TY - JOUR

T1 - Factors associated with teenage pregnancy in the Scandinavian countries

AU - Bennetsen, Ane K.K.

AU - Faber, Mette T.

AU - Nygaard, Mari

AU - Sundström, Karin

AU - Hansen, Bo T.

AU - Thomsen, Louise T.

AU - Munk, Christian

AU - Frederiksen, Kirsten

AU - Kjaer, Susanne K.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © Author(s) 2023.

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Aims: Teenage pregnancy may have negative consequences for the mother and the infant. The aim of the study was to examine whether selected individual factors occurring early in life were associated with teenage pregnancy. Methods: In a population-based, cross-sectional questionnaire study among 34,455 women from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden aged 20–45 years, who had first sexual intercourse (FSI) at age 13–19 years, we assessed the association between early smoking and drinking initiation (i.e., before the age of 13), contraceptive use at FSI, and teenage pregnancy. Log-linear binary regression models were fitted to estimate the relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of teenage pregnancy according to the three exposure variables, overall and by age at FSI. Furthermore, the outcomes of the teenage pregnancies were examined according to age at FSI. Results: Teenage pregnancy occurred in 11% of the population. Both early smoking initiation (RR: 1.6; 95% CI: 1.4–1.8), early drinking initiation (RR: 1.2; 95% CI: 1.0–1.4), and non-use of contraceptives at FSI (RR: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.8–2.0) were associated with teenage pregnancy. The associations for early smoking initiation and non-use of contraceptives remained when analyses were stratified by age at FSI. Almost 60% of all teenage pregnant women had an induced abortion and less than 30% gave birth. Conclusions: Individual factors, including early smoking and drinking initiation, and non-use of contraceptives at FSI, were associated with teenage pregnancy regardless of age at FSI. This emphasizes the necessity of focusing on early risk-taking behavior as a potential modifier to prevent teenage pregnancy.

AB - Aims: Teenage pregnancy may have negative consequences for the mother and the infant. The aim of the study was to examine whether selected individual factors occurring early in life were associated with teenage pregnancy. Methods: In a population-based, cross-sectional questionnaire study among 34,455 women from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden aged 20–45 years, who had first sexual intercourse (FSI) at age 13–19 years, we assessed the association between early smoking and drinking initiation (i.e., before the age of 13), contraceptive use at FSI, and teenage pregnancy. Log-linear binary regression models were fitted to estimate the relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of teenage pregnancy according to the three exposure variables, overall and by age at FSI. Furthermore, the outcomes of the teenage pregnancies were examined according to age at FSI. Results: Teenage pregnancy occurred in 11% of the population. Both early smoking initiation (RR: 1.6; 95% CI: 1.4–1.8), early drinking initiation (RR: 1.2; 95% CI: 1.0–1.4), and non-use of contraceptives at FSI (RR: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.8–2.0) were associated with teenage pregnancy. The associations for early smoking initiation and non-use of contraceptives remained when analyses were stratified by age at FSI. Almost 60% of all teenage pregnant women had an induced abortion and less than 30% gave birth. Conclusions: Individual factors, including early smoking and drinking initiation, and non-use of contraceptives at FSI, were associated with teenage pregnancy regardless of age at FSI. This emphasizes the necessity of focusing on early risk-taking behavior as a potential modifier to prevent teenage pregnancy.

KW - contraception

KW - drinking alcohol

KW - Pregnancy

KW - Scandinavian and Nordic countries

KW - sexual behavior

KW - smoking

U2 - 10.1177/14034948231172819

DO - 10.1177/14034948231172819

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 37165576

AN - SCOPUS:85159120269

JO - Acta socio-medica Scandinavica

JF - Acta socio-medica Scandinavica

SN - 1403-4948

ER -