Brittany M Charlton1, Brett Nava-Coulter2, Mandy S Coles3, Sabra L Katz-Wise4. 1. Division of Adolescent/Young Adult Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts. Electronic address: bcharlton@mail.harvard.edu. 2. Department of Sociology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts. 3. Department of Pediatrics, Boston University Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts. 4. Division of Adolescent/Young Adult Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts.
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVE: Sexual minority women are more likely than heterosexual peers to have a teen pregnancy, though little is known about origins of this disparity. Our objective was to describe teen pregnancy experiences among sexual minority women and elucidate potential risk factors. DESIGN: As a part of the SexuaL Orientation, Gender Identity, and Pregnancy Experiences (SLOPE) study, in-depth semistructured interviews and surveys were conducted. SETTING: Across the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Interviews were conducted with 10 sexual minority cisgender women, ages 21-66 years, who experienced a teen pregnancy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Interview transcripts were analyzed using immersion/crystallization and template organizing style approaches. The themes were contextualized using survey data and organized into a conceptual model. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Participants first became pregnant between ages 12 and 19 years; all pregnancies were described as unintentional. Half of the pregnancies resulted from sexual assault. Most of the remaining pregnancies resulted from consensual sex with a boyfriend or regular partner with whom the participant reported inconsistent or no contraceptive use. Five primary themes emerged from participants' interviews: (1) sexuality; (2) life history and contextual factors before pregnancy; (3) abuse and assault; (4) reactions to the pregnancy; and (5) pregnancy outcomes. Future research should assess each theme to explore its contribution to the higher burden of teen pregnancies among sexual minority compared with heterosexual women; such data can inform public health prevention campaigns and evidenced-based curricula for health care providers who care for adolescents.
STUDY OBJECTIVE: Sexual minority women are more likely than heterosexual peers to have a teen pregnancy, though little is known about origins of this disparity. Our objective was to describe teen pregnancy experiences among sexual minority women and elucidate potential risk factors. DESIGN: As a part of the SexuaL Orientation, Gender Identity, and Pregnancy Experiences (SLOPE) study, in-depth semistructured interviews and surveys were conducted. SETTING: Across the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Interviews were conducted with 10 sexual minority cisgender women, ages 21-66 years, who experienced a teen pregnancy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Interview transcripts were analyzed using immersion/crystallization and template organizing style approaches. The themes were contextualized using survey data and organized into a conceptual model. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Participants first became pregnant between ages 12 and 19 years; all pregnancies were described as unintentional. Half of the pregnancies resulted from sexual assault. Most of the remaining pregnancies resulted from consensual sex with a boyfriend or regular partner with whom the participant reported inconsistent or no contraceptive use. Five primary themes emerged from participants' interviews: (1) sexuality; (2) life history and contextual factors before pregnancy; (3) abuse and assault; (4) reactions to the pregnancy; and (5) pregnancy outcomes. Future research should assess each theme to explore its contribution to the higher burden of teen pregnancies among sexual minority compared with heterosexual women; such data can inform public health prevention campaigns and evidenced-based curricula for health care providers who care for adolescents.
Authors: Brittany M Charlton; Heather L Corliss; Stacey A Missmer; A Lindsay Frazier; Margaret Rosario; Jessica A Kahn; S Bryn Austin Journal: J Adolesc Health Date: 2011-06-08 Impact factor: 5.012
Authors: Brittany M Charlton; Heather L Corliss; Stacey A Missmer; Margaret Rosario; Donna Spiegelman; S Bryn Austin Journal: Am J Obstet Gynecol Date: 2013-06-22 Impact factor: 8.661
Authors: Heather L McCauley; Rebecca N Dick; Daniel J Tancredi; Sandi Goldstein; Samantha Blackburn; Jay G Silverman; Erica Monasterio; Lisa James; Elizabeth Miller Journal: J Adolesc Health Date: 2014-06-21 Impact factor: 5.012
Authors: Corinne H Rocca; Katrina Kimport; Sarah C M Roberts; Heather Gould; John Neuhaus; Diana G Foster Journal: PLoS One Date: 2015-07-08 Impact factor: 3.240