Social and emotional adjustment following early pregnancy in young Australian women: a comparison of those who terminate, miscarry, or complete pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
To compare social and emotional adjustment including educational attainment and substance use in women who had a child, pregnancy termination, or miscarriage by young adulthood.


METHODS
Data were from a population-based longitudinal study of the health and well-being of 1,943 young Australians (Victorian Adolescent Health Cohort Study) followed from 15 to 24 years of age. The sample was restricted to female participants and based on pregnancies reported by age 24 years. Analyses were adjusted for early teenage depressive symptoms, cigarette smoking, alcohol use, cannabis use, and parent socioeconomic context.


RESULTS
A total of 208 pregnancies (in 170 women) were reported from a sample of 824 young women by 24 years of age. Compared with those who had never been pregnant, those who had a child had lower tertiary education completion and a higher risk of nicotine dependence; those who terminated a pregnancy were more commonly single and had a higher risk of smoking and alcohol use as well as nicotine and alcohol dependence; and those who had a miscarriage had a higher risk of depressive symptomatology and binge drinking as well as nicotine and cannabis dependence.


CONCLUSIONS
Young women who have been pregnant by their mid-twenties report a range of difficulties in social and emotional adjustment that vary across the different pregnancy outcomes. Broad-based psychosocial health care is essential not only for young women whose pregnancies proceed to live birth, but also for those whose pregnancies end with miscarriage or induced abortion.
School of Psychology, Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia; Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: craig.olsson@rch.org.au.
Craig A
CA
Olsson
School of Psychology, Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
Emily
E
Horwill
Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
Elya
E
Moore
Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Marla E
ME
Eisenberg
Menzies Research Institute, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
Alison
A
Venn
Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
Christina
C
O'Loughlin
Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
George C
GC
Patton
D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050498:Live Birth / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012919:Social Behavior; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D014739:Victoria; D055815:Young Adult
Depression; Education; Miscarriage; Pregnancy; Psychosocial well-being; Substance use; Termination