title: Changes in the circumstances of young mothers in Britain: 1990 to 2000.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess changes between 1990 and 2000 in the circumstances of women who became mothers before the age of 18.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two cross sectional probability sample surveys of the general population carried out in 1989-1991 (Natsal 1990) and 1999-2001 (Natsal 2000).
  
  
  METHODS
  British households.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women aged 18 to 27 years at time of survey (Natsal 1990: 2575, Natsal 2000: 1757).
  
  
  METHODS
  Educational attainment, participation in education/work or training, living in social housing, social class, living as lone adult, parity, ill health, and health related behaviours at the time of the interview.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of women who were sexually active before 18 increased between 1990 and 2000 from 58.9% to 71.3% (p<0.0001). There was no significant change in the proportion who had a child before the age of 18 (4.7% in 1990, 5.3% in 2000, p=0.390). The proportion who had attained no educational qualifications and were not participating in education/work or training was significantly lower in 2000 than in 1990 for all women aged 18-27, but higher among those who were mothers before age 18, although the relative difference was not statistically significant. The proportion living in social housing or reporting a recent long term illness at time of interview was higher and this trend was more pronounced among women who did not experience motherhood before 18 than those who did, but the differences between these groups of women were not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Motherhood before the age of 18 continues to be related to a variety of adverse circumstances in adult life, including lack of educational attainment, not being in education/work or training, lone parenthood, and a reduced likelihood of home ownership. There is little evidence of improvement in the circumstances of young mothers between 1990 and 2000 despite improvements in life chances among young women in general.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Sexual and Reproductive Health Research, Department of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK.
authors.forename: Kiran
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nanchahal
authors.forename: Kaye
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wellings
authors.forename: Geraldine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barrett
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Copas
authors.forename: Catherine H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Mercer
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Macmanus
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Macdowall
authors.forename: Kevin A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Fenton
authors.forename: Bob
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Erens
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment / Q000639:trends; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006798:Housing / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D009035:Mothers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010298:Parity; D011203:Poverty / Q000639:trends; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015406:Single Parent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012923:Social Class; D006113:United Kingdom; D016387:Women's Health