Pregnancy wantedness in adolescents presenting for pregnancy testing.
OBJECTIVE
To explore and describe dimensions of pregnancy wantedness in adolescents who present for pregnancy testing.


METHODS
Descriptive survey.


METHODS
Adolescents presenting for pregnancy testing at a multiservice teen center were invited to participate by completing the Pregnancy Importance Questionnaire while awaiting the results of their pregnancy test. Eighty-nine adolescents responded to questions concerning their desire for pregnancy, knowledge and access to birth control information and supplies, and expectations of how a pregnancy would change their lives.


RESULTS
Approximately 7% wanted the pregnancy test to be positive, 60% wanted it to be negative, and 33% were not sure. There was a moderately low (1.97 out of 5) desire for pregnancy, a moderately high (3.11 out of 5) knowledge of and access to birth control, and moderately low (2.08 out of 5) expected changes with a pregnancy. There were no differences in these dimensions by age group (early, middle, and late adolescence).


CONCLUSIONS
All clinicians working with adolescents should explore sexual risk-taking and pregnancy prevention measures among these clients. Appropriate counseling and follow-up is necessary for adolescents who present for pregnancy testing, whether the pregnancy test is positive or negative.
Bloom
K C
KC
University of North Florida, Department of Nursing, Jacksonville 32224, USA. kbloom@unf.edu
Hall
D S
DS
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000523:psychology; D011258:Pregnancy Tests / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011275:Pregnancy, Unwanted / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D015144:Southeastern United States; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data