Abstract
Pregnancy in adolescence constitutes a serious public health problem at these ages. It de-stabilizes family homeostasis; family and affective support received by the adolescent is recognized to be a factor of influence in the problem. The objective of the research presented is the empirical study in Cádiz, SW Spain, of the socio-family support received by a group of adolescent mothers, and the influence of this on the development of the pregnancy and the infant, in comparison with a group of adult mothers. A descriptive study of 305 adolescent mothers and 285 adult mothers who gave birth in 1996 and attended the family planning centers of the Primary Health Care District of Cádiz, Spain, in 1997. The variables used included socio-demographic data of the adolescents, information on the pregnancy and birth, on the health of the baby, and on social and family support (by means of the Duke-Inc and Apgar family questionnaires). In the statistical study of the data, frequencies, statistical association, and disequalities of prevalence in the variables were determined. Of the totals, 81.6% (77–86) of the adolescent mothers were unmarried, compared with 22% (17–26) of the adult mothers; 82.3% (78–87) of the adolescents were living with their parents, compared with 39.3% (34–45) of the adults. Family support received is greater among the adolescents (p < 0.01). In this group, in line with increasing family support, there is improvement in - the decision to continue the pregnancy (p < 0.0001), frequency of check-ups (p < 0.0001), less problems in the pregnancy (p < 0.01), differences in the anthropometric values of the baby at birth (p < 0.0001), and breast-feeding (p < 0.001). The conclusion is reached that juvenile pregnancy is not synonymous with more risky pregnancy. There is a positive correlation between the socio-family support received and the general success of the pregnancy and better health in the mother and baby.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
World Health Organization. Health Needs of Adolescents. Technical Report no. 709. Geneva, 1977.
Sánchez E, Saáchez M. Delimitación conceptual y contenido de la adolescencia. Medicine 1991; 85: 11–14.
Taracena del Piñal B. Características del adolescente en España An Esp Pediatr 1991; 46: 63–69.
Gómez J, Diez T, García E. Maternidad juvenil. Medicine 1991; 85: 60–65.
Wellings K, et al. Teenage fertilityand life chances. Rev Reprod 1999; 4: 184–190.
Neinstein LS. Salud del adolescente. Barcelona: Prous editores, 1991.
Oliva A, Serra L, Vallejo R. Sexualidad y contracepción entre jóvenes andaluces. Consejería de Salud de la Junta de Andalucía. Servicio Andaluz de Salud 1992; 4: 145–147.
Ruiz MA, Almenara J, Rodríguez A, Fernández JR. Uso de métodos anticonceptivos en la población adolescente gaditana. Rev Esp Pediatr 1990; 46: 229–232.
Ruiz MA, Martínez M, Rodríguez A. Conocimientos sobre aspectos epidemiológicos del SIDA en los adolescentes gaditanos. Cádiz: Servicio de Publicaciones de la Universidad de Cádiz, 1992.
Carbonell C, Villa A, Gallego A, Santoja J. Estudio prospectivo caso-control de la gestación en la adolescencia. Progr Obst Ginecol 1990; 33: 35–38.
Neinstein LS, Rabinovitz S, Scheir A. El embarazo en la adolescencia. In: Neinstein LS (eds), En salud del Adolescente. Barcelona: Prous editores, 1991; 495–506.
Palau M. Embarazo en la adolescencia. Atenc Prim 1992; 9: 284–286.
Cooksey EC. Factors in the resolution of adolescent premarital pregnancies. Demography1990; 27: 207–218.
Plaza E, Ruiz de Aldana MJ, Alguacil P, et al. Estudio epidemiológico sobre embarazo no deseado. Atenc Prim 1994; 13: 77–79.
Pérez de Lucas N, Gil A, Sánchez A, Rodríguez artalejo F, Rey Calero J. Estudio epidemiológico de la fecundidad en adolescentes en la Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid. Atenc Prim 1993; 12: 139–143.
Lesser J, Koniak-Griffn D, Anderson NL. Depressed adolescent mothers' perceptions of their own maternal role. Issues Ment Health Nurs1999; 20(2): 131–149.
Marachi R, McMahon RJ, Spieker SJ, Munson JA. Longitudinal assessment of the low-end speci.cityof maternal reports of depressive symptoms. Behav Res Ther 1999; 37(5): 483–501.
Tiedje LB, et al. Patient attitudes concerning health behaviors during pregnancy: initial development of a questionnaire. Health Educ Q 1992; 19: 481–493.
Konje JC, et al. Earlyteenage pregnancies in Hull Br J Obstet Gynaecol 1992; 99: 969–973.
González NL, Trujillo J, Armas H, Parache J. Influencia del control prenatal sobre los resultados perinatales del embarazo en la adolescencia. Acta Pediatr Esp 1991; 49: 181–187.
Smilkstein G. The familyApgar: A proposal for a familyfunction test and its use by physicians. J Fam Pract 1979; 6: 1231–1239.
Broadhead WE, Kaplan BH, James SH. The epidemiologic evidence for a relationship between social support and health. Am J Epidemiol 1983; 117: 521–529.
Dura T, Moya M, Villaplana E. Repercusión neonatal del embarazo en adolescentes. Ann Esp Peiatr 1989; 31: 368–371.
Sola I, Monserrat P. La Administración Pública ante el fracaso escolar. Ponencia a la XXV Reunión Anual de la Asociación Española de Pediatría. Barcelona, 1994.
Kemper KJ, Osborn LM, Hansen DF, Pascoe JM. Family psychosocial screening: Should we focus on high-risk settings? J Dev Behav Pediatr 1994; 15(5): 336–341.
Oria de Rueda O, Arrate JK, Mourello C, Saitua G, Delgado A. Aspectos perinatológicos en recién nacidos de madres adolescentes. Rev Esp Pediatr 1990; 46: 287–290.
Renker PR. Physical abuse, social support, self-care, and pregnancyoutcomes of older adolescents. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs 1999; 28(4): 377–388.
Resnick R, et al. Protecting adolescents from harm. Findings from the National longitudinal studyon adolescent health. JAMA 1997; 278(10): 823–832.
Stevens-Simon C, Kelly L, Singer D. Absence of negative attitudes toward childbearing among pregnant teenagers. A risk factor for a rapid repeat pregnancy? Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1996; 150(10): 1037–1043.
Secco ML, Moffatt ME. A review of social support theories and instruments used in adolescent mothering research. J Adolesc Health 1994; 15(7): 517–527.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rodríguez Martín, A., Angel Ruiz Jiménez, M. Epidemiological assessment of the influence of socio-family factors in adolescent pregnancy. Eur J Epidemiol 17, 653–659 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015555314059
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015555314059