and unintended pregnancy among women in Ghana.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We used data from the 2014 version of the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. The unit of analysis for this study was pregnant women at the time of the survey (679). Bivariate and multivariable analyses were conducted using Pearson chi-square tests and binary logistic regression respectively.

RESULTS

We found that women who had the capacity to make reproductive health decision [AOR = 0.61; CI = 0.51-0.89] were less likely to experience unintended pregnancies, compared to those who did not have the capacity. Age was found to have a statistically significant influence on unintended pregnancy, with women aged 25-29 years [AOR = 0.29; CI = 0.13-0.63], 30-34 years [AOR = 0.18; CI = 0.08-0.45], and 35-39 years [AOR = 0.26; CI = 0.10-0.68] being less likely to experience unintended pregnancy compared to those aged 15-19 years. Women with primary level of education were more likely to have unintended pregnancies, compared to those with no education [AOR = 2.07; CI = 1.12-3.84].

CONCLUSION

This study has filled the gap in the already existing literature on the association between reproductive health decision making capacity and unintended pregnancy in Ghana and has created a room for specific interventions geared towards reducing unintended pregnancies, especially among women who are not capable of making reproductive health decisions, women aged 15-19 years, those with primary education, Traditionalists and unmarried women.

Male Experience and Sociodemographic Characteristics of Premarital Pregnancy: Based on a Nationwide Population-Based Survey Among Urban and Rural Chinese Youths

Little is known about the male experience of premarital pregnancy (MEPP) and the sociodemographic characteristics of unmarried male youths involved in pregnancy. This study estimates the prevalence of MEPP and identifies the sociodemographic factors associated with it among Chinese unmarried youths aged 15–24 years, using data from the Survey of Youth Access to Reproductive Health in China. Descriptive analyses and χ² tests were applied to explore the number and prevalence of MEPP, and logistic regressions were used to identify the associated factors. As a result, among 2,853 sexually experienced male youths, 597 individuals reported 852 partner pregnancies caused by them during their lifetime, with a weighted prevalence rate of 20.87% (95% CI [18.85%, 22.88%]). Among these pregnancies, 78.05% ended in induced abortion. Factors like living with only the father (OR: 4.16, 95% CI [2.22, 7.8]) and the low level of education of the father (junior high school or below, OR: 1.60, 95% CI [1.04, 2.46]) were associated with MEPP among unmarried male youth. Furthermore, there is a marked difference between the rural and urban youth in factors associated with MEPP. The findings in this study highlight the importance of and need for strategies and interventions targeting male youths, in order to improve sexual education and reproductive services.

Role of family structure and parenting style in adolescent pregnancy in Surabaya, Indonesia

Objectives: To explore the relationship of family structure and parenting style with adolescent pregnancy in SurabayaMaterials and Methods: This research uses mix methods approach with case-control design and case study. Data were collected by questionnaire and in-dept interview guidelines. This study involved 46 adolescent (23 cases and 23 control) by purpossive sampling and 6 adolescents as main participants. Quantitative data were analyzed on univariable, bivariable with chi square and multivariable with multiple logistic regression with p=0,05 and CI 95%. Qualitative data were analyzed by in-depth interviewResults: Family stucture were not statistically significant (OR 10.53; CI 0.657-168.93), but socially meaningful. There is not statistically significant between parenting style with adolescent pregnancy (OR 1.191; CI 0.373-3.806). Other factors that have a significant relationship with adolescent pregnancy is education of responden (OR 559.76; CI 3.608-23026.4). There is no statis-tically significant in education father, education mother, employment status and where they living. Parenting style can be influenced by communication between parents and adolescent.Conclusions: Risk of adolescent pregnancy on people who have low education. Adolescents from extended family and single parent have a role to the incidence of teenage pregnancy.

A CCR5 antagonist-based HIV entry inhibitor exhibited potent spermicidal activity: Potential application for contraception and prevention of HIV sexual transmission

B07 is a small-molecule CCR5 antagonist-based HIV-1 entry inhibitor that is being developed as an anti-HIV microbicide for preventing sexual transmission of HIV. Here we evaluated its spermicidal and contraceptive potential, including sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity, and contraceptive efficacy tested in rabbits. We found that B07 inhibited sperm motility and movement patterns in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Within 30 min, B07 induced sperm immobilization with the minimum 100% effective concentration and median effective concentration of 640.0 and 64.4 μg/mL, respectively. The hypo-osmotic swelling test showed that plasma membranes of B07-treated sperms exhibited slight disruption, as verified by electron micrographs. In both B07 gel and N-9 gel groups, not a single implantation site or embryo was observed based on the contraceptive efficacy test in rabbits, indicating that B07 could effectively block the potential of sperm to reach and/or fertilize oocytes. The safety profile of B07 in vivo was evaluated by use of an optimized rabbit vaginal irritation test. While the pathological scores of the N-9 gel group was 14.67 ± 1.21, those of the blank control and B07 gel groups were 2.17 ± 0.76 and 4.00 ± 0.89, respectively, which were within the clinically acceptable range (<8). The proportion of inflammatory cells and CD45⁺ cells in the cervicovaginal lavages of the B07 gel group showed no significant change compared to those of the control group. Therefore, our results confirmed that B07 exhibited significant spermicidal and contraceptive effects, suggesting its potential for development as a microbicidal spermicide for contraception and prevention of HIV sexual transmission.