Differences in Pregnancy Desire Among Pregnant Female Adolescents at a State-Funded Family Planning Clinic

We wished to examine variables associated with pregnancy desire among pregnant adolescents from low socioeconomic backgrounds. This study analyzed 335 charts at a state-funded family planning clinic. Participants were adolescents who had a positive pregnancy test at the clinic on the day of the survey. Logistic regression was utilized to determine differences in pregnancy desire. We found that Hispanic teens were more than twice as likely to desire pregnancy as African American teens (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.22; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.22-3.65), and adolescents who were not in school were almost twice as likely as those who were in school full-time to desire pregnancy (AOR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.08-3.09). Hispanic teens who were not in school were 12 times more likely to desire pregnancy than African American teens who were in school full-time (odds ratio [OR], 11.47; 95% CI, 3.68-35.75). Adolescent pregnancy desire is significantly associated with educational status and racial background. Developing culturally appropriate interventions to encourage continued education and asking about community and familial norms are essential steps in addressing this issue.