Association of risk-taking behaviors with adolescent childbearing.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Risk-taking behavior has been shown to be associated with adolescent pregnancy or childbearing. However, the specific risk-taking behavioral factors and the extent to which they are associated with adolescent childbearing is less clear. The purpose of this study was to determine the risk-taking behavioral factors associated with adolescent childbearing.

METHODS

In this case-control study, 198 mothers aged from 16 to 19 years with first-born infants born in Taichung City in 1997 were enrolled. The controls were adolescents with no history of childbearing or pregnancy matched for age and residential neighborhood of each case. A self-administered structured questionnaire inquiring about a variety of risk-taking factors was used to gather relevant information. The logistic regression model was used for univariate, combination of variables, and multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

Compared to controls, childbearing adolescents were more likely to have risk-taking behaviors including smoking, drinking, use of illegal substances, working at bars or nightclubs, and lack of use of contraception at first sexual intercourse. Logistic regression analysis for various combinations of risk-taking behaviors revealed that the more items of risk-taking behaviors adolescents had, the higher their risk of childbearing. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that use of alcohol (adjusted OR = 1.9, 95% CI 1.1-3.1), working at sex-related workplace (adjusted OR = 4.7, 95% CI 2.4-9.3), and no use of contraceptive device at first intercourse (adjusted OR = 3.1, 95% CI 1.3-7.2), were significant risk factors for adolescent childbearing in subjects with previous sexual intercourse.

CONCLUSION

Adolescent females who used alcohol, worked at bars or nightclubs or used no contraception at first intercourse were more prone to adolescent childbearing, and a combination of risk-taking behaviors could increase the risk of childbearing. These risk-taking factors should be taken into consideration in the development of prevention programs.