Preventing and reducing the adverse effects of unintended teenage pregnancies

NHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination
Record ID 31999008319
English
Authors' objectives:

This report summarises the research evidence on approaches to preventing and alleviating the direct negative health and social effects of teenage pregnancy.

Authors' recommendations: Teenage pregnancy is associated with increased risk of poor social, economic and health outcomes for both mother and child. A factor strongly associated with deferring pregnancy is a good general education. The health and development of teenage mothers and their children has been shown to benefit from programmes promoting access to antenatal care, targeted support by health visitors, social workers or 'lay mothers' and provision of social support, educational opportunities and pre-school education. School-based sex education can be effective in reducing teenage pregnancy especially when linked to access to contraceptive services. The most reliable evidence shows that it does not increase sexual activity or pregnancy rates. Contraceptives when used properly are highly cost effective and can result in significant savings. Increasing the availability of contraceptive clinic services for young people is associated with reduced pregnancy rates. Contraceptive services should be based on an assessment of local needs and ensure accessibility and confidentiality.
Authors' methods: Systematic review
Details
Project Status: Completed
Year Published: 1997
English language abstract: An English language summary is available
Publication Type: Not Assigned
Country: England
MeSH Terms
  • Adolescent
  • Contraception
  • Costs and Cost Analysis
  • Pregnancy in Adolescence
  • Sex Education
Contact
Organisation Name: University of York
Contact Address: University of York, York, Y01 5DD, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 1904 321040, Fax: +44 1904 321041,
Contact Name: crd@york.ac.uk
Contact Email: crd@york.ac.uk
Copyright: Centre for Reviews and Dissemination
This is a bibliographic record of a published health technology assessment from a member of INAHTA or other HTA producer. No evaluation of the quality of this assessment has been made for the HTA database.