Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 29, 2026

Monitoring Blood Glucose in Mouse Offspring After Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection
Published on: May 17, 2024
The influence of three genes on whether adolescents use contraception, USA 1994-2002
1Carolina Population Center, UNC-Chapel Hill, 123 W. Franklin St., Room 202-B, Chapel Hill, NC 27516-2524, USA. jondaw@unc.edu
Abstract:
In a further contribution to recent investigations of the relevance of genetic processes for demographic outcomes, we investigate genetic associations with whether adolescents use contraception. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we find that variants in the dopamine transporter gene DAT1, the dopamine receptor gene DRD2, and the monoamine oxidase gene MAOA are associated with unprotected sexual intercourse. Consistent with previous analyses of these data, the genotypes DRD2*A1/A2, DRD2*A2/A2, DAT1*9R/10R, and MAOA*2R/ are associated with higher odds of unprotected sexual intercourse than other genotypes at these loci. The DRD2 associations apply to both men and women, whereas the other associations apply to women only. These results are robust to controls for population stratification by continental ancestry, do not vary by contraceptive type, and are consistent with previous research showing that these genetic variants are associated with higher rates of impulsivity.
Related Concept Videos
Birth Control Methods
The Ratio of X Chromosome to Autosomes
Normal male Drosophila has a ratio of one X chromosome to two sets of autosomes. In contrast, normal female Drosophila...
Epistasis Analysis
Longitudinal Research
Regression Toward the Mean
Behavioral Genetics and Its Designs
The primary methodologies used in behavior genetics include family studies, twin studies, and adoption studies, each providing unique...
