Sex, contraception, and pregnancy among adolescent in Mexico City

This article presents the development and results of a study that analyzed the psychosocial determinants of abstaining from sexual intercourse, practicing contraception, and avoiding pregnancy. It was carried out with a representative household and a clinic sample of 12-19-year-old females of lower-middle and lower socioeconomic levels in Mexico City. Among the implications of the results for program design are: (1) the need for clarifying erroneous beliefs and providing detailed, practical knowledge concerning sexuality, pregnancy, use of and access to contraceptives; (2) a broad definition of sex education that emphasizes family communication, values clarification, provision of alternative role options for women other than motherhood, and both the goals and the skills needed to achieve them--for example, independent decision-making. Attention to male attitudes and communication skills as well as ways of improving communication and support networks among peers was also found to be essential.