TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - Chapter 77. Intrauterine and Ectopic Pregnancy A1 - Monasterio, Erica B. A1 - Shafer, Mary-Ann A2 - Rudolph, Colin D. A2 - Rudolph, Abraham M. A2 - Lister, George E. A2 - First, Lewis R. A2 - Gershon, Anne A. PY - 2011 T2 - Rudolph's Pediatrics, 22e AB - Close to 800,000 adolescents between 15 and 19 years old in the United States experience a pregnancy each year, with approximately 30% of these pregnancies terminated by therapeutic abortion, 14% resulting in spontaneous abortion, and the balance resulting in a live birth. Although these data reflect a significant issue impacting adolescent health and well-being, trends in pregnancy, abortion, and birth among US adolescents continues on a downward trend over the past 25 years.1 Of those who maintain the pregnancy to term, about 95% of adolescents decide to parent the child, and 79% of teen mothers are unmarried.2 The factors that place young women at risk for an unintended pregnancy and the interactions among these factors are complex. Lack of appropriate knowledge regarding sexual intercourse and contraception plays a role in the perpetuation of myths regarding risk for pregnancy, especially among younger teenagers. Cognitive immaturity results in adolescents’ difficulty in linking the act of sexual intercourse with the possible outcome of pregnancy and therefore assessing their true personal risk for pregnancy as well as difficulty in applying information that they may have to their own decision-making related to sexual behavior and pregnancy prevention. Environmental factors including poverty, community norms, and cultural expectations make teenage parenthood an attractive alternative role for many young women. Also, society’s ambivalence regarding adolescent sexual activity, contraception, pregnancy, and teenage parenthood acts as a barrier to the development and maintenance of effective interventions. SN - PB - The McGraw-Hill Companies CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/03/29 UR - accesspediatrics.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=6737595 ER -