First family planning visit in school-based clinics

The timing of the first family planning visit for 144 female adolescents using school-based clinics in four St. Paul, Minn., high schools was studied. Mean delay time for the sample was 11.4 months and the median was 7.8 months. Almost 50% of the sample arrived within two months of either a planned onset of sexual intercourse (virgin group) or a recent start of sexual activity (short delay group). Early onset of sexual activity (v age 15) was more prevalent among long delayers (47.9%) than among short delayers (21.1%). Longer delayers were more likely to come from the lowest socioeconomic groups. Short delayers and longer delayers were equally likely to have been motivated to attend the clinic because they feared they were pregnant. Reasons for choosing this clinic over others reflected the importance of confidentiality, comprehensiveness of services, and the specific adolescent orientation of care.