Does the UK governments teenage pregnancy strategy deal with the correct risk factors?
Allen E; Bonell C; Strange V; Copas A; Stephenson J; Johnson AM; Oakley A Department of Primary Care and Population Sciences, Centre for Sexual Health and HIV Research, University College London, Mortimer Market Centre, London, UK. e.allen@uk.imshealth.com BACKGROUND: Much of the UK government’s 1999 report on teenage pregnancy was by necessity based on rather old or non-longitudinal research. AIM: To examine the associations between risk factors identified in the report and pregnancy at or before age 16 years among young women and partners of young men using the more recent data. RESULTS: Socioeconomic disadvantage, being born to a teenage mother, expectation of being a teenage parent, low educational expectations and various other behaviours are potential risk factors for teenage pregnancy, as suggested by unadjusted analyses. Those who cited school as providing information on sex had a reduced risk of pregnancy at or before age 16 years, as did girls reporting easy communication wit
