Factors Associated with Unwanted Pregnancy among Adolescents in Russia.
OBJECTIVE
To identify social and behavioral factors associated with unintended pregnancy among adolescents in Russia.


METHODS
Cross-sectional.


METHODS
The investigation group consisted of 145 adolescents aged 15-19 years admitted to a youth-friendly clinic for induced abortion. The control group consisted of 77 sexually active never pregnant adolescent girls of similar age admitted for other reasons.


METHODS
Both groups completed a self-administered questionnaire about their occupation, educational level of their mother, family structure and socioeconomic status, relationship with their mother, sexual behavior, and substance use.


METHODS
Factors associated with unintended pregnancy.


RESULTS
In the bivariate analysis pregnant adolescents tended to have a lower educational level, to live in a nonintact family, to prefer stronger alcohol drinks, and to have a younger age at sexual debut and more frequent sexual intercourse. In the log-linear model six factors appeared to be directly linked to pregnancy: mother's lower education, alcohol consumption, nonintact family structure, low academic grades, higher frequency of sexual intercourse, and lower age at sexual debut.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the issue of unwanted pregnancy and possible ways to prevent it should be kept in mind in the psychosocial assessment of any adolescent, the results of our study suggest that some adolescents are at increased risk of unwanted pregnancy. This group includes adolescent girls with low educational attainment, living in a disrupted family, and reporting other risk behaviors. These adolescents might specially benefit from specific preventive programs to reduce the number of adverse outcomes.
Department of Pediatrics and Child Cardiology, North-Western State Medical University named after I.I. Mechnikov, Saint Petersburg, Russia. Electronic address: oxanastaun@yahoo.com.
O V
OV
Panova
Department of Pediatrics and Child Cardiology, North-Western State Medical University named after I.I. Mechnikov, Saint Petersburg, Russia.
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AM
Kulikov
Institute of Social Sciences & NCCR LIVES, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
A
A
Berchtold
Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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JC
Suris
D000293:Adolescent; D003075:Coitus; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009035:Mothers; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011275:Pregnancy, Unwanted; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012426:Russia; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
Adolescents; Associated factors; Unwanted pregnancy