The makings of a new contraceptive. An effective, safe, reversible implant protects for five years
Landman, L.
Rf 6(6): 9-10
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0274-726X PMID: 12313657 Document Number: 263287
Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control suggest that family planning professionals focus efforts to prevent unwanted pregnancies on the sisters of pregnant teenagers. Dr. Andrew M. Friede states that because sisters of pregnant teenagers can be easily identified, they should be sought out and actively enrolled in family planning programs. To determine if the sisters of pregnant teenagers are a high risk group for unwanted pregnancy, researchers analyzed the pregnancy hisory of 3731 women aged 12-16 in multisister families receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) in Arkansas from 1978-80. A preliminary analysis revealed that teenagers with pregnant sisters had a relative risk of pregnancy of 1.8 compared with teens without pregnant sisters. Further analysis permitted researchers to examine such factors as race, number of people in the household eligible for AFDC, degree of urbanization, and history of family planning services. They confirmed that a young woman with a pregnant sister was more likely to become pregnant, but they also found that the risk was higher if the pregnant sister was older (2.4 relative risk) than if the pregnant sister was younger (1.3 relative risk). The analysis revealed that blacks were at increased risk (2.8 relative risk) as were members of households with 9 or more persons eligible for AFDC (1.8 relative risk). Friede noted that 20% of black women who are exposed to a pregnant sister may be pregnant by their 17th birthday. He recommended further research to identify other groups at high risk and emphasized that improved understanding of families is needed.